Over the next month, these esteemed individuals will be using their outdoor prowess to raise awareness, support, and capital for the Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails. The competitors’ fundraising efforts will conclude at the 2024 Wild Prairie Showdown on Thursday, October 10 at Capital Square in Downtown Des Moines. This one-of-a-kind event will feature the stars of the Wild Prairie Showdown and a program including a fashion show, participant interviews, and interactive voting. Check out their profiles below and learn more, register, or donate here!

Competitor Name: Annie “The Freshwater Mermaid” Brandt
Competitor Organization: Bank of America
Competitor Team: ICON Water Trails
Competitor Video
Competitor Profile: Our outdoor spaces in Iowa are almost…magical. From the expansive bike trails and robust park systems, to the interconnected rivers, creeks, and streams, there is no shortage of opportunities to engage with our natural heritage. I myself am partial to the water — for obvious reasons — and that’s why I’m supporting Team ICON Water Trails in this year’s Wild Prairie Showdown. ICON is working to increase accessibility and improve safety while connecting water, communities, and people. Already, ICON has 15 active regional sites that yielded more than 250,000 visits in a single recreation season alone. Just as important as getting people to the water, is taking care of what’s in the water. ICON utilizes recreation as a catalyst for conservation, developing long-term stewards of our waterways. So, whether you’re a land-dweller or find your home under the sea — err — river, ICON is making life better for us all.

Competitor Name: Tina “Mother Nature” Hadden
Competitor Organization: Mowry Solutions
Competitor Team: Great Outdoors Foundation
Competitor Video
Competitor Profile: Hello, darlings! Mother Nature here. Surprise, it’s actually me, Tina! All my life, I’ve been connected to the great outdoors — no surprise there. Whether learning valuable lessons from the land on my family farm or advocating for environmental initiatives during my career in communications, my professional and personal priorities have, and continue to be, deeply rooted in safeguarding and caring for our natural resources. That’s why I’m competing for Team Great Outdoors Foundation in this year’s Wild Prairie Showdown. With a mission to advance conservation through innovation, collaboration, and stewardship, the Great Outdoors Foundation is bringing together public-private partnerships to enact massive change — up and downstream. I’ve spent my time on earth working to leave it better for the generations that are yet to come, just like the Great Outdoors Foundation. When it’s time to cast your votes — and dollars — just remember: “Mother knows best!” It’s still me, Tina!

Competitor Name: Rene “The Trailblazer” Martinez
Competitor Organization: Hubbell Realty Company
Competitor Team: ICON Water Trails
Competitor Video
Competitor Profile: Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved spending time outside. The terrain here looks a little bit different from the foothills of the volcano in my hometown of San Vicente, El Salvador, but I don’t mind. Central Iowa may not have mountains or ocean, but it does have something else: water trails. These rivers, creeks, and streams are a valuable natural resource for our community and the people who live, work, and play here. I firmly believe in the transformative power of nature and outdoor recreation to bring people together, promote health and well-being, and foster environmental stewardship, which is why I’m representing Team ICON Water Trails in this year’s Wild Prairie Showdown. ICON’s pillar priorities of on-water safety, environmental conservation, economic development, workforce and tourism attraction, and access to recreation come together to support a vibrant, thriving community. Each of us has a different background, but we can all find connection on the trails — especially ICON Water Trails.

Competitor Name: Odin “Protector of Midgard” McAnelly”
Competitor Organization: Principal Financial Group
Competitor Team: Great Outdoors Foundation
Competitor Video
Competitor Profile: Our natural resources are incredibly precious, sustaining life and all it entails. The Great Outdoors Foundation is using creative conservation as a way to safeguard these treasures, which is why I’m competing…AHEM, down here. Much better. Which is why I’m competing for Team Great Outdoors Foundation in this year’s Wild Prairie Showdown. It takes innovative solutions, collaborative partnerships, and responsible stewardship to move the needle on critical environmental issues like water quality, and the Great Outdoors Foundation is leading the way here in Iowa. Wow. Those are a lot of big words for a baby. Props to me. Anyway, back to the monologue. Did you know they’ve invested more than $200 million in conservation and recreation, just in the last few years alone? Join me in supporting the Great Outdoors Foundation, because they’re making sure that the things we love today — birds, wildflowers, fish, creeks, butterflies — are here for the people we love tomorrow. Me. I am the people we love.