Learn, Play & Serve - Above The Clouds

Green space, park access, and trees

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Rescuing GREEN SPACE for LA COUNTY!!! GOALS established the GOALS For Valcrest initiative with interrelated and integrated intentions. Namely restoring the long abandoned (and damaged) historic Camp Valcrest, in order to welcome underserved youth to the LA County wilderness for inspiration and personal development. Simultaneously the GFV was launched to activate service platoons of those same youth plus newfound volunteers on a regular basis to care for the giant forest itself. Our sprawling wilderness camp and surroundings, provide a giant environmental learning and service BASE which will translate to a social and workforce training & development endeavor as well. The Angeles National Forest has suffered from massive fires over the past 2 decades and is literally ground zero for more fires to come. Engaging thousands of youth and volunteers at this "base camp" of LA & World environmental awareness, advocacy, and front line ACTION is the issue we addressing with such urgency.

Within our "BASE CAMP" to bolster LA County's priority to rescue, preserve, and expand GREEN SPACE - notably in LA's "biggest park" we intend to apply a grant in entirely to transform our long crumbling camp pool and pool house zone into a LEARN, PLAY & SERVE CENTER @ Camp Valcrest. The pool will be filled in, topped with a solid surface to support various aspects of healthy recreation for youth. This youth PLAY up at 6,000 feet elevation will itself be rewarding. Hockey, futsal (soccer), pickle-ball, roller skating ice skating (in winter), Olympic Handball, will be among many such activities possible. The surrounding barb wire and 14 foot deep open pool danger will be eliminated turning this central facility into a true attraction. The adjoining 1,500 square foot pool house - which once boasted two locker/changing rooms along with a central lifeguards/maintenance room, will receive a desperately overdue 35 year "deferred maintenance" total overhaul both outside and inside. One of the large rooms will be dedicated to youth educational LEARNING use with guests enriching the youth experience and appreciation of the native plants, animals, and importance of environmental awareness and advocacy. The second of the restored large rooms will be dedicated to the SERVICE ideals which are a cornerstone of the GOALS For Valcrest initiative. A standing demonstration exhibit and space regarding reforestation needs and various camp and forest facility needs, equipment use and storage

In many respects the Angeles National Forest is LA County's collective big green backyard. Yet comparatively few play, visit, or are encouraged to actually help sustain that backyard or are engaged by organizations within the forest. Why? The federal agency that ostensibly manages the forest is underfunded and as a result, chronically unresponsive and unprepared to market, recruit, or inspire the necessary engagement of youth and communities. There is no organized place or base to do so whatsoever in the forest, and even if one happened to exist no one is there. What were thriving programs and visitor centers are now mostly shuttered, unstaffed, and sadly non-operative or damaged beyond repair. This LEARN, PLAY, & SERVE Center will be that galvanizing place which will attract, train, and deploy thousands of youth as environmental stewards and activists locally. The long term effects of this cumulative energy will revitalize key aspects of the Angeles Forest and "seed" lifetime values.