MAINE PUBLIC • June 16, 2023
In a cozy basement space in Portland, Hallie Herz and their partner Eva Fury are holding an open house and membership drive at Kindling Collective, a queer-focused outdoor gear library. They are outdoor enthusiasts who came up with the idea while on a hike in the White Mountains. They wanted to make camping, backpacking, and skiing more accessible to the queer community by collecting high-end gear and lending it out. Kindling Collective's gear library is open to all who want to use it, but nonqueer members must be supportive of Kindling Collective's mission to empower LGBTQ+ residents to embrace the outdoors with gear, a new skillset and a supportive community.