Letter from the President
From the President, Jack Lamkin
On June 21st your board met in
Superintendent Bill Wellman and Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services David Elkowitz joined the Friends of Big Bend National Park board in welcoming over 75 guests from the greater
On Friday before the meeting, Bill, David, Executive Director Courtney Lyons- Garcia, Lori Palmer, Rick Lannen and I were invited to meet with the Editorial Board of the Dallas Morning News. During the meeting we had the opportunity to brief them on numerous issues confronting
Since the board meeting FBBNP has been awarded grants from the Trull Foundation and Tourism Cares Worldwide Grant Program to fund the Rio Grande Wetlands Restoration Project. In addition we received a designated gift to fund rehabilitation/maintenance on the windmills at Dugout Wells and Sam Nail Ranch. All of these are important projects that will enhance the visitor experience and protect the unique resources at
On October 3rd your board will meet in the park for our annual meeting and the election of board members and officers. On the 4th there will be a member event - a float trip through
There are exciting and challenging opportunities to be of great assistance to the park in the months and years ahead. Your board is committed to being in the forefront of service to, and support for,
I look forward to seeing you soon in
Jack Lamkin
Previous Letters from the President
October 2007
Friends, at the October 5th meeting of the Board of Directors I was honored by being elected as President of your organization. I thank Reb Gregg for his outstanding leadership over the past three years. Under his stewardship FBBNP continued to be a major contributor to the Park.
At the meeting three new board members were elected. Welcome, Greg Brazaitis (Kingwood), Jim Murrell (Plano), and Kate Martin (San Antonio). We also said “goodbye” to Bob Coffee. Bob served nine years on the board. He was active in all aspects of the board and his bronze sculpture series “The ANIMALS of BIG BEND” has been a significant source of both funds and pride. We know Bob will continue in his love for Big Bend National Park and work for FBBNP.
Since the last newsletter we said “goodbye” to our long time friend and Administrative Assistant, Jody Davila. Jody ably served FBBNP for nine years. We welcome Zaira Roberts as our Administrative Assistant. Zaira and her family live at Rio Grande Village where her husband Joe is a Law Enforcement Ranger.
In this issue you will read about the Centennial Challenge. This is a great program and opportunity to help The Park. The board is closely monitoring the progress of the legislation and working to ensure congressional approval.
The board is also actively supporting The Parks position regarding the issue of the Christmas Mountains. By the time you read this the Texas School Land Board will have made a decision. If the decision is to delay the bidding process there will be a need for congressional action authorizing the expansion of The Park boundary. FBBNP will work for this authorization.
You will find a donation envelop in the newsletter. I urge you to make an unrestricted gift to FBBNP. Activities on behalf of Big Bend National Park require your help. Your financial assistance enables the board to continue its history of support for park projects. By your support we are able to meet our operational obligations. Most importantly, your support provided the foundation for the board to develop sustainable projects and programs for the protection of park resources and the benefit of future park visitors.
I look forward to working for you on behalf of The Park during the coming year. As always we invite you to the board meeting and membership events and receptions. I hope to see you soon in that very special place, Big Bend National Park
Jack Lamkin
August 2007
I am happy to announce one of the most important, and welcome, events in The Friends’ young history: the hiring of Ms. Courtney Lyons-Garcia, of New Braunfels, Texas, as our new Executive Director. Courtney has hit the ground running, and has some grand ideas for our further development, in fund raising and other areas. Please see the article on Courtney elsewhere in this newsletter. And welcome, Courtney!
Our June 23 Board meeting in Austin was preceded by a member event that was well attended and at which members and guests learned much important information about the Park –its current challenges and successes, and exciting new prospects for projects. Thanks to Board members Kearns, Coffee, Buchanan and McShane and to others who contributed to this affair. We will be in Dallas next June and hope to see our local members there. Plans are already underway for a significant event.
At the Board meeting we received, as usual, thorough reports from the Park staff – some good news and some not so good. Visitation numbers are up to the record 2005 levels; air and water quality challenges continue; and completion of the Visitor Center expansion has been delayed slightly. There is hope for new funding and new initiatives coming from Washington. You will learn more in the next issue of the newsletter about the Centennial Challenge – a Federal initiative to match funds raised for approved projects in the National Park System. I think you’ll be thrilled by the description of projects advanced by our Park.
We continue to tweak our web site, and, with Courtney’s help, will re-double our efforts in that regard. We welcome your comments and suggestions, for the site is, after all, intended for you and others interested in the Park and our organization.
The membership event in the Park in October looks exciting. See the article describing it, and plan to attend. We’d like to see you and, together, learn more about these magical places that are cast about the 800,000 acres.
Board member Bob Coffee has designed and will cast, for placement in the Chisos Basin Visitor Center patio, a life-size Peregrine Falcon bronze. It will be a wonderful piece and will be another important contribution from the Friends to the Park. Members will be given an opportunity to contribute to the cost of the casting and placement.
Raising funds, as you know, is the sole reason we exist. Guided by Courtney’s experience and energy, we are planning new strategies in this area. You will be hearing more about our plans in the weeks to come. Thank you in advance for your interest and support.
April 2007
The celebration of The Friend’s 10th anniversary was a grand affair, reflecting the successes, values and hopes of this young organization.
