FRIENDS OF THE APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE INC

ACCESSIBILITY: FRIENDS OF THE APOSTLE ISLANDS REACHED A MILESTONE IN 2023 WHEN WE REACHED OUR GOAL OF $325,000 RAISED IN OUR ACCESS FOR ALL CAMPAIGN. THIS REPRESENTED BY FAR THE LARGEST CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN THE ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY, INVOLVED HUNDREDS OF DONORS, MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS, AND WIDESPREAD PUBLIC OUTREACH INCLUDING A MAJORNATIONWIDE WEBINAR SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. THE EFFORT RESULTED NOT ONLY IN THE RAISING OF SIGNIFICANT FUNDS BUT ALSO IN THE RAISING OF AWARENESS OF THE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES FACING NATIONAL PARKS INCLUDING THE APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE. TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, WE CONVENED AN ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY BOARD CHAIRED BY GREG LAIS (FOUNDER AND FORMER E.D. OF WILDERNESS INQUIRY, THE NATION'S LEADING WILDERNESS OUTFITTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS TRIPS) AND MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, NONPROFITS, ACCESSIBILITY ADVOCATES, AND MORE. A SERIES OF PROGRAMS WAS UNDERTAKEN TO RAISE FUNDS AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE CORE PRINCIPLE BEHIND THIS PILLAR OF OUR ORGANIZATION: THE IDEA THAT NATIONAL PARKS BELONG TO ALL OF US.EDUCATION: RAISING AWARENESS OF THE HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY, ISSUES, AND MORE ABOUT THE APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR FRIENDS. THROUGH OUR REDESIGNED AND ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE, NEWSLETTERS, PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, PROGRAMS, AND INFORMATIONAL BOOTHS AT MAJOR USER GROUP GATHERINGS, FRIENDS CONTINUES TO OFFER THE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISLANDS. REPRESENTATION AT CONFERENCES SUCH AS CANOECOPIA (THE NATION'S LARGEST PADDLING EXPO), THE AURORA SUMMIT 2023, AND THROUGH OUR SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, AS WELL AS SPEAKING IN CLASSROOMS AND MORE, FRIENDS FOCUSED STRONGLY ON HELPING THE PUBLIC LEARN ABOUT THE APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE. FRIENDS ALSO RETURNED IN 2023 TO ITS LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO HELP FUND "ISLAND SCHOOL," A PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHLAND COLLEGE AND LOCAL SCHOOLS TO HELP INTRODUCE SCHOOL KIDS TO THE PARK.SERVICE: THE ABILITY TO HELP THOSE WHO LOVE THESE ISLANDS GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THEMIN THE FORM OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IS AN IMPORTANT PILLAR OF FRIENDS. WE ORGANIZE BANDS OF VOLUNTEERS FOR EVERYTHING FROM EARTH DAY BEACH CLEAN UPS TO TENDING THE HISTORICGARDENS AT THE MICHIGAN ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE. OUR VOLUNTEERS PLANT BEACH GRASS TO STABILIZE FRAGILE ISLAND SANDSCAPES AND HELP CLEAR TRAILS FOR HIKERS. WE LEAD NATURE HIKES AND PLANT TREES WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GIVING OUR MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GIVE BACK TO THE PLACE THEY LOVE. IN ADDITION, OUR VOLUNTEERS REPRESENTED FRIENDS AND THE PARK AT A VARIETY OF VENUES INCLUDING CANOECOPIA, EARTH DAY, BIRD COUNTS, AND MORE.STEWARDSHIP: TO HELP PROTECT THE FUTURE OF THESE ISLANDS, FRIENDS BEGAN TWO NEW MAJOR INITIATIVES IN 2023. FIRST, OUR STARRY SKIES INITIATIVE WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PARK, LOCAL BUSINESS, AND HOMEOWNERS TO REDUCE THE LIGHT POLLUTION WHICH ENDANGERS WILDLIFE AS WELL AS DAMPENS THE BEAUTY OF THE NIGHT SKY OVER THE PARK. OUR STARRY SKIES INITIATIVE HAS A GOAL TO SEEK PROTECTION FROM LIGHT POLLUTION AND SECURE AN INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY DESIGNATION FOR THE PARK. SECONDLY, FRIENDS PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OFWISCONSIN-MADISON AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO DEPLOY A SERIES OF WAVE BUOYS WHICH WILL TRANSMIT IMPORTANT WAVE HEIGHT, WAVE PERIOD, DIRECTION, EVEN WATER TEMPERATURE TO BOATS EVERY THIRTY MINUTES GIVING MARINERS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO STAY SAFE ON LAKE SUPERIOR.