Nov. 6, 2014. Volunteers needed on Saturday, November 15 to help plant 1,100 seedlings. National Park Service-Blue Ridge Parkway, in partnership with FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway, is hosting its first viewshed planting site in Boone at Milepost 285.
All volunteers must register Saturday morning at the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the planting kicks off at 10 a.m. Shuttles will be provided continuously from 9 a.m. until the planting is completed between Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and the planting site.
Sponsors of this event include BRPWeather.com, RaysWeather.com, Mountain Alliance, Harris Teeter, Lowes Food and GroundEffect Landsape and Maintenance.
Families are encouraged to attend with activities planned for the kids so bring bag lunches and make this a family outing! FRIENDS’ Executive Director, Susan J. Mills, PhD, says “FRIENDS and the Blue Ridge Parkway have a mutual goal – to connect the next generation to our park. In our case, connecting children and youth to the Blue Ridge Parkway is critical to empowering the next generation to value our park, to learn from our work today and to make it part of their commitment for tomorrow. These viewshed restoration programs held in both Virginia and North Carolina exemplify the program motto ‘explore, learn, protect,’ and FRIENDS is focusing on this connection.”
The National Park Service-Blue Ridge Parkway has approached FRIENDS this year with a large number of projects that will require funding assistance and volunteers. The Parkway relies on FRIENDS for volunteers and funding to help it continue at the level its visitors expect.
David Still, Co-Chair of the High Country Chapter of FRIENDS says, “This project is an opportunity for local communities to connect with FRIENDS and make a difference for their park! Funding for FRIENDS’ projects and programs are needed now. Community leaders are encouraged to serve on the local High Country Chapter to implement and recruit volunteers for the projects here in the Boone and Blowing Rock communities.”
FRIENDS is the only authorized Blue Ridge Parkway partner organization that has been given the project to conduct landscape plantings under a formal agreement between FRIENDS and the National Park Service. FRIENDS is membership based and empowers a community-based Chapter to plan and implement viewshed restoration programs. The community-based steering Chapter recruits volunteers working collectively with FRIENDS. If you are interested in getting involved with your local FRIENDS Chapter on this or future projects, please contact FRIENDS at Staff@FriendsBRP.org or 540-772-2992 or toll-free 800-228-PARK (7275).
For further information on how to volunteer or help by sponsoring this viewshed restoration project near Boone, NC on November 15 contact the FRIENDS office at 800-228-PARK(7275). Volunteers are needed for this planting. FRIENDS is appealing to corporations and to civic organizations for volunteer support and funding for these events! Individuals and corporations can contribute and join FRIENDS on line at www.FriendsBRP.org
Several community, civic, and youth groups have supported FRIENDS viewshed plantings over the years. FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway spearheads the viewshed plantings with the support of scout troops, school children, local businesses, government representatives, college students, and other civic and community groups.
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FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc. is a Blue Ridge Parkway partner organization. FRIENDS is a nonprofit membership organization that has served the Blue Ridge Parkway for over 25 years. Individuals or organizations interested in learning about other volunteer opportunities or ways to financially support Parkway programs should call, write or visit us online: FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc. P.O. Box 20986, Roanoke, VA 24018 / Telephone 540-772-2992 or 800-228-PARK (7275) / E-mail: staff@FriendsBRP.org / Website: www.FriendsBRP.org