Faces: Meet A National Park Hero--Jack Green
Hundreds of you sent us your stories, thoughts, and dreams about our national parks. Thank you! Everyone had something wonderful to say, and some stood out above the crowd. Our new feature, "Faces", is a look at these park heroes, and how they're doing their part to make our national parks a better place. We hope these stories will inspire you just as they've inspired us.
Jack Greene's Story
At 8 years of age, my family traveled from Michigan to Washington via U.S. 2, the northern route across the states. We visited Glacier N.P., Mt. Rainier, and on the return trip, Yellowstone. The impressions of those formative years were life-changing. I later moved west to be surrounded by those majestic places. Since those early days, every time I see the NPS "badge," a flood of wonderful memories draws me in like a magnet.
I've visited over a hundred sites since, from Denali to the Everglades, from Boston Harbor to the Mojave. Now I volunteer for the parks, which once again, is transformative! Here at Zion N.P., they have allowed me to add a new dimension to their website I've titled "Green Park--Green Planet." The work I did on the site was widely recognized, and in the future I may be doing the same for other parks.
Finally, I had the great honor and pleasure of meeting NPCA Regional staff at a retreat in Zion a few weeks ago. We had a good chat while I introduced them to our flora and fauna as it appeared along the trail. I was deeply impressed by their commitment, expertise, and caring. They were especially proud of the recent budget proposal for park operations being considered by the U.S. Congress. We in the parks, are waiting with baited breath for the outcome--will our national parks, the best idea America ever had, finally get its due?
We certainly hope so, Jack. You can check out the website Jack created for the Park by visiting:
http://www.nps.gov/zion/naturescience/green-park.htm
This article is from the May 2007 issue of NPCA's Park Lines. Each month Park Lines takes you to a new park, highlights one of our campaigns, and keeps you informed about what the staff at NPCA are up to and how you can help. Read our latest issue and subscribe for your very own free copy.
