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Corporate Social Responsibility
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4.29.2008 - 08:00am ET
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KEEN Inc. Announces STAND Winners, Gives $150,000 in Award Money
Sustainability-focused Contest Fostered Vision & Enables Action
(CSRwire) PORTLAND, OR - April 29. 2008 - KEEN Inc., a leader in hybrid outdoor
performance products including footwear, socks and bags, today announced
the winners of its sustainability contest: STAND. To support recipients’
sustainability projects, KEEN gave a total of $150,000 across three
separate categories, including three $25,000 grand prize awards and
fifteen $5000 runner-up awards.
The grants were divided into three categories, all with the goal to raise
awareness for sustainability:
STAND UP: ideas through creative outlets.
STAND OUT: ideas through outdoors activities
STAND FOR: ideas through non-profit organizations or initiatives
The STAND initiative was promoted through a college campus tour, print and
online advertising and by a short documentary highlighting nine innovators
who are making a difference around sustainability.
“Making a difference around sustainability starts by looking for
inspiration in the areas you’re passionate about and asking what small
steps you can take,” says Bobbie Parisi, Vice President of Marketing at
KEEN. “We were amazed and inspired by the quality of the entries we
received and are proud to have served as a catalyst for their
sustainability ideas.”
Entries for the contest, which ran from August 1 – December 31, 2007,
were reviewed by a panel of experts in the fields of design, art,
photography, journalism, film, outdoor sports and non-profit management
and research. Judges included naturalist and writer Terry Tempest
Williams, designer Yves Behar, Backpacker Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jon
Dorn and world-champion free skier Alison Gannett.
Each of the following grand prize winners will receive a $25,000
award:
o STAND UP: Creative Outlets
Spencer Brown founded "Rent a Green Box" after spending $800 on
cardboard boxes he knew would end up landfills. This eco-entrepreneur uses
trash to create re-usable packing and moving products.
o STAND OUT: Outdoor Activities
Leslie Freeman started Wild Science Explorers to share her passion
for river trips with under privileged high school students. The six-day
excursions incorporate science education, BLM service projects and Leave
No Trace training.
o STAND FOR: Non-Profit Organizations or Initiatives
Brian Bell, president of the University of Minnesota chapter of
Engineers Without Borders, is working with other organizations in Haiti to
develop ways to recycle the HDPE water sachets that most Haitians use to
transport drinking water—and to repurpose them into durable footwear for
the nation’s kids.
Each of the following runners-up will receive a $5,000 award:
o STAND UP: Creative Outlets
Fine Arts: Toby Frayley creates functional art by repurposing vintage
items into sculptural lights.
Film: Tonje Schei directed "PLAY AGAIN," a documentary addressing the
consequences of children’s disconnection from nature.
Design: Ron Ervin designed a three-in-one composter, water heater and
heat exchange system.
Journalism: James Mills produces Adventures In Outreach, a series
highlighting people engaged in adventure-inspired philanthropic
outreach.
Photography: Through her work, Jill Heinerth fosters awareness of the
ecology of underwater cave systems.
o STAND OUT: Outdoor Activities
Joshua Doolittle will share his passion for bouldering by creating
eco-friendly artificial boulders in city parks.
Katherine Selting will bike across the U.S. to spread heirloom
seeds.
Loren Luyendyk is a surfer who will travel to Central America by
vegetable oil/diesel vehicle to offer free courses on Permaculture
Design.
Jennifer Langille will sail in the Mini Transat solo race across the
Atlantic to demonstrate the importance of using resources efficiently.
Hisayuki Sato will create an amphibious vehicle that blends pedaling
power with solar electrical assistance.
o STAND FOR: Non-Profit Organizations or Initiatives
Through The Back Porch Energy Initiative, Elizabeth Burroughs will
offer free programming on energy conservation and environmental awareness
to rural southeastern communities.
Lily Muldoon will work to bring clean water to the 36,000 residents
of Kayafungo, Kenya by building a 12-km pipeline.
Gretchen Lernihan will create an urban youth bike workshop in the
South Bronx to promote environmental awareness and healthy living to
at-risk teens.
Carrie LaSeur founded "Plains Justice" to represent communities
against global energy corporations.
Rush Hambleton helps individuals reduce their gasoline consumption by
offering free tire pressure gauges through 4GreenTires.org.
The campaign will culminate at the STAND Festival in Portland, Oregon on
July 12, 2008. The festival, which will feature live music, food and
beverage, will honor winners and judges and serve as a platform for
inspiring future ideas and innovations around sustainability.
To learn more about the STAND initiative and access more detail on
winners’ submissions, please visit www.keenfootwear.com.
About KEEN
KEEN Inc., manufacturer of hybrid footwear, socks and bags, is an outdoor
brand that delivers innovative hybrid products, enabling all outdoor
enthusiasts to live an active lifestyle. Founded in 2003, KEEN was first
recognized for its Newport sandal, which featured patented toe protection
technology.
The company strives to demonstrate integrity and leadership, especially on
social and environmental commitments, while promoting an inclusive outdoors
community. Through its giving program Hybrid.Care, the company provides
support to a variety of social and environmental organizations around the
globe.
Based in Portland, Oregon, KEEN products are available in retail locations
in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Central
America, South America and Europe. To learn more, visit http://www.keenfootwear.com.
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