Celebrate Earth Day with EarthShare and WTA

Help celebrate Earth Day, WTA style!

From March 1 to April 30, the time you spend on a WTA work party could do even more for trails when you participate in the EarthShare Earth Day Challenge.

The first Earth Day took place in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues. Today that spirit lives on in the hearts of those who love the natural world, and want to do their part to protect it for future generations.

To recognize Earth Day 2015, EarthShare Washington is challenging local companies, community groups, and individuals to make a change, raise funds and volunteer for a select group of environmental organizations ... including WTA! When you participate in EarthShare's Earth Day challenge, you'll help the environment, have fun and support WTA all at the same time.

Here's how to take the challenge:

To take the Earth Day Challenge, you can do one or all of the following:

• Start a Team. Start and Earth Day Challenge Team at your workplace, church, school, or with your hiking buddies. Sign up your team at earthdaychallenge.org and set your goals: a dollar goal and a volunteer hours goal. Make a personal donation or host a fundraising activity such as theme days, house parties or potlucks.
• Volunteer. Join a WTA work party, or select from the volunteer opportunities listed on the EarthDay Challenge website. Track your volunteer hours in Earthshare's online system. Your hours will count towards your fundraising goal! One hour of volunteering is equivalent to $10 in funds raised.
• Make a personal pledge - like joining a WTA work party to volunteer on trail, or making a donation. Challenge your friends, clients or associates to join you. Or, ask them to donate to your favorite cause. Share your story via Facebook, Twitter or Vine!

Where does the money go?

Earthshare is raising funds for 35 local environmental organizations through the Earth Day Challenge. Participating WTA fans can designate their gifts towards Washington Trails Association or any of the other organizations on the list.

Undesignated contributions are split between participating organizations, while 100 percent of designated contributions go to the organization you designate! Your contribution to WTA will support our trail work, advocacy, education programs in 2015.

Ready to get started?

Visit the Earthday Challenge website to learn more, or contact WTA Development Director Kate Neville at kate@wta.org.