Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Awards Over $400,000 in 2019

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, announced it awarded more than $127,000 to eight organizations in the fourth quarter grant cycle of the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) for 2019, bringing the annual grant total to over $400,000. Projects receiving OAI grants often have a strong stewardship component, as well as an inclusive community of users working together to ensure all types of outdoor recreationists can access and enjoy public land sustainably and safely.

To date, the Yamaha OAI has contributed over $4 million in aid to more than 360 projects across the nation. Grant recipient projects support diverse communities including motorized recreation, biking, hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor recreationists – all of whom rely on access to public land. Yamaha continues to encourage outdoor recreation groups and land stewardship associations to get involved in land access projects, knowing support from the Yamaha OAI program is available to nonprofit and tax-exempt groups.

“Everyone who enjoys the outdoors can play a role in protecting, improving, and even expanding access to public lands,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s Motorsports marketing manager. “The Outdoor Access Initiative has achieved some milestones around helping key stakeholders – those who actually do the work on the ground – secure the funding they require. It’s those making a difference in the field who we should be celebrating while we encourage all to contribute to the sustainability and responsible use of public spaces. Yamaha is proud and primed to continue to support land stewardship efforts in 2020 and beyond to benefit outdoors recreation.”

Recent recipients received Yamaha OAI grants for trail maintenance, safety signage, land stewardship programs and efforts aiding in protecting access to motorized recreation areas. The Q4 2019 beneficiaries include:

Crested Butte Avalanche Center – Crested Butte, Colorado
Desert Group Search & Rescue Volunteers – Boron, California
Patriots All Terrain Club – Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship – Quincy, California
St. Germain ATV Club – St. Germain, Wisconsin
Tonto Recreation Alliance – Tempe, Arizona
Texas Trails Education and Motorized Management – College Park, Texas
Western Trails Conservancy – Henderson, Nevada

Link: Yamaha Outdoors

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.