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- Vin Cipolla, President and CEO of National Park Foundation, Remarks on the Centennial Initiative
Vin Cipolla, President and CEO of National Park Foundation, Remarks on the Centennial Initiative
Published on 02/07/2007
President Bush, Mrs. Bush, Secretary Kempthorne, Director Bomar, Superintendent Cartwright and distinguished guests, partners and colleagues,
I am delighted to be with you here today in one of my favorite national parks to discuss the opportunity created by the Centennial Initiative. I’d like to thank President Bush and Secretary Kempthorne for their leadership in preparing the country, and the parks that we cherish, for the next century of preservation and enjoyment.
The state of our parks at the Centennial Celebration in 2016 will say a lot about our priorities as a nation. The National Park Foundation applauds the Centennial Initiative—particularly the Centennial Challenge—for delivering the inspiration, direction and incentive for the American public to fulfill its obligation as stewards of our parks.
Mr. President, your Centennial Initiative is—in a word—historic. The proposal for a $3 billion investment in our national parks over the next 10 years that would rely on public and private interests working in tandem represents the very spirit and ideals on which our National Park System was founded.
More than a century ago, citizens gathered together from across the public and private realms to first establish, then protect and endow our national parks. They were people from all walks of life united in their devotion to protect the places they loved and the places they knew would matter long into the future.
Similarly, I know the Centennial Initiative is rooted in the genuine passion that you and Mrs. Bush have for our American heritage and for the great outdoors. Mrs. Bush, in her role as Honorary Chair of the National Park Foundation, has led the Foundation’s efforts to connect our children to our parks and raise awareness for important programs like Junior Rangers and WebRangers. Thank you, both, for all you do for our parks.
I believe this passion is shared by nearly every American citizen as well as people across the globe. Whether it’s a hiking trail… a pristine seashore… a special place of remembrance, or one of learning… our love of our parks as a nation is both deeply personal and completely unifying.
I’d like to recognize and thank the Chairman of our Board, Secretary Kempthorne, our Vice Chairman, Regan Gammon, and our Secretary, Director Bomar, for their vision and energy in leading the National Park Foundation.
The National Park Foundation was founded by Congress as the national charity for our parks, with a mission to enhance the tradition of park philanthropy and strengthen the connection between Americans and their parks. The promise of the Centennial Challenge poses a unique and unparalleled opportunity for the National Park Foundation to fulfill its mission. As we begin to envision our work over the next decade, we see three clear opportunities presented by the Centennial Challenge.
First is the opportunity to connect and strengthen the fabric of support for parks on a national and local level. Our parks offer some of the best investments in the areas of youth-enrichment, education, health and volunteerism, yet philanthropic potential on a grand scale and in line with contemporary thresholds has not been realized. The potential for $100 million in annual matching funds establishes a clear goal for private support and acts as a catalyst in rekindling the philanthropic community’s support for our parks. The Centennial Challenge also offers a long overdue incentive for charitable partners to work collaboratively and creatively to develop fundraising campaigns that impact the entire park system.
Second is the opportunity to expand the dialogue around park partnerships. The opportunity to incorporate best practices and innovation found in the broader parks community, particularly at the state and local levels, will allow us to bring forward new ideas and models for national parks. In October at the University of Texas, the National Park Foundation will convene thought leaders at the first-ever symposium exploring the future of park philanthropy and partnership. With the Centennial Challenge as a backdrop, this ground-breaking forum will surely advance the rich discussion and growing energy around this important cause.
Third is the opportunity to support the National Park Service as it works to enhance important youth and diversity programs system-wide. The Centennial Initiative encourages us to build relationships that cross-cut the full spectrum of American society. Working together to reach non-traditional park audiences and guaranteeing meaningful park experiences for our children, we can make certain that all Americans feel connected to our shared heritage and are prepared to accept their responsibility as future stewards of the national parks.
Private citizens and philanthropy have always played an important role in our National Park System and will continue to be vital in securing its future. Speaking on behalf of the National Park Foundation—it is an honor to lead the national charitable efforts for our parks, and we are privileged to stand together with government leaders, our charitable partners, and the American public to forge a new era for parks that will ensure–without question–that they will remain vital and relevant for the next century.
Again, thank you Mr. President, Mrs. Bush and Secretary Kempthorne for your inspiration.
