Two Vashon organizations received vans this month thanks to the King County Council and Council Chair Joe McDermott, who orchestrated the donation of retired Metro Transit Vanpool vans to the Vashon Wilderness Program and Journeymen.

The vans, given through the county’s annual van donation program, will help the organizations expand access to nature-based learning programs. The Vashon Wilderness Program’s (VWP) mission is to provide nature immersion experiences that cultivate a relationship between self, community and the natural world. Meanwhile, Journeymen’s objective is to create transformational experiences for Puget Sound boys through nature-based rites of passage, long-term mentoring and community engagement, with a focus on at-risk boys. In a statement released last Tuesday, McDermott said he was “excited to support the unique and important work” of the organizations. Both VWP Executive Director Stacy Hinden and Journeymen Executive Director Nicky Wilks expressed their gratitude to the county for the vans.

Organizations interested in receiving a van through the program should contact McDermott at 206-477-1008 or joe.mcdermott@kingcounty.gov for more information about applying for a van next year.