Walking Mountains Science Center’s 25th anniversary celebrates visionaries

Visionary: A person who thinks about or plans the future with imagination or wisdom.

Vail was founded by people with extraordinary vision, from Earl Eaton and Pete Seibert, who saw the Back Bowls where others saw emptiness, to Betty Seibert and Barbara Parker, who created Vail Mountain School, and Dr. Tom Steinberg, Vail’s first full-time doctor who helped create our hospital.

Visionary Kim Langmaid took her passion, rooted in the teachings of her family and a love of nature, and envisioned an institution where children would learn about our natural habitats and, in turn, strive to protect them.

Recently, a sold-out event honoring 25 years of Walking Mountains Science Center and the visionaries who helped create and continue to support the organization was held at the Tang Campus in Avon.

Langmaid created the school in remote Red Cliff in an old schoolhouse back in 1998 with the simple goal of educating children on our environment, to instill in them a sense of wonder and stewardship for nature.

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“We grew up together here,” recalled Kristin Tang fondly, whose father, Oscar, donated the land on which the campus now resides. “I stood beside her to repaint the gymnasium at the old property.”

Tang has an affinity for the current campus location. “I’d walked this land many times with my dad,” she added. “I am so impressed with her vision and how established it is today; that she approached my dad and I’ve seen it grow and seen how she has involved so many local leaders.”

In 2011, the campus we know today opened its doors.

“Oscar Tang’s gift of land was the most pivotal moment in our early days. He didn’t just give us the land; he challenged us to raise money to create the buildings. His trust and confidence made us work harder and showed others that Walking Mountains was something to pay attention to and get involved in,” said Langmaid, who also serves as the mayor of Vail. “We opened the doors to the campus and saw the kids and the educators use this beautiful place; it gives us a physical presence you can touch and feel.”

Many people have been involved in this vision, from Markian Feduschak, who came on as executive director almost 20 years ago, to those who kept the vision alive when the organization was in its infancy, including Kathy Borgen, Harry Frampton and Alan Danson.

Throughout the years, many others have joined in, including Oscar Tang, Kelly and Sam Bronfman, Buck and Holly Elliott, Ann Smead, Penny and Bill George, and many more.

The Frechette Family Foundation underwrote the Educator Community, two six-bedroom, six-bathroom buildings, which houses interns and naturalists. Their daughters, Kathy Tenhula and Kristy Woolfok, carry on the passion of their parents, Pat and Pete Frechette, through the foundation.

“Our parents were always interested in education and relationships. We looked at legacy gifts to carry on in their memory. It’s a ripple effect; interns come in for experiential learning and teach the kids. The kids pass it on to their parents, and it comes full circle,” shared Kristy.

Amanda Precourt has a strong connection to nature due to her experiences backpacking and hiking with her father, Jay, when she was young. She, along with her father and Molly Precourt, have been generous supporters of Walking Mountains for many years. She summed up the evening.

“In this ever-complicated world, nature is paramount to our mental wellness and physical well-being. Walking Mountains is a source of sustainability to living a balanced life for our youth and community.”