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National
Park Service Director Leads Centennial Celebration
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Washington,
DC – August 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / National
Park Service (NPS) supporters, visitors and staff are celebrating the
100th anniversary of the National Park Service this week at 413 parks nationwide.
The NPS is inviting everyone to join the celebration by visiting a national
park this week.
There
are hundreds of events taking place around the country to celebrate the
Centennial in unique, fun and engaging ways. From enjoying a concert, to
having “Lattes with Lincoln” in Washington D.C., to taking nature hikes
or attending historical presentations, to joining NPS staff in forming
a living version of the National Park Service’s iconic arrowhead emblem,
visitors can be a part of the commemoration wherever they may be.
National
Park Service Director to Celebrate Centennial at Yellowstone National Park
National
Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis is celebrating the Centennial
at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Yellowstone, our nation’s first
national park, is hosting “An Evening at the Arch” on August 25th at 7
p.m. MDT. Director Jarvis will join Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell,
Montana Governor Steve Bullock, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, and other distinguished
guests and performers as they kick off the second century of the National
Park Service, highlight the importance of the partnerships, and recognize
the completion of the first phase of restoring the park’s iconic Gardiner
Gateway.
“I’m
honored to celebrate our Centennial at Yellowstone National Park, our first
national park and the birthplace of what is often called ‘America’s Best
Idea’…the National Park Service” said Jarvis. “To stand in this iconic
park with so many strong supporters and partners to commemorate not only
where we have come as a service, but what we are doing to preserve these
spaces for our future generations, is a highlight of my 40-year ranger
career.”
“The
National Park Service is unlike any other federal agency. We serve not
only as stewards of the nation’s greatest landscapes, but also as keepers
of its cultural heritage,” Jarvis added. “This Centennial is a celebration
of our founders and their foresight to create an organization that embodies
our highest ideals, our most symbolic places, and stands as the best national
park system in the world.”
Yellowstone’s
“An Evening at the Arch” event will be live streamed to the public via
this link: livestream.com/accounts/11206525/events/6052233
Note
To Media: Director Jarvis will participate in a press conference at
the Mammoth Hotel at Yellowstone National Park on August 25th at 12:30
MDT. Media interested in participating in this event should contact Tom
Crosson at 202-208-3046.
Join
the Nationwide Celebration
Here
are just a few of the centennial events taking place in our national parks
this week:
Living
National Park Service Emblem: More than 1,000 participants will be assembled
into a living arrowhead at the base of the Washington Monument onAugust
25th between 9 and 11 a.m. using brown, green and white umbrellas. This
event is expected to create the world’s largest National Park Service arrowhead.
Naturalization
Ceremonies: Tomorrow, National Park Service and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services will hold naturalization ceremonies in seven national parks: Biscayne
National Park, National Mall and Memorial Parks, Lewis and Clark National
Historic Trial, Grand Canyon National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical
Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Women’s Rights National Historical
Park.
Explorer
to Explorer with International Space Station: Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park will speak with Astronaut Kate
Rubins, a crewmember onboard the International Space Station. This event
is scheduled to take place on September 3rd at approximately 11:20 a.m.
PST.
Find
Your Park on Fremont Street in Las Vegas: Videos and digital displays highlighting
national parks will play throughout tomorrow evening on a 1500’x90’ digital
display as part of the Fremont Street Experience, in partnership with Lake
Mead National Recreation Area.
Grand
Canyon National Park Founders Day Celebration: Grand Canyon National Park
in Arizona will host a park-wide celebration throughout the weekend with
food, special programs, a train exhibit, a naturalization ceremony, and
a concert.
To
help everyone find a park to explore, the National Park Service is offering
free admission to all 413 national parks from August 25th-August 28th as
part of the 16
in 16’ fee-free days.
To
celebrate the 100th anniversary and to look ahead to the next 100 years,
the NPS and National Park Foundation
launched the Find Your Park
campaign. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to celebrate and support
America’s national parks and community-based programs, Find Your Park invites
people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s
natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. The NPS encourages
everyone to Find Your Park during its centennial and beyond. Learn more
about the campaign online by visiting www.FindYourPark.com.
About
The National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 413 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.
Contact:
Tom
Crosson, National Park Service, 202-208-3046
NPS
Office of Communications |