Black Hawk Adventures : LL Bean celebrates centennial anniversary

http://blackhawk-mines.com/2012/03/27/black-hawk-adventures-ll-bean-celebrates-centennial-aniversary/

In an attempt to entice families to spend more time outdoors and share their experiences, LL Bean launched their "Million Moment Mission" as their 100th anniversary celebration highlight.

For every moment shared to others, Bean pledges to donate a dollar to the National Park Foundation until it reaches a million dollars. According to Bean, the concept is to get people to utilize online social media to share their experiences outdoors (via photos, video, writing blogs and commenting). The money from that will be raised will be dedicated to connecting the youth to their national parks.

This was prompted by a new survey from L.L. Bean and the NPF shows that 60% of children are spending less than one hour outside per day, with 59% of parents admitting to spending even less time outside due to various constraints.

The results are enough to concern them, noting that families tend to spend more time indoors and eventually miss out on the emotional and physical benefits of spending time outside.

LL Bean is kicking off their centennial anniversary promotions through a mission with NPF, a new line of special outdoor gear and the debut of their 'LL Bean Bootmobile'.

The Bootmobile is a boot measuring 20 ft in length and 13 ft in height, built to scale by a specialty fabrication store in Florida, named Echo Artz. It is basically a Ford F-250 Super Duty truck with a huge boot made of fiberglass atop it. LL Bean Bootmobile has 800 lb-ft of torque, 400 horsepower and can tow up to 4 tonnes. In fact, the shoe's laces consists of 12 strands of mooring rope braided together and can tow up to 106,000 pounds!

According to them, they are hoping that people will spend outdoors and support national parks, and in effect, pass on a legacy to the next generation. Indeed, there seems to be no better way to sustain and protect the country's natural treasures than to inspire a new generation of outdoor lovers (through introducing them to national parks).

The outdoors gear retailer from Maine was founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood (hence, the LL) Bean after going on a hunting trip with wet and cold feet. He launched the firm with just one item -- the Maine Hunting Shoe -- which remains one of their staples up  to this day.