The Granite Gear Grounds Keeper program kicks off its seventh year of picking up trash from wild places and “leaving it better.” Since the program began in 2017, a sponsored team of dedicated hikers, bikers and paddlers has cleaned up more than 36,025 pounds of trash.
Last year was the Grounds Keepers’ most ambitious year yet with more than 11,237 pounds packed out from green spaces in cities, beaches, national parks and other trail systems. The seventh class of Grounds Keepers includes 10 diverse nature lovers from around the country who have committed to a year of leaving their environment and community better than they found it.
The list of brands supporting the program continues to grow, and this year, the 2023 team is being sponsored by: Sawyer, Astral, Katabatic Gear, Kula Cloth, Hikers Brew, Lava Linens, UCO, Hibear, Farm to Summit, Appalachian Gear Company, and Jetboil.
Out of hundreds of applicants, the Grounds Keepers were chosen based on their passion for the outdoors, cleanup goals, commitment to DEI initiatives, and outdoor experience. With the collective mission to leave our planet better, the 2023 team includes Chris “Mischief” Phillips, Alexia “Papercut” Oneill, Erik “Mountain Goat” Barrus, Joshua “Blue” Durum, Mike Kennedy, Andie Kolasinki, Dominick “City Dog” Ruggiero, Summer Michaud-Skog, Sydney “Giggles” Morgan, Cory Maria Dack. Applications for the 2024 team will open in November.
Granite Gear and brand partners share stories from the Grounds Keepers often. For more information on the Grounds Keepers program, email Julie Bacon at jbacon@granitegear.com.
