Youth To Yellowstone Of Ripley Co. Takes Next Step Towards A Sustainable Future

Youth To Yellowstone allows students throughout the community to spend 12 days traveling and camping out west during the summer.

Photo by Jim Waldo.

(Ripley Co., Ind.) - A Ripley County organization that gives youth in the community the chance to travel to Yellowstone National Park has taken the next step in its journey to provide these opportunities. 

On Monday,  Bill Riley, Board President of Youth To Yellowstone of Ripley County, announced that the organization has recently received its 501 (c) (3) nonprofit status. 

“We’re very excited about this step. The organization is now more sustainable,” says Riley.  

A shared dream of taking local youth to explore and learn about Yellowstone National Park and other western treasures established Youth to Yellowstone of Ripley County over 10 years ago by Jim Waldo and Russell Wilson.

The initial organization was a shared effort of Ripley and Decatur county students and volunteers, but recently separated into two entities.

During the trip to Yellowstone, students and volunteers spend 12 days traveling and camping out west during the summer.

Youth To Yellowstone of Ripley and Decatur counties travel each year with different students for three consecutive trips. Some volunteers spend a majority of their summer in Yellowstone working with the students.

All selected students must write an essay telling why they would like to go on the trip and what it would mean to them. 

Although not an "educational" trip, students learn many skills such as learning how to use cameras and take photographs, interview park employees and other park visitors, and not to mention a tremendous amount about the park’s geological history as well as about the animals that dwell there.

Students are chosen from many personal contacts throughout the community.

Backgrounds of these students vary from economically challenged families, foster children, to having a special need that can be addressed with this type of trip. 

Traveling costs can be quite expensive, but Youth To Yellowstone participants and families do not have to worry about that. 

“The students’ trips are entirely covered financially, through donations, fundraisers, and grants.” Riley says. “That is why we are excited about our new 501 (c)(3) status. It will open more doors to us for raising funds.”

Costs for the trip include everything from renting passenger and cargo vans for the drive out, hotel rooms, campsites, food, snacks, souvenirs (each student receives a Yellowstone sweatshirt and t-shirts), cots, sleeping bags, and any other essentials the students might need, like hiking boots.

If you are interested in getting involved, call Jim Waldo at (937) 239-3937, Bill Riley at (812) 621-1965, or email the organization at Y2Y@YouthToYellowstone.org .

Any donations for the Youth to Yellowstone of Ripley County trips can be made online at www.YouthToYellowstone.org or by sending a check to Youth to Yellowstone of Ripley County, P.O. Box 42, Milan, Indiana 47031.

Board members are also available to present to any organizations in the community.