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- National Park Foundation Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush Celebrates Grant To Enhance Youth Education In America's National Parks
National Park Foundation Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush Celebrates Grant To Enhance Youth Education In America's National Parks
Published on 07/28/2008
WASHINGTON, DC – National Park Foundation Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush ventured into the misty foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains today to celebrate a $50,000 grant that the National Park Foundation is awarding to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site to focus on enhancing the park’s Junior Ranger and youth education programs. The funding is a second investment in this park’s youth programs by the National Park Foundation and its charitable partner, Unilever.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, located in picturesque Flat Rock, North Carolina, a park dedicated to Pulitzer prize-winning poet and author, Carl Sandburg. Today, park rangers and local students from the Boys and Girls Club of Hendersonville and “Flat Rock’s Exceptional Sandburg Helpers” (FRESH) youth volunteer program had the opportunity to share with Mrs. Bush what they have been learning about Carl Sandburg’s life and work through the park’s Junior Ranger program. Throughout the day the children participated in a variety of activities including writing poetry, dramatic poetry interpretation and learning about Mrs. Sandburg’s passion of caring for dairy goats.
The National Park Foundation grant ceremony became an animated celebration of national parks and the Carl Sandburg Home. Abbie Biberdorf, a 7th grade student from Apple Valley Middle School shared her award-winning poem, Sunrise America and the young apprentices from the Flat Rock Playhouse Vagabond School of Drama performed two of Sandburg’s world famous Rootabaga Stories: How Henry Hagglyhoagly Played the Guitar With His Mittens On and The Potato Face Blind Man Who Lost the Diamond Rabbit on His Gold Accordion.
“The Foundation is grateful to have the inspiration and support of our Honorary Chair, Mrs. Laura Bush, as we work to create meaningful national park experiences for our children,” said Vin Cipolla, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “We are proud to stand with Unilever and commit the private funds necessary to grow the youth education programs at the Carl Sandburg Home.”
“We are honored to join once again with the National Park Foundation and Unilever to continue advancing the park’s growing education program,” shared park Superintendent Connie Backlund. “Each year hundreds of children participate in the park’s Junior Ranger Program, student Poetry Contest, and curriculum-based educational visits. This generous grant will permit us to reach out to an even broader audience of youth throughout our region and the nation, as we share the legacy of one of America’s great writers.”
This new grant marks the second investment by the National Park Foundation and Unilever in educational programming at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. In August 2005, the National Park Foundation and Unilever awarded a challenge grant to help launch the park’s Junior Ranger program. The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and the Community Foundation of Henderson County matched the grant for a total contribution of $10,000.
“Connecting children and families to America’s National Parks is essential to fostering a lifelong bond of stewardship for these iconic treasures among today’s youth,” commented Kevin Havelock, President, Unilever United States. “Unilever is proud to be a part of the innovative youth and education program at Carl Sandburg and would hope the program and partnership serves as a model for Junior Ranger programs across the country.”
Junior Rangers is the premiere National Park Service program to introduce kids and families to the treasures in the national park system. The program enhances the national park experience for kids and families by offering fun and age-appropriate activities that encourage them to explore, learn about and protect our national parks. After successfully completing a series of activities, children can be sworn in as official Junior Rangers.
Since 2004, the National Park Foundation has directed more than $3 million of support to create or enhance Junior Ranger Programs in 90 parks across the country and develop the Junior Rangers online component, WebRangers www.nps.gov/webrangers.
About the National Park Foundation
The National Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to continue a century-long tradition of private philanthropy ensuring funding to preserve and enhance the legacy of our National Parks. As the official non-profit partner of America’s National Parks, the National Park Foundation does not receive federal appropriations for their support. The National Park Foundation serves to strengthen the connection between the American people and their national parks by raising private funds, making strategic grants, creating innovative partnerships and increasing public awareness. Support of the National Park Foundation ensures that the evolving history and rich heritage of our Nation remains vital and relevant.
About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition; hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, “all,” Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 14,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $11 billion in sales in 2007. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.
About the National Park Service
The National Park Service, created in 1916, cares for our nation’s most special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. To start exploring your nearly 400 national parks go to www.nps.gov.
About Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, preserves Connemara, the home of writer Carl Sandburg (1878 – 1967), and his family, where he lived for the last 22 years of his life and published more than one-third of his works. http://www.nps.gov/carl.
Contact Information
Anne Marek, National Park Foundation
(202)354-6480, amarek@nationalparks.org
