Joint effort between Sierra Club and YMCA to provide Veterans with cool opportunities.

Listen to Lindsey Melki and Garrett Dempsey describe a nationwide joint venture between the Sierra Club and the YMCA to provide Veterans and their families with opportunities to engage in outside activities. 

Lindsey Melki is an Army veteran and former Blackhawk helicopter pilot.

Since leaving the military, Lindsey has served in leadership positions in the private, nonprofit, and political sectors.

Today, as Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors team, she is focused on growing the team’s partnership around the country with the YMCA to connect veterans, members of the military, and their families with nature for the benefit of both.

Garrett Dempsey is the lead Sierra Club staff with Detroit Outdoors.

His experiences growing up in San Francisco and organizing with communities in Oakland, California have shaped his passion for connecting urban youth with the outdoors and nature.

Garrett is passionate about equitable access to nature and expanding the definition of what makes people conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts.

Garrett is also the volunteer chair of the Sierra Club Detroit Inspiring Connections Outdoors program and he is assisting with the YMCA/Sierra Club Military Outdoors partnership rollout in Detroit.

If you live in or near Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, or San Antonio, please reach out to Lindsey (lindsey.melki@sierraclub.org) or Garrett (garrett.dempsey@sierraclub.org) or to your local YMCA to learn more about future outings and events in your community.