@GoParks Expedition Connects Diverse Audiences to America’s National Parks [CONTEST]

APPLY FOR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY AT WWW.NATIONALPARKS.ORG AND BE A PART OF THE ADVENTURE BY FOLLOWING #FYPx ON SOCIAL MEDIA

July 23, 2015

WASHINGTON – The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, announced today that the call for applicants for its 2015 Find Your Park Expedition has opened. The expedition will engage people from all backgrounds and inspire them to discover all that a park can be and the variety of experiences that can be had in a park, directly supporting the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement launched earlier this year. Millennial online influencers are invited to apply at www.nationalparks.org/FYPx for the opportunity to participate in the national park adventure to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. The application period goes through August 21, 2015. Follow #FYPx for updates.

“As we move into the second century of the National Park Service and look to connect all people to America’s treasured places, we’re thrilled that our expedition will once again give people the opportunity to experience our national parks, explore how they’re relevant to our lives as individuals and as a collective society, and share their adventures along the way with friends and family,” said Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “The expedition is a great example of the important role that public-private partnerships play in inspiring more people to find their park.”

Thanks to support from Find Your Park premier partner REI and through partnerships with Aramark and Columbia Sportswear, expenses including transportation and lodging will be covered and outdoor gear will be provided.

You can read quotes from each of the National Park Foundation partners and find out why they feel it’s important to support the expedition on the National Park Foundation's blog today.

“We're very delighted Mesa Verde was chosen for the Find Your Park Expedition and look forward to welcoming the participants,” said Cliff Spencer, superintendent of Mesa Verde National Park. “Southwest Colorado has a rich cultural history and spectacular vistas that make it a great fall destination."

The 2015 expedition is an expanded take on the American Latino Expedition, a program of the American Latino Heritage Fund of the National Park Foundation. In its third year, the expedition will raise awareness about all that the National Park System has to offer, including careers with the National Park Service. In addition, the experience will redefine the word “park.” Beyond vast landscapes, the expedition will bring attention to historical, urban, and cultural parks, as well as National Park Service programs that protect, preserve and share America’s collective heritage in communities nationwide.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATIONThe National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.