While doing my research for a recent story on the newly remodeled REI in Boulder, The Women's Wilderness Institute's marketing director Wendy Gruenberg had some great things to say about their partnership with REI. Although these two have been connected for quite some time, the newly-added Community Center benefits many local businesses, nonprofits, schools and more. Check out this Q&A with Gruenberg to read just how excited she is.

BH: How and when did TWWI team up with REI?

WG: The Women's Wilderness Institute (TWWI) has had a wonderful partnership with REI, and especially the Boulder store, for years. We love how community-minded REI is, they are so supportive of nonprofits and it's been so easy to develop a mutually beneficial relationship. TWWI and REI share a common goal of getting more people recreating outdoors and an essential part of this is helping people feel comfortable with the skills they bring to their outdoor activities. The Women's Wilderness Institute has been running women-specific clinics at the Boulder store for years. We are able to help REI meet their needs of educating consumers and our women-specific focus has been very popular. Women really appreciate an open, supportive learning environment where they can ask lots of questions and receive information that's tailored to their learning style.

BH: What specific deal is set up between TWWI and REI?

WG: The new Boulder REI is going to feature a Women's Wilderness Clinic each month -- starting Monday Oct 22 with Bike Maintenance for women led by TWWI field staff and pro biker Heather Szabo. We'll follow that up on November 5th with a Winter Route Finding clinic and on December 3rd with a women's clinic on Telemark Skiing. All clinics are taught by Women's Wilderness field staff. There will be lots of other great topics throughout 2008!

BH: What clinics are you able to offer through REI that you wouldn't have been able to without it?Or whatbenefits do you hope tocome of this?!

WG: We actually run clinics all over town, in Boulder, Denver, Ft Collins and many spots in between, at REI and with other retailers too. Our clinics are unique in that they show a particular appreciation for the athletic needs of women -- women and men are just built differently so an ice climbing clinic, for example, will cover how best to climb using the strong points of a woman's body and extra tips for how to stay warm as women typically get cold faster than men. We also teach skills in a very progressive format, with new information building through the clinic or course so that women leave feeling really solid about what they have learned.

The great thing about clinics at REI is that we are enabling REI to offer this specialized information to their customers. The benefits are great for REI -- who has a mission of getting more people outdoors and we help their female customers get excited about outdoor activities by giving them the skills they need to feel comfortable. TWWI benefits because we get terrific exposure to women in the community through REI's great network and publicity.

BH: Have you seen the new store yet? What do you think?

WG: The new store is, in a word, AMAZING! I was there on opening night and was very impressed.They have done a fantastic job of seamlessly integrating green benefits -- like solar power and reduced water flows -- into the store. The overall consumer experience is quite unique because the store educates shoppers about its green construction while they are experiencing the store. It's a great combination of retail and education and a worthy model for REI and other retailers.

The community room and resource center is at the heart of the store and it's really terrific. REI has done a great job of making space for its community partners, like TWWI. Women's Wilderness Institute's mission is to strengthen the courage, confidence and leadership skills of girls and women through community- and wilderness-based experiences. REI helps us bring this message to the community by displaying our catalog and course schedule in the store, through clinics which allow women a chance to sample our courses and teaching style, and via their new "community resource specialists" whereby REI employees can directly recommend Women's Wilderness Institute to potentially interested customers. It's all fabulous!

BH: Do you know of any other businesses that are going to this "green extreme?!"

WG: I'm sure there are several but REI is certainly a leader. It's nice to see a very large and nationally influential company setting a good example. It benefits our community far beyond the realm of outdoor education and recreation. We are proud our partnership with REI!