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recent news February 2008 North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway Specialty Plate Generates Over Half a Million Dollars in 2007!
And, although it is currently the state’s most popular tag, the Foundation has plans to get even more out onto the roads. “We have a great opportunity to grow the number of Blue Ridge Parkway tags on the highways of North Carolina.” says Hobie Cawood, Chair of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation board of directors. “Knowing that you are making a lasting contribution to the Parkway and helping to protect the scenic quality as well as wildlife habitat is reason enough to proudly display a tag, but it also says something about who you are, and what you care about. When I see a car with the Blue Ridge Parkway license plate, I feel like I am seeing a friend.” Motorcycle owners can now also participate in the North Carolina specialty tag program but only by applying directly to the Foundation. There are more than 105,000 motorcycles registered in North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway is a premier riding destination in the United States. “We need at least 300 applications in-hand to submit to the state,” says Houck Medford, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We know enthusiasts love the Parkway, we just need them to demonstrate their support by getting a Blue Ridge Parkway tag”. Projects being funded by license plates must meet criteria set by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation board of trustees. Projects must provide a margin of excellence, enhance the visitor experience, and be of lasting value. Parkway projects approved for 2008 include land acquisition funds, historic preservation initiatives, roadside viewing deck construction, educational outreach, support of the small grants program, and water quality enhancement. In addition to funding from the NC specialty license tag program, many individuals and foundations contribute to the Foundation each year. For generations people have visited the Parkway to be inspired, soothed, awed and enlightened. Those who have journeyed as children often return now with children and grandchildren of their own. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation understands the power of this extraordinary environment that connects the spirits of countless people with nature through a twisting ribbon of mountain road. From one person to another, one generation to another, the journey of the Parkway is a journey worth taking and protecting. The North Carolina license plate connects all the people who agree. To order a tag or for more information you may visit BRPFoundation.org or call 336.721.0260.
January 2008 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, National Park Service, and US Forest Service Examine Water Quality and Future of Graveyard Fields For additional information: Randy Burgess, US Forest Service District Ranger, calls the toilet paper remnants “Charmin Flowers” i.e Charmnius floribundum and the ubiquitous presence of evidence of this human waste byproduct at this popular Blue Ridge Parkway destination raises questions about water quality and public health for this headwater source of the Pigeon River. On any given weekend during the Parkway’s high season, parking at this popular overlook south of Mt. Pisgah extends onto the Blue Ridge Parkway motor road. “Safety and access have become important concerns for us,” states Don Coleman, the supervising park ranger for the Asheville south district. “We want to do the best job we can to insure our visitors have a safe and enjoyable access to this unique area.” Adding a restroom was an early obvious proposed solution but other challenges paint a more complicated picture – unfavorable sightlines for approaching vehicles, speed limit, vandalism, limited parking, erosion control, trail compaction, frequent search and rescue incidences, high popularity, prime blueberry picking, two scenic waterfalls, dispersed undesignated camping, less than adequate signage, a unique almost alpine environment. “A project like Graveyard Fields is right up our alley”, states Houck Medford, executive director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation which provides philanthropic support to the Blue Ridge Parkway. “Supporting this project is a natural for us and it meets our funding criteria of having a lasting value and enhancing the quality of the visitor’s experience. The project will be a natural for the public to embrace because everyone loves Graveyard Fields.” Public and philanthropic interest in funding a study and improvements at Graveyard Fields are just beginning to blossom. LandDesign, an international urban design, planning, civil engineering, and landscape architecture firm with offices in Asheville, has contributed all the early professional hours to generate a charrette study with national park, forest service, and foundation staff. Stephanie Pankiewicz , senior associate and landscape architect for the firm said, “Graveyard Fields is close to many hearts in western North Carolina, we are privileged that we could provide the energy to get the project going.” Additional information can be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s website, www.brpfoundation.org, with the opportunity for weblog comments by site users.
