Last week, DAP’s Event Marketing Specialist Steve Padgett, a senior volunteer with national boys outdoor adventure organization Trail Life USA in his spare time, pitched the idea to host a nationwide family backyard campout.

The idea was a big hit among other senior leaders at Trail Life USA and—in just a week’s time—he managed to pull the entire event together and spread the word through media coverage and organic word-of-mouth advertising, serving as the organization’s national event director.

At a time when “outward bound” has quickly become “homebound,” Steve Padgett and Trail Life USA are now inviting families across the U.S. to remedy their cabin fever by joining the nation’s 30,000+ Trailmen for the first-ever National Backyard Campout this Friday, April 17.

An opportunity to embark on a fun adventure in the great outdoors from the comfort of their own backyards, families are encouraged to set up a tent (or even build a family fort!), cook over a fire, discover fun games and activities, and share their experiences virtually through a filtered community portal. In addition, Trail Life USA will be hosting a brief, live webcast featuring a stargazing session with an astronomer, children’s story readings and more.

So far, more than 1,000 families—and counting—have signed up to spend their Friday night in the great outdoors. Learn more about how you can “virtually” partake in Trail Life USA’s National Backyard Campout at www.traillifeusa.com/backyardcampout.