A GIFT TO THE WILD

WINDOWS TO THE WILD is back for a full feast of outdoor exploration! Join host Willem Lange as he goes trail hiking with a cat, rail biking, kayaking and traveling through Ireland. The all-new season 18 launches on Wednesday, February 8th at 7:30 PM on New Hampshire PBS.

Willem will also explore the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve, navigate the Maine coast and hunt for minerals and gems in the White Mountains, among other destinations.

“People love connecting with Willem. They know he’s authentic and is genuinely interested in people and their stories,” says the program’s executive producer, Phil Vaughn. “A lot of the feedback we receive is how inspired people are by Willem. ‘If he can do it, I can do it’ is a common reaction that seems to motivate people to get outdoors themselves.”

That appreciation for Willem prompted a generous gift from a friend of NHPBS. THE WILLEM LANGE ENDOWMENT FUND is a newly created permanent fund recognizing Willem’s contributions to public television and environmental and outdoor education by fostering an appreciation for travel, wild places and natural beauty.

“This first gift is a tribute to the time, talent and commitment Willem embodies through his work on WINDOWS TO THE WILD,” says Terry Douglass, NHPBS major gifts officer. The initial gift of $100,000 is just the starting point for the endowment. Income from the fund will support NHPBS as it produces and presents future programming related to the outdoors and the environment.

“Willem’s lifelong dedication to outdoor awareness is infectious, and we hope anyone who cares for our precious natural places and loves watching programs like WINDOWS TO THE WILD on NHPBS will join our challenge and give to THE WILLEM LANGE ENDOWMENT FUND,” says Douglass.

“It is a great honor that people recognize the value of this program and Willem’s contribution to outdoor education and are then willing to help promote and support those efforts,” says Vaughn.

A small, disciplined three-person crew produces, shoots and edits WINDOWS TO THE WILD. However, Vaughn stresses the production is a team effort — everyone at the station has a role in the program’s success and in supporting its important message.

According to Vaughn the outdoors is for everyone, but it hasn’t always been portrayed that way. “We strive to represent a broad range of people, as we know everyone has their reasons for being outdoors. Some people use the outdoors for therapy, others for relaxation.”

WINDOWS TO THE WILD also addresses broader issues in our society tied to the outdoors, such as climate change, sustainability, social justice and accessibility for all who want to participate in outdoor activities.

Stories originate directly from people Willem and the crew meet on trails or assignments, or through suggestions from the public via email or social media. For example, while filming in 2021 on the waters off Southern Maine, the crew encountered a kayaker with a story to tell. The crew revisited her in 2022 for an episode that airs this season — “Kayaking with Cookies”.

Season 18 of WINDOWS TO THE WILD will air Wednesdays, beginning on February 8th, or members can binge-watch the first five new episodes on NHPBS Passport. Go to video.nhpbs.org/show/windows-wild and start streaming now.

Want to do your part and celebrate Willem’s longtime advocacy for wild places? Give to THE WILLEM LANGE ENDOWMENT FUND. Send your contribution in the enclosed envelope, go online to give at nhpbs.org/willem or contact Terry Douglass at 603-868-4467