Do you work from home and have the flexibility to work from anywhere? Are you inspired by the Pennsylvania Wilds and interested in learning more about what it is like to live like a local?
Did you know there is an opportunity to do just that without any risk?
Apply by April 19 to participate in the 2024 Wilds Are Working: A Remote Lifestyle Experience – and you could get the chance to test out living in the region for four weeks this summer!
Over the last two years now, 20 remote workers from all over the world who applied for the chance to temporarily live in the beautiful Pennsylvania Wilds had a chance to experience this.
Now it’s your turn.
In its third year of a three-year grant-funded program, the Wilds Are Working is spotlighting two more host communities from the PA Wilds, where remote workers can test out living in the PA Wilds: Saint Marys and Williamsport.
You can live anywhere in the world, but as long as you have a sense of adventure and the ability to work remotely, this is an opportunity worth considering!
The application for 2024 participants opened on March 6 at www.WildsAreWorking.com, and submissions are due by April 19.
Williamsport, the seat of Lycoming County, will host remote workers in July. It is the largest city in the PA Wilds region, with a population of nearly 28,000. Perhaps best known as being the birthplace of Little League baseball, the Williamsport area also has a rich heritage tied to the lumber industry and is home to two institutions of higher education (Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College), the Crosscutters minor league baseball team and more than a dozen local breweries. The West Branch Susquehanna River runs through Williamsport, offering beautiful views along the riverwalk and ample water recreation, and the renowned Pine Creek Rail Trail and PA Grand Canyon is just down the road. During the month of July, Williamsport hosts multiple community events, art festivals, and theater productions that participants will be able to enjoy.
Saint Marys in Elk County will host remote workers in August. The community offers a mix of city amenities while still being close to nature. With a population just over 12,000 residents, Saint Marys is the second-largest city by geographical area in Pennsylvania, but due to the large space is actually one of the least densely populated cities in the state. Beer aficionados will fall in love with Saint Marys, the home of the historic Straub Brewery. With six parks and a community pool, families always have something to do. In addition, Saint Marys is not far from the Elk Country Visitor Center, the epicenter of the largest wild elk herd in the northeastern United States. The month of August offers opportunities for participating in weekly events, outside dining, parks, trout streams, leisurely drives, and scenic views.
“The first two years of The Wilds Are Working really showcased the diversity of what our region has to offer, especially to remote workers who value outdoor recreation and a sense of community,” said Abbi Peters, Chief Operations Officer at the PA Wilds Center. “The past host communities were able to draw from the experience, learning how they can better support newcomers and find a reinvigorated appreciation for all that their towns have to offer to both new and longtime residents. Tech and innovation workers have the opportunity to explore the PA Wilds and find a community with a great quality of life, and the region’s communities can use this as a way of looking inward to better position themselves for modern workers and travelers. We’re excited to see the unique experiences that Williamsport and Saint Marys will bring to the 2024 program.”
The application will open on March 6 and will remain open until April 19, with applicants being able to select their interest in one or both of the communities. Applicants will be asked to indicate if they intend to bring their partners, families and pets. During the application process, individuals are expected to share information about their employment status, what makes them a good fit for the program, interests and hobbies, and a brief introduction video for the committee’s review.
Five participants will be accepted for each community, and they will be notified in May.
Lodging accommodations are covered for remote workers during the experience. In addition, the workers receive a living stipend which can only be spent at local businesses as a way to inject more dollars locally into the region throughout the initiative. The stipends are provided in the form of a digital gift card (Shop the PA Wilds gift card), only redeemable at participating businesses within the Wilds region.
“For the four weeks that they are here, we want participants to truly feel like residents of their communities. That also means getting out and truly experiencing all that the PA Wilds has to offer. Depending on their interests, this could mean something different for each participant: something as simple as a daily cup of coffee at a newfound favorite cafe or as adventurous as visiting an outfitter and planning a guided hike or paddle,” said Peters. “The funds provided to them in the form of a digital gift card will help them identify and make these opportunities a reality, all the while also infusing dollars into communities and small businesses throughout the PA Wilds.”
After two successful years, The Wilds Are Working: A Remote Lifestyle Experience initiative is now in its third year of the three-year grant-funded program.
This project seeks to help address the issue of outmigration in rural areas by marketing PA Wilds communities as great places to live and work by providing important feedback loops to participating communities about the needs and desires of the modern workforce.
Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission through Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the program was designed and is administered by the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that strengthens and inspires communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Learn more about The Wilds Are Working: A Remote Lifestyle Experience program at WildsAreWorking.com or PAWildsCenter.org/Wilds-Are-Working.
