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Free
Admission and Festivities for All During National Park Week April 16-24
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All Americans
Encouraged to #FindYourPark and Celebrate the NPS Centennial
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Washington,
DC – April 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / As
the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates 100 years of protecting and
preserving the nation’s parks and monuments, all Americans are encouraged
to get out and #FindYourPark during
National
Park Week, April 16 through 24. All National
Park Service entrance fees will be waived for the week so choose a
park, near or far, and discover what makes it unique.
Each
of the 410 national parks is a thread in the tapestry that tells the story
of our country – its beautiful landscapes, diverse culture, and rich heritage.
Throughout the year, and especially during National Park Week, the NPS
and the National Park Foundation,
invite everyone to discover and share their own unique connections to our
public lands.
“We
have an amazing variety of special events taking place during the centennial,”
said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Some commemorate
our first hundred years, but many others look to the future, to the next
100 years, and will help connect with and create the next generation of
park visitors, supporters and advocates. It is through them that America’s
lands and stories will be preserved and passed on to future generations.”
“With
free admission to parks all week long, National Park Week is the perfect
opportunity to check out a new location, revisit one of your favorite parks,
and perhaps invite a friend who has never visited a park before to join
you,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National
Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks.
“It’s a great time to experience and celebrate our parks and historic places,
and discover and share with each other how these treasured places are vital
and relevant to people from all backgrounds from all over the country.”
National
Park Week will kick off with National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April
16. Parks will host kid oriented activities and distribute the new Centennial
Junior Ranger booklet and badge. Throughout the week, many parks will also
host Every Kid in a Park events, which encourage fourth grade students
to visit national parks and other public lands by offering a free annual
pass.
Other
highlights during the week include an education summit on April 20, Earth
Day events on April 22, a national park InstaMeet on April 23, and Park
RxDay on April 24. Park Rx is a community health initiative where medical
doctors “prescribe” time in parks to promote wellness and help prevent
and treat chronic disease. More than a dozen national parks will offer
health screenings and recreational activities, including an event with
the U.S. Surgeon General.
Visit
www.FindYourPark.com
to learn more about National Park Week activities throughout the country.
Find
Your Park / Encuentra Tu
Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people
from all backgrounds to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s
national parks and community-based programs that help revitalize communities
and commemorate local heritage.
About
the National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 410 national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local
history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at
www.NPS.gov,
on Facebook Facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter Twitter.com/natlparkservice,
and YouTube YouTube.com/nationalparkservice.
About
the National Park Foundation
The
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. In 2016, commemorating the
National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The
Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a $350 million comprehensive
fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national
treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of
the national park community at www.NationalParks.org.
Media
Contacts:
Kathy
Kupper (NPS)
202-208-6843
Alanna
Sobel (NPF)
202-354-6486 |
