In a fun display of unity and celebration of the outdoors, a group of DU’s many outdoors-oriented clubs threw an event on May 17 called Spread the Stoke.
On the hot, sunny Thursday afternoon from 2-5 p.m., Alpine Club, Backpacking Club, Fly Fishing Club, Kayaking Club, Freeride Club, Club Climbing and Backcountry Squatters took over Driscoll Green. The Green was filled with students, some representing their clubs, some just passing through to check out the event, which featured tables of free food, lawn games, gear giveaways, music and a climbing wall. There were even demonstrations put on by DU’s own student experts about skills like fishing, camp cooking, first aid and the like.
The event was made successful through huge group effort, but the team leader was Alpine Club President Caroline Painter, a third year studying psychology and communication.
“All the outdoor leaders can agree that the outdoor community on campus is very cliquey and very exclusive, and so … by having this event and kind of coming together and supporting each other, we’re hoping to bring the community together,” said Painter on the purpose of Spread the Stoke. “Ultimately, the outdoors are a place where you make friends and you have good times and learn cool new things, so we’re hoping that this is like the start of a community-building on campus.”
Painter also discussed how the outdoors clubs are seeking unity, but beyond just DU’s white majority community.
“The outdoor community in general is just very white. I think a big interest that we have in the next few years is trying to get more students who maybe can’t financially afford to go on trips or students of color, because on a lot of the trips that we lead, it’s a lot of the same faces, and a lot of white faces, so I think making this a really inclusive community is something we’re striving for.”
Spread the Stoke was a huge success, celebrating passion for the outdoors, the summer weather, collaboration of student clubs and overall unification of the DU community. Painter and the others were incredibly excited about the event and the momentum it will certainly provide in the growing success of DU’s outdoors clubs in the future.
