FRIENDS Parkway Chapters
Event & Board Meeting July 2015
FRIENDS OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY OFFICE Roanoke, Virginia
Milepost 275-315 Milepost 275-315 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY HEADQUARTERS Asheville, North Carolina
Boots on the ground make a difference! Since the FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway Chapter conception in 2002, FRIENDS’ network of chapters has grown to nine exceptional, community-based volunteer groups. These chapters inspire communities to engage with their park through volunteerism. Local Parkway communities roll up their sleeves, accomplishing much-needed Blue Ridge Parkway projects. To make this happen, they plan their workdays months in advance and recruit volunteers of all ages to meet their goals. Chapter leaders’ roles may be clearly defined on paper, but in reality they wear many hats! Chapter leaders act as cheerleaders for the volunteers; they are enforcers of
Parkway standards and rules; they are extraordinary innovators and fundraisers; and they are negotiators – negotiating a win-win between what needs to be accomplished and the parameters they have to work within. But most importantly, chapter leaders are volunteers and individuals with enormous hearts for the Parkway whose commitment and dedication to the Parkway are an inspiration to us all! Annually, we meet to celebrate their accomplishments and to hear firsthand about their achievements and plans for the next year.
Humpback Rocks Chapter - MP 0-50 Founded 2015
Area of Service: Humpback Rocks Visitor Center, Whetstone Ridge, Wigwam Falls, Crabtree Falls
Major Projects • • • •
Yankee Horse Ridge Overlook Loop Trail Maintenance -3 hours Pioneer Garden at Humpback Rocks-143 hours Bloom Reports - 32 hours South River Lumber Trail Assessment
Future Projects
• Lumber Railroad presentation at Humpback Rocks Music Festival • Support for James River Transportation Festival
Peaks of Otter ChapterMP 50-100 Founded 2012
Area of Service: Otter Creek Campground, James River Visitor Center, Peaks of Otter Campground, Johnson Farm, Abbott Lake and Trail, and participation at area festivals.
Major Projects
• Alternative Break Program -- Elon University • Johnson Farm repairs • Otter Creek and Peaks of Otter Campground maintenance • Pig Roast to promote Greg Baltad’s bicycle trek
Noted Accomplishments
• Gross Cemetery renovation • Bobblett Cemetery renovation
Roanoke Valley Chapter- MP 100-150 Founded 2007
Area of Service: Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area, presence at area festivals, Roanoke Mountain Music Series, Area festivals, Roanoke River, Trails, Overlooks, Cemeteries, Viewshed tree plantings
Major Projects • • • •
Hosted 8 “Love Your Parkway” Clean-Ups Re-painted hundreds of blazes along Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail Bucked, limbed, cleared one fallen tree from Chestnut Ridge Trail Alternative Break Program -- Boston University
Noted Accomplishments
• 659.75 hours donated • 57 volunteers collected 880 lbs. of recyclables and 407 lbs. of trash • 2 children (11 years old or younger) were involved • Cox Conserve Hero Award, $10,000
Rocky Knob ChapterMP 150-200 Founded 2007
Area of Service: Mabry Mill, Puckett Cabin, Worley House, Rocky Knob Recreational Area and Campground, Rocky Knob Visitor Center, Rock Castle Gorge, Groundhog Mountain, OnParkway Donation Box, Trails, Overlooks, Cemeteries, Participation at local events and festivals including FloydFest.
Fisher Peak Chapter - MP 200-217.5 Founded 2002
Area of Service: Blue Ridge Music Center, Cumberland Knob, Blue Ridge Music Center trails, Overlooks, Cemeteries, OnParkway Donation Box.
Major Projects
• Trail Maintenance • Assistance to Interpretive department
Major Projects
• Groundhog Mountain Workday
Noted Accomplishments • • • • •
Re-painted 2 BRP entrance signs Pressure-washed walkways, grills, etc. Re-painted parking lines, grills, picnic tables at Groundhog Mountain Painted over graffiti at Groundhog Mountain • Over 30 hours donated during Groundhog Mountain Workday • More than 20 volunteers provided 196 hours
• Alternative Break Program -University of Notre Dame • Community Relations
Noted Accomplishments
• 94 miles Trail Maintenance • 92 water drains cleaned, re-dug or created • 6 trees chain-sawed or hand-cut
• 10 trail blazes painted • 1,064 hours
Northern Highlands Chapter- MP 217.5-275 Founded 2010
Area of Service: Doughton Park, Brinegar Cabin, Cumberland Knob, E.B. Jeffress Park, Trails, Overlooks, Cemeteries, Participation at local events and festivals, and more!
Major Projects • • • • • •
Tree Planting at Bamboo Gap Doughton Park Map Board Painting Spring Workday at Doughton Park Overlook Blitz Brinegar Cabin Garden Woodruff House Clean-Up
Noted Accomplishments
• Cleaned all 135 campsites at Doughton Park • During the Overlook Blitz, 12 large bags of trash and 9 bags of recyclables were collected • More than 50 volunteers donated 1,056 hours • 10-12 children engaged
High Country Chapter- MP 275-315 Founded 2007
Area of Service: Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, Julian Price Memorial Park, Linn Cove Viaduct, Trails, Overlooks, Cemeteries, Participation at local events and festivals, Viewshed tree plantings, and more!
Major Projects
• Viewshed Tree Planting - 458.5 hours planting over 1,000 seedlings • Price Park Campground Clean-Up
Noted Accomplishments
• More than 100 volunteers resulting in 458.5 hours
Asheville Chapter- MP 364-415
Founded 2007
Area of Service: Mt. Pisgah
Campground, On-Parkway Donation Box, Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Craggy Gardens, Trails, Overlooks, Intersections, and more!
Major Projects
• Maintained Parkway Cleanliness - 143 hours • Pisgah Campground Picnic Area
Maintenance • Breakfast for Park MaintenanceStaff - 25 hours • Visitor Center Flower Bed Maintenance • Mt. Mitchel Assault Fundraiser
Noted Accomplishments • 750 pounds of litter removed since November • 7 campsites trenched • Grass removal from 8 campsites • More than 20 youth were involved • More than 100 volunteers donated 1215.5 hours
FRIENDS thanks its corporate partners for sponsoring this event
FRIENDS Board of Directors
FRIENDS Staff
KEN RANDOLPH, President - Rockydale Quarries, Corp DAVID POTEET, Vice President - Nomad Mobile Guides STEVE BEYER, Vice President Outreach - Leisure Media 360 J. RICHARD WELLS, Treasurer - Leisure Media 360 LYNN DAVIS, Secretary - Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources & Environment PERRY KEYS, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer - Enterprise Software KIM BLAIR - Ferrum College MARTHA BOGLE - Nationl Park Service Superintendent, retired WILLIAM BRENTON, JR. - The Brenton Group KYLE EDGELL - Caricature Artist GEORGE HUMPHRIES - Photographer and Author, Mars Hill University JOSH LEWIS, Title
SUSAN JACKSON MILLS, PH.D, Executive Director PAM BASHAM, Assistant Director PAM McCALLISTER, Marketing and Communications Coordinator GAIL WEBB, Membership Services Coordinator MARY ELLEN BELCHER, Administrative Assistant ELIZABETH CAMILLETTI, Intern KOREY SHORTT, Intern
FRIENDS Volunteer Staff Jill Darlington-Smith Virginia Ehrich Richard Hoffman
Leslie LIndsay Pauline O’Dell Kathy Van Duzer
P.O. Box 20986 Roanoke, Virginia 24018 540.772.2992 | 800.228.PARK (7275) www.FriendsBRP.org | Staff@FriendsBRP.org