FEDERAL RECREATION AND REI STORE PARTNERSHIP
                                              Release No. 0122.97

                                      Ron DeHart   (206) 744-3573
                                    Janet Sledge (202) 720-2065
                                                 
FEDERAL RECREATION AND REI STORE PARTNERSHIP GETS VICE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

     SEATTLE, April 19, 1997--U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary
for Natural Resources and Environment Jim Lyons will recognize the federal
Outdoor Recreation Information Center (ORIC), located in the new REI flagship
store today with a Vice Presidential Hammer Award for taxpayer savings and
government efficiency.

     The Hammer Award will be presented to a team of USDA Forest Service,
National Park Service, Northwest Interpretive Association, and REI employees. 
The event highlights relocation of the information center from Seattle's
Jackson Federal Building to REI's new flagship store at 222 Yale Avenue
North.

     REI's agreement to incorporate the information center into the store's
trip and travel planning section--a move completed March 12--will result in
an annual taxpayer saving of about $33,000 per year, according to officials
with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the National Park Service.

     The new location, which serves 50,000 to 60,000 customers per week,
provides public recreationists who visit national forests and national parks
a one-stop location with expanded operating hours (evenings, weekends and
holidays) and easy parking and access near Interstate 5.

     The Hammer Award symbolizes the efforts of the government-private sector
partnership team in meeting the objectives of the President's National
Performance Review principles -- putting customers first, cutting red tape,
empowering employees to better public service and getting back to basics.

     "This represents common sense government -- providing a service that is
more accessible and convenient to our common customers," said Lyons.

    The award consists of a $6 hammer, a ribbon and a note from Vice
President Al Gore, all in an aluminum frame.  The award recognizes new
standards of excellence achieved by teams of federal, state or local
government employees and private citizens who want to build a better
government.

     The Outdoor Recreation Information Center is an activity of the Mt.
Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and National Park Service in partnership
with the Northwest Interpretive Association.  It has operated from federal
facilities in downtown Seattle since 1975.

     The Northwest Interpretive Association is a non-profit organization
which returns proceeds of sales of educational and interpretive materials to
its public land management partner agencies.

      REI, the new partner in the expanded information service, is a national
retailer of outdoor clothing and recreational gear.  The cooperative operates
47 retail stores nationwide, a domestic and international mail order
business, REI Online (internet site) and REI Adventures, an adventure travel
company.
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