11/21/2023
After getting questions from visitors to our park and citizens in our community, I thought I’d shed some light on….What is the purpose of becoming a member? And I thought, if those people wanted to know this, so do other people. So here's my response:
The benefits are many. First, there’s the direct support of the Friends of the O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve. All money stays right here in these two parks and will be used for projects that enhance them. No part of these funds will be used in other areas, or go into a general fund for state parks. We are all volunteers, so there is no overhead.
Second, there’s the added benefit of being able to state our membership numbers when applying for grants or outside funding. If funders know that we have a strong base of people who care about these parks, they are more likely to award grants to improve them, from funding boardwalks to restoring native ecosystems, etc. If they think that only 27 people care about these places, they will assume they are not important and award their funds elsewhere.
Third - small amounts add up! Most people can afford $15 per year for a membership, but if 100 people join, we have $1500 to spend on interpretation of these extraordinary sites, trail rehab, or supplies for rangers to better do their jobs of protecting these lands.
Fourth - fun and camaraderie! Although this group is currently small, you won’t find a better group of people. I was an outsider in the O’Leno State Park and River River Rise Preserve when I joined in 2021, when there was a global pandemic which of course strained the best of people and organizations. But through it all, I have been welcomed and truly felt like a valuable member of this group. Although many of us are also volunteers in the state parks, it’s not required. You can volunteer without being member, or be a member and not volunteer. That said, most volunteers are members and vice versa.
Fifth - You’ll have a say in the direction of the parks! The Friends have an annual budget, of course, and determine where the funds are best spent to enhance O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve. We are the official Citizen Support Organization - CSO - for these two parks. Being a member means you can vote on expenditures. The most recent vote was to repair a UTV for the rangers to use to assist campers and visitors at our events quicker and through terrain inaccessible by larger vehicles. Although this seems trivial, it most certainly will add to many people’s enjoyment of the many events we organize !
As for personal benefits, you’ll get all of the FOO emails to stay in the loop. You’ll know what’s happening in these parks you care about.
I hope this helps, and I hope you’ll join the Friends of the O’Leno State Park and River Rise Preserve!
https://friendsofoleno.org
~Jenny Lee
