Timucuan Parks Foundation (TPF) began the holiday season with a celebration of its more than 25 years of service at its Wander Wild Event at the Ribault Club on Fort George Island. The nonprofit supporter of Jacksonville city, state, and national parks was joined by supporters, partners, volunteers, and other friends to look back on the last 25 years and to look forward to continuing its mission of preserving, promoting and enhancing our wilderness parks and preserves.
With decorations created by TPF Special Advisor and Artist Kathy Stark, the Ribault Club was transformed into a showcase of the history of Jacksonville’s wilderness parks and preserves. Executive Director Fred Richards highlighted the nonprofit’s accomplishments through the years, from its inception as Preservation Project Jacksonville to identify and preserve the lands that became public parks, to its current role as a supporter of the city, state, and local parks through programs and projects that offer stewardship, education, and enjoyment for the community.
“The tremendous turnout was deeply encouraging and served as a powerful affirmation of the community’s commitment to our mission,” said Richards. “The energy and shared vision among our friends, supporters, and partners creates a strong catalyst, ensuring we sustain this momentum and success for our park system for years to come.”
Part of TPF’s accomplishments includes establishing a partnership among the city, state, and local parks, enabling the park partners to share resources and collaborate to make local wilderness parks and preserves an inviting destination for all. During the event, representatives from each park partner expressed appreciation for TPF’s work and the partnership it established and continues to nourish.
Keynote Speaker Mark Woods, a Florida Times-Union Columnist and Author of “Lassoing the Sun,” recognized the importance of having a park friends’ group, like TPF. Woods spent a year visiting national parks around the country and said he met with park friends’ groups because they were the ones out in the parks daily working to protect and preserve the important lands.
Woods said, “I realized how important those friends’ groups are to each park. The parks with vibrant active friends’ groups were vibrant active parks. I am grateful for all that Timucuan Parks Foundation has done. That is why we came here, and that is why we are still here.”
The event also served as an opportunity to recognize individuals important to TPF’s mission, including Woods, who received the TPF Friend of the Year Award. TPF Trail Team Member Alex Wolf was given the Volunteer of the Year Award, and TPF Board Chairman Bob Hayes took home the Champion Award.
At the celebration, Richards announced TPF’s new Giving Societies, which allow donors to join TPF at various levels, each with different benefits. There is the $10,000 Timucuan Society, the $5,000 Willie Browne Society, the $1,000 Preservation Circle, the $500 Timucuan Steward, the $100 Park Steward, and the $25 Park Friend. More information about the new Giving Society can be found at https://www.timucuanparks.org/membership/.
