Credit Union Support Promotes Continued Expansion to Washington State Park Access Program

July 27, 2023 (Olympia, Wash.) – WSECU announced its continued support of the statewide Check Out Washington program, increasing the number of passes available for the second year in a row and allowing greater access to parks across the state. The popular interagency program put 500 Adventure Packs with special Discover passes in libraries across the state for library card holders to check out for a week at a time. The program uses health disparity data to focus its expansion in regions that could most benefit from free expanded access to recreation opportunities.
“It was clear to us the program was doing exactly what we hoped – getting people outside and enjoying our state’s beautiful public lands,” said WSECU vice president of public relations, Ann Flannigan. “The program removes access barriers to state lands and the data shows people are taking full advantage of it.”
The packs include materials to help first-time visitors, including a Discover Pass, which provides users free parking, binoculars, and a set of three laminated pocket guides about Washington trees, wildlife and birds. The packs are available for check out with a library card, increasing access to public lands for families who might otherwise not have the tools or resources to visit. The program’s expansion puts an emphasis on communities that would benefit the most from greater access to outdoor recreation, as indicated by health disparity data.
The program’s continued growing popularity saw Adventure Packs circulated to 3,728 library patrons last summer with some library wait times as long as four months to check out a pack. This year, Check Out Washington will provide 500 Adventure Packs with Discover passes – up from 400 in 2022 – to local libraries around the state.
Check Out Washington is a collaborative program supported by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington State Parks Foundation, Washington State Library and WSECU.
“We’re proud to continue to support our state agency partners in making this program happen,” Flannigan said. “It’s exciting to see this program we care about so much continue to grow and flourish.”
A list of library systems participating in the program is available on the Check Out Washington website. Interested users can also contact their local library for additional information.