Nature Valley, the General Mills brand that makes granola bars, trail mix, and nut clusters, has been a long-time supporter of the National Parks Project. It has already donated more than $350,000 to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and is challenging fans to help raise more.

One of the three projects the company has chosen to donate to is near and dear to the TourGuy.com team's heart. Over the summer of 2010, volunteers organized and directed by Kevin Dahl will identify and remove invasive species from the Grand Canyon and collect seeds from endangered plants for cultivation.

There are a number of ways you can become involved. One of the easiest ways is to save the wrappers from Nature Valley Granola Bars and send them to the National Parks Project, P.O. Box 450328, El Paso, Texas, 88545. For every wrapper the National Parks Project returns to Nature Valley, it receives 10 cents (up to $250,000) from Nature Valley and the wrappers will be recycled.


Right now, you can also enter to win one of three vacations to the Grand Canyon, courtesy of Nature Valley. Once you are registered, you can raise money by playing a gem drop game (10 cents donated per play), sharing the sweepstakes with friends, and following program partners on Facebook and Twitter. There is no obligation to purchase anything.

Does TourGuy.com Benefit From Supporting This Contest?

TourGuy.com is not affiliated with Nature Valley and we do not benefit from sharing this message. However, the work being done to preserve the Grand Canyon is in everyone's best interest. In the past, Nature Valley also indirectly helped a tour operator by partnering with National Geographic to promote the 4,000-foot view high atop the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located in the Hualapai Indian Reservation on the dramatic West Rim of the Grand Canyon. (You can see the original National Geographic digital media file here.) You can also learn more about three Grand Canyon tours that include breathtaking views of the skywalk at TourGuy.com

All three tours average 6.5 to 7.5 hours of adventure on the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. The most popular of the three tours is our Grand Canyon Indian Country "Do It All" adventure with a scenic airplane ride, helicopter ride, riverboat ride, and more than 3.5 hours of tour time at the Grand Canyon, including a chance to walk the Skywalk.

For more information about things to do in Las Vegas and other eco-friendly Las Vegas activities, visit TourGuy.com. We are proud to support ecotourism and preservation along our growing routes in the American Southwest. We are also grateful for everyone who joins us in supporting such worthwhile efforts. Please share it.