It’s that time of year: fall. The weather is getting colder, leaves are changing color and days are getting shorter. Just because the weather is changing, though, does not mean it is time to stop enjoying the great outdoors. Now, it is even easier to spend time outside with discounted prices on all kinds of outdoor activities, hosted by Venture Outdoors.The local non-profit organization Venture Outdoors, located at 33 Terminal Way, Pittsburgh, wants to provide people with affordable ways to participate in outdoor activities.”The purpose of the program is to connect university students with the wonderful amenities the area has to offer …” said Jon Lucadamo, the projects director for Venture Outdoors in a phone interview on Sept. 30.The program is grant-funded and provides Point Park University students, as well as Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University students, the opportunity to experience different outdoor activities at a low price – just $5, according to an email from Trista Shideler, the program coordinator of the student activities office.The events scheduled for this month include: white-water rafting, horseback riding, caving, paintball and rock climbing. Each event has a shuttle service to and from the location, which are throughout Western Pennsylvania and within an hour drive from Downtown, said Lucadamo.Some of the locations are Ohiopyle, Laurel Highlands, Apollo and Eastern Pittsburgh. Some of these events will also provide lunch.Venture Outdoors is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote outdoor recreation. In the mission statement on the website, it said: “… Venture Outdoors promotes the Pittsburgh region’s unique natural amenities, highlights its excellent quality of life, fosters a greater appreciation for the environment, inspires an active lifestyle and creates a shared sense of community.”Although Shideler said, “this isn’t our first year doing this,” Student Activities has had a much greater response and student participation this semester.”It has had a really nice following this year,” Shideler said.On Saturday, Oct. 1 students had the opportunity to go white water rafting. Only eight girls signed up for the trip, according to Hannah Finch, a junior dance major, but that did not stop the fun.”I had an amazing time on the trip,” she said in an email.Finch also looked online to see how much a white water rafting trip would normally cost and found it to be $80, so $5 was a bargain. There were only three girls on her raft, she said, and no guide. Eventually the girls “got the hang of it” and by the end of it they were being called the “A Team.” “I don’t think I have laughed so much in a long time,” she said. “I think a lot of people missed out on an epically fun day.”Lucadamo said that since the program is grant-funded, it is dependent on student response and participation. However, he said Venture Outdoors may offer outdoor winter activities starting in January of next year.However, students are taking advantage of the discounts now.”I’m definitely planning to sign up for other Venture Outdoors trips,” Finch said.To participate in these activities, purchase tickets from the Student Activities office in the Student and Convocation Center. For more information, contact Trista Shideler at [email protected].