Mike McShane and his Membership Committee provided us with a variety of events that allowed participants a chance to see some remote areas of the Park, meet the new Superintendent Bill Wellman, learn of the challenges that face Big Bend and other National Parks, and enjoy good food, drink, fellowship and memories with other members.
The Park was even more beautiful than usual, thanks to recent rains; the weather was cool and the skies were clear. We began our day with a tour of Buttrill Springs, guided and narrated by Chief of Interpretation David Elkowitz. David did his usual excellent job, explaining the history of this remarkable place, and leading our hikes to some of the remaining structures and to the springs that attracted the original settlers. Far Flung Outdoor Center provided the transportation and a tasty lunch.
The evening festivities began with cocktails and other beverages at the Community Room, followed by a catered supper, a welcome to our guests, Mike McShane’s introduction of visitors, and remarks from our special guests. A PowerPoint presentation told the story of The Friends’ contributions to the Park. We appreciate the generosity of the staff in describing our work on behalf of the Park. Superintendent Wellman told of current budget issues, and sounded a note of some hope in this regard. He and David Elkowitz brought us up to date on developments at the Park, intended to enhance the visitor’s experience and also to improve the living and working conditions of the staff. As any recent visitor will tell you, some exciting things are happening at the Park.
Founders of The Friends spoke of special memories, and reminded us eloquently of our promises to the Park and its visitors. We were truly inspired by the remarks of Lori Palmer, Jack Lamkin, Val Naylor and others. The evening concluded with a raffle of one of Board Member Bob Coffey’s exquisite bronzes won by Patricia Johnson
We left well fed, better informed about the state of The Park, and, importantly, revitalized in our commitment to preserving the Park for our members, other visitors and for people everywhere who value places of such beauty, solitude and adventure.
Whether or not you were there, we hope you will share with us this 10th anniversary re-commitment to the work of The Friends. If you call us, we can find a meaningful role for you in our second 10 years. And of course, and particularly, your generous financial contributions will continue to be absolutely essential to our success. We look forward to hearing from you.
November 2006
This issue’s letter is written by founding board member and first President of FBBNP- Lori Palmer
The Friends of Big Bend National Park will celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 17, 2007 with an exciting event in the park. My husband, Russ Jewert, and I are delighted to have played a role at the beginning of the organization and wish to thank all of you who have contributed to the success of the Friends!
It all started on the morning of April 1, 1995, when Russ and I started our drive back home to Dallas after backpacking in Big Bend National Park. We had visited the Park several times before and found every visit exhilarating, nourishing, and deeply meaningful in our life. As we approached Persimmon Gap and talked about how we might give something back to the Park in return for all that it gave us, I turned to Russ and said, “When we get back to Dallas, let’s call the Park to find out how to become a member of its Friends group.” The next day when we learned that no Friends group existed, we immediately decided to start one!
And so it came to be that on July 13, 1996, eleven enthusiastic people gathered in a conference room at the LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin, Texas, to create the Friends of Big Bend National Park. They were Barbara and Mike Dooley (San Antonio), Dana Kolb (Austin), Greg Henington (Terlingua), Jack and Joan Lamkin (Marathon), Susan Presley (Fort Worth), Jack Savage (Dallas), Park Superintendent Jose Cisneros, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services Valerie Naylor, and yours truly from Dallas. With excitement and anticipation, we envisioned a future organization, the mission of which would be to support, promote, and raise funds for Big Bend National Park in partnership with the National Park Service and other supporters who value the unique qualities of this national resource along the Rio Grande.
Never, however, could any of us have imagined how this young organization would grow and develop during the next ten years! 2,700 members; 10,000 purchases of Big Bend National Park license plates; $575,000 in grants to the Park including $250,000 to expand the Panther Junction Visitor Center and create new and improved educational exhibits; nine annual “Rides for Trails” for trail maintenance; the new annual “Big Bend 50” run for runners of endurance! ; and advocacy to protect regional air quality, water quality, and the Chihuahuan ecosystem including a collaborative planning effort with Mexico to develop a joint management plan in the U.S. and Mexican protected areas along the Big Bend of the Rio Grande.
That’s not all! More than fifty incredibly dedicated individuals having served and serving on the Friends board of directors; informative and fun annual membership events in the Park and elsewhere in Texas; ever evolving newsletters and web site; excellent support from Park Superintendents Jose Cisneros, Frank Deckert, and John King; great assistance from Chiefs of Interpretation and Visitor Services Valerie Naylor, Lisa Lackey Bigley, and David Elkowitz as well as from other division chiefs through the years; outstanding leadership from board presidents Jack Lamkin, Mildred Cox, and Reb Gregg; positive and productive relationships with numerous stakeholder groups who also care about the Park; the professional support of Jody Davila; and, most importantly, inspiring support from members who are devoted to the Park and want to help in whatever way possible.
As the Friends of Big Bend National Park begins its journey into the second decade of its life, it does so with a strong vision, compelling mission, excellent track record, and that which is fundamentally essential to its success – the people who make a difference in Big Bend National Park with their time and their financial gifts.
Russ and I join the other founders and past and current board members in expressing our deep appreciation to the countless individuals who have accomplished so very much for Big Bend National Park and who will carry the vision into the future. Onward!
Lori Palmer
Founding President