This Summer, New Pioneers challenged community members of Marion, Nelson, and Washington Counties to track their time spent in nature for the #1000HoursOutsideKY Challenge! This challenge encouraged individuals to spend more time outdoors, fostering a connection with nature that is vital for mental, physical, and emotional well-being. By committing to this challenge, families prioritized quality time together while embracing the multitude of benefits that nature has to offer.

We are proud to announce that our community spent OVER 1,500 hours outside this season, surpassing our goal! Participants spent their time in nature having lots of fun including hiking, reading, golfing, gardening, biking, bird-watching, and so much more. We hope that this challenge helped participants "match screen time with green time" this season and far into the future!

Although this challenge is over, be sure to keep spending intentional time in nature all year!