Lassen Park Foundation, based in Anderson, is one of five organizations that has been chosen to receive the National Park Service’s (NPS) prestigious 2017 Director’s Partnership Award.
The annual award “recognizes the outstanding achievements” of NPS partners, at over 400 national parks nationwide and reflects their “years of planning and work; communication and collaboration” to “deepen our experiences and bring home the meanings, relevance and importance of our nation’s special places, people and stories,” reported the NPS.
In recognizing the Lassen Park Foundation, the NPS noted the foundation’s more than 30 years of service to Lassen Volcanic National Park, including support to the Lassen Crossroads information pavilion, the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, improvements to the Lassen Peak Trail and underwriting of youth camping programs and facilities at Volcano Adventure Camp, as well as funding for park research, internship and habitat restoration projects.
“We have a passion for Lassen,” said John Koeberer, Chair of the Lassen Park Foundation. “Every contributor to and officer of the Lassen Park Foundation shares in this recognition of that passion and, I am certain, is truly touched and grateful for the honor.”
“A national park couldn’t ask for better partners than the Lassen Park Foundation. Its philanthropy has helped enhance the visitor experience, protect the park, conduct invaluable research, and improve park facilities beyond what we could accomplish with what we are allocated,” said Lassen Volcanic Superintendent James Richardson.
Jennifer Finnegan, executive director of the Lassen Park Foundation, said, “We’ve been so busy getting out the word and answering questions of groups applying for one of this summer’s youth camping grants, that we haven’t had time to celebrate the award. Though, it truly made our day.”
More about the Lassen Park Foundation is found at lassenparkfoundation.org. A complete list of Director’s Partnership Awardees is found at nps.gov/subjects/partnership/2017-directors-partnershipaward.htm.