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Greetings!
I hope you're having a great fall! The Chicago region's extended run of 60+ degree weather in October and November means lots of pleasant days to savor autumn colors. SUM was outside a lot in October in particular - team wellness sessions with Access Living, a full staff retreat with The Wetlands Initiative for the fourth year in a row, school field trips, forest therapy, making cider, kayaking and even a leadership retreat on the banks of the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh with Disability Lead. SUM also held our first (the first?) Sunrise Mindfulness "Triathlon" in Grant Park and on Lake Michigan.
It was quite the month! Thank you for helping make it possible!
Across all those experiences outside, we heard two constant refrains:
"It's so great to be in person, instead of on a screen. There's no AI for being outside, in real life, connecting with people."
"Knowing that SUM takes care of everything, and takes care of you, makes it so easy to get outside and slow down, even when lots of other things in my life are pulling me in other directions."
We couldn't agree more with the first point, and it was gratifying to hear the second one come up so often.
Over the next few months SUM has a lot of opportunities for you to get outside, in real life, to connect with other people and slow down. Winter poses some challenges, but we're up to them. Between our 3rd Annual Winter Wellness Cohort, the return of our "School's Out" series of family-friendly experiences and the launch of our 1st Winter Adventure Club, that's more than a dozen chances to explore, recharge and breathe deep. Read on for more info.
And in the meantime, SUM is celebrating our 4th anniversary and a great 2026 at our November 18 Fall Appreciation Night at Lake Effect Brewing. Join us for "Great Outdoors" Pub Trivia, great food and drinks, fun prizes and a few surprises, all in support of SUM's youth and community experiences outside. I'd love to see you there!
Let’s get outside! You belong out here. We all do.
Josh Ellis
josh@sum.fun
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