Trail Rovers. View from Craggy Pinnacle. Photo by Vicki Dameron
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is celebrating 25 years of donor support this year. The Blue Ridge Parkway is America’s most-visited national park, and the Foundation was created in order to bridge the gap between the funds required to truly care for the Parkway and the funds provided by the government. Since 1997, the Foundation has provided nearly $20 million in funding for projects and programs along the entire length of the Parkway. “The Foundation continues to thrive and grow over these last 25 years because of the love and dedication the community has for this iconic national park,” says Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “This is not just the most visited national park unit in the country, this is our home and the Community of Stewards is committed to its future.”
As they do every year, the Foundation worked closely with the National Park Service to determine the critical projects and goals for 2022. Some of this year’s projects include the development of trail maps for 16 Parkway destinations; enhancement of the Kids in Parks program; the establishment of an interpreter-in-residence role at Crabtree Falls Campground; a revival of the live version of the Overmountain Victory Celebration; the placement of web cameras at key locations on the Parkway; and upkeep and improvements at The Bluffs Restaurant. There are also a variety of other individual projects related to the development of the Blue Ridge Music Center, Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and the Trails & View Forever program.
Donors can visit the website and choose a specific project to support or provide a general donation that the Foundation can apply as needed. “Trying to pick one project as a priority is like trying to pick your favorite child,” says Ward. “We believe all of the projects are critical, each for different reasons whether protecting a particular place, educating others about the importance of the park and its resources, or creating new experiences for visitors; they are all important.”
Learn more or donate at BRPFoundation.org.
