Open Doors Outdoors
Opening doors of hearts, minds and bodies in the outdoors!
The Outdoors are healing and restoring lives
Time outdoors changes people’s nervous systems,” says UC Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner, “It is as effective as any PTSD intervention we have.”
“We hope to make public lands part of a common healthcare prescription,” Stacy Bare, Sierra Club Outdoors director.
“We found that nature decreases the trauma response, improves cognitive function, and promotes healing,” Razani says. “Our study showed that park visits increase resilience in children. It doesn’t take away the adversity in their lives but it buffers stress. Hormones, blood pressure, and heart rate normalize in nature.” Nooshin Razani is a pediatrician and director of the Center for Nature and Health at Children’s Hospital Oakland in California.
ODO Mission
To take Veterans, their families and young people into the outdoors for re-connection, healthy activity and healing.
How Can You Help?
The cost to provide a one day outing is $125 per participant. Donations pay 100% of the costs for all program participants. Participants will be provided guided adventures, transportation to and from locations and meals.
You can help in a couple ways:
- You can give a one-time donation or a monthly commitment of any size to go towards expenses.
- You can sponsor a Veteran(s) or young person(s) in need for one or more adventures!
- You can approach your employer or others on our behalf for donations.
The Bridge of ODO
A bridge is intended to form a connection between two things. The bridge of ODO was originally built around 1780 and is hidden on a back road in an old farming community. The locals say when you cross that bridge something beautiful happens... and it does. Crossing over you shift from a busy, cluttered place into a place where your mind is opened to an old way of life, a natural way of life. Whether wading through a brook or climbing the tallest mountain in New England, Open Doors Outdoors will help take participants over "bridges" in nature that will open doors in their hearts, minds and bodies. These bridges will help them recharge and regroup to head back to their life with a new found peace and confidence.
ODO Operations
Operation: Case Mountain
Round Trip: 2.8 Miles
Mountain range: The Manchester Mountains
Leave Base: 0800
Arrive Trail head: 0830
Summit: 0930
Return Trail head: 1000
Return to base: 1030
Operation: Mount Greylock
Tallest mountain in Massachusetts
Elevation: 3,491′
Round Trip: 4.8 Miles
Mountain range: The Berkshires Mountains
Leave Base: 0800
Arrive Trail head: 1000
Summit: 1145
Return Trail head: 1245
Return to base: 1500
Operation: Mount Monadnock
Most climbed mountain in North America
Elevation: 3,166′
Round Trip: 4 Miles
Location: Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Leave Base: 0800
Arrive Trail head: 1000
Summit: 1145
Return Trail head: 1245
Return to base: 1500
Operation: Mount Washington
Tallest mountain in New Hampshire
Elevation: 6,289′
Round Trip: 7.9 Miles
Location: Gorham, New Hampshire
Leave Base: Night Before
Arrive Trail head: 0700
Summit: 1100
Return Trail head: 1600
Return to base: 2100
Board of Directors
Brenden Healy
Controller
Code name: Money Man
Father of 5 and committed to his community. Brenden is a Tax Partner at Whittlesey and loves spending time outdoors with his wife and kids. His financial expertise and commitment to helping others will take ODO and it's participants into adventures for many years to come!
Ray Long
Advocacy
Code Name: Ray Man
Father of two wonderful girls and husband to the incomparable Carolyn, Ray is a long-time hiker, runner and triathlete with a passion for travel, the outdoors and the environment. Ray’s day job is Senior Vice President for external affairs at Clearway Energy Group, one of the largest renewable energy companies in the United States, where he is responsible for public policy and advocacy. When Ray is not working or running, he’s usually traveling with his family.
Matthew Mund
Activities and Fitness
Code Name: Fit Man
Matt is a proud father of 2 and resides in Glastonbury CT with his wife Megan. He owns mission FITNESS where the goal is to help each member find their path to their best self. Through commitment, hard work, consistency, healthy lifestyle and a motivating support system all of us can achieve whatever we set our minds to.
Mark Guasta
Safety and Protocol
Code Name: Safety Man
Mark was the superintendent at Hartford Detention Center with the Judicial Department. He retired after 21 years with the State of Connecticut and now sells personal and business insurance. He lives in Glastonbury with his wife Tina and three children. He enjoys hiking with the family and playing golf with friends.
Amy Edwards
Curriculum Director
Code Name: The Teacher
12 Time Ironman Finisher, Kona Ironman World Championship qualifier and White Mountain hiker. Amy is passionate about education in the traditional classroom as well as in the outdoors. In addition to her years of experience teaching language arts, Amy is a multi-sport coach, guiding triathletes and runners for the past 9 years. Amy enjoys being in nature, and reading a good book in front of a fire.
Davey Edwards
Founder
Codename: Jarhead
Served proudly in the United States Marine Corps and worked as a Mortgage Banker for 12 years. A father of 3 amazing children and an ultra runner. Davey has completed the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run, multiple other 50 to 100 mile foot races and has accumulated over a 1000 miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT). His passions are his faith, family and sharing the outdoor life! Wilderness First Aid Certified (WFA)
Volunteers
This organization would be at a loss to serve without our volunteers who share their experiences and passion for life with others.
Matt Freiman
Matt is a Combat Veteran having served in Afghanistan and is passionate about helping Veterans. Loves training and running ultra marathons with his wife and being in the outdoors!
Keith Morgan
Keith is a Air Force and Army Veteran that bravely served in Bosnia. He is passionate about being a dad, helping Veterans and hiking the Green Mountains of Vermont!
Jesse Santostefano
We’re proud to have Air Force Field Combat Communications Veteran Jesse on board as an ODO volunteer. He served in Afghanistan in 09, 11-12, puts family first and loves all things outdoors!
Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
Kona Lee is a gentle Labrador Retriever that will be present at any adventure will she will be helpful to all participants!
ODO Photo Gallery
ODO Vision
The vision of this non profit is to help Veterans, their families and young people get "unstuck" by exposing them to the outdoors. The founder, Davey Edwards, is a Marine Veteran. Dealing with trauma is not an easy thing for anyone to do. During one of the more challenging times in his life he was encouraged to complete a program provided by the VA and has never regretted that decision. In addition, he has always been amazed by the power of getting outdoors and how that has helped to clear his mind, help him refocus and ultimately restore a sense of confidence. Always looking for opportunities to give back and to help people get back on their feet, Davey established Open Doors Outdoors. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, charitable organization it was founded with the mission to share outdoor adventures with Veterans, their families and young people. Open Doors Outdoors (ODO) will bring Veterans in the area on hiking "operations" throughout New England, take young people exploring local woodlands while learning about wildlife and bring families together for a time of sharing in the outdoors. Through events like these, ODO seeks to help folks to find some peace, refocus, be challenged and have a lot of fun in the process. We will be providing our dedicated group of donors with periodic newsletters and access to our closed-group Facebook page. We want you to be part of our family and to share in the experience you are helping to create for others.
ODO Supporters
TruNorth Construction
We build homes based on QUALITY and HONESTY, but the the most Important thing we build is RELATIONSHIPS.
Click link to learn more!
Go Gear Direct
Introducing GoGearDirect: The gateway between those who make great things and those who want to pack great things.
Click link to learn more!
NOVO Precision
Novo is a progressive supply chain partner with world class engineering and continuous improvement capabilities.
Click link to learn more!
Do you have any questions? Is there a Veteran or young person that you'd like to sponsor?
Please let us know.