Freeport — Outdoor retailer L.L.Bean is extending its support of the national parks community with a multiyear, $3 million premier partnership with the National Park Foundation for the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement.
According to a written statement from the company, the movement inspires people of all backgrounds and abilities, including outdoor enthusiasts and novices, to discover and share their connections to America’s national parks.
There are more than 400 national parks in the U.S. The partnership will raise awareness about park experiences to match all interests, highlighting lesser-known sites across the country.
“National parks are some of America’s greatest treasures, and we want to help make it as easy as possible for people to find a memorable adventure,” Shawn Gorman, L.L.Bean’s executive chairman and great-grandson of L.L. Bean, said in a prepared statement. “People might be surprised to discover how close many of these parks are.”
Gorman added, “The outdoors is part of our company’s history, heritage and DNA. Like the National Park Foundation, ours is a legacy rooted in the outdoors that began more than a century ago and will continue long into the future. Both organizations have always been committed to getting people outside, so this partnership makes fantastic sense.”
L.L.Bean has enjoyed a great history of partnering with the National Park Foundation, including a $1 million donation in celebration of L.L.Bean’s 100th anniversary in 2012. The donation was used to help bring youths from underserved communities into the parks for a variety of outdoor excursions.
L.L.Bean also has provided annual support to the Island Explorer propane bus system in Acadia National Park for many years.
In 2016, the company pledged an additional $1 million through 2021 to help provide eco-friendly, free transportation to more than 3 million visitors to the Maine national park.
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