November 2007Third Annual Parkway Premier Photography Contest AnnouncedThe Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has annouced a call for its prestigious Blue Ridge Parkway photography competition with a new category this year portraying "Share the Journey", the registered trademark of the Foundation. In addition to the traditional Parkway landscape category, cash prizes of $200 and $300 are being offered respectively for the Parkway categories. Winners from the overall competition co-sponsonsored by Appalachian Program Outdoor Programs will tour North Carolinas and Virginia after the competition. <<learn more>>
October 2007 Motorcycle Specialty License Plate to Motorcycle enthusiasts can now join over 20,000 other North Carolinians in demonstating their support of the Blue Ridge Parkway by purchasing a NC specialty license plate. Applications are now being accepted by the Foundation and plates will be available after January 2008. Click here for an application or above to learn more.
Foundation Introduces Lodging and Learning on the Blue Ridge Parkway Pisgah Inn- The Peak of the Parkway will host participants for 4 fun-filled and educational days May 12 - 15, 2008. Naturalist George Ellison joins with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Pisgah Inn to provide an opportunity for an in-depth experience with the Parkway through learning more about the plants, animals, and people of the region. For more information
Chateau Morrisette and Foundation Uncork Parkway Moonlight and Parkway Sunset are Chateau Morrisette's newest wines which honor the Blue Ridge Parkway and support the Foundation through its licensing program.
June 2007 Monthly Giving Option Encourages Blue Ridge Parkway Stewardship Donors to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation now can choose to participate in a monthly giving program. For the donor, participating in the monthly giving program gives you back time you would spend writing checks and mailing donations. For the Foundation, monthly gifts provide reliable revenue for its programs and projects that enhance visitors' experiences on Blue Ridge Parkway. The Foundation hopes that the monthly giving option will encourage long-term commitment to stewardship of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Read more about the program. June 2007 Parkway-based Musical Makes History The last Saturday night's performance of the musical drama Moses Cone: The Denim King marked the end of the third most successful show in the history of the Blowing Rock Stage Company, and the most successful show in both ticket sales and attendance since the company moved to the new Mariam and Robert Hayes Performing Arts Center in August 2006. More than 3,200 patrons saw the production, commissioned by the Foundation, during its world premiere season, which ran from May 30 through June 16. "Producing a new work like Moses Cone: The Denim King, a play that celebrates the history and culture of our region, is a vital aspect of our mission as a resident professional theatre,” remarked the Stage Company’s Producing Director Kenneth Kay, “Therefore, we were very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation in the creation of this beautiful new play." Read more about Moses Cone: The Denim King. May 2007 New Appalachian State University Internship Focuses on the Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, in coordination with Appalachian State University, is pleased to announce Amy Renfranz as an intern working this summer on a historic resource survey at Camp Catawba. Dr. Neva Jean Specht, Assistant Chair for the ASU Department of History and the ASU/Blue Ridge Parkway Liaison, described Renfranz’s responsibilities. “Her main responsibilities will be researching the cultural significance in the context of American history of Camp Catawba,” says Specht, “by using criteria established by the National Register of Historic Places.” Read the complete news release. May 2007 Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Gets 21st Century Examination The College of Fine and Applied Arts of Appalachian State University and the Planning Division of the Blue Ridge Parkway have recently collaborated on a project to better understand practical alternatives for the future of Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Read the complete news release. May 2007 Blue Ridge Parkway Based Musical Premieres Next Week Next week, the musical drama "Moses Cone: The Denim King" will debut in its world premiere in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. To celebrate the world premiere, the Foundation is collaborating with the Blowing Rock Historical Society, the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum and Appalachian State University (ASU) to host one gala performance "Denim and Cider", on Saturday, June 2. Read the complete news release. May 2007 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Seeks New Professional Development Officer After only ten years of existence and raising funds from private organizations and citizens to benefit the nation's most popular National Park site, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is recruiting a new fund raising professional to replace its relocating director of development. Read the complete news release and the job description. April 2007 Blue Ridge Parkway Inspires Award-Winning Photography The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, a partner with Appalachian State University in the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition, is pleased to announce the three winners for the Blue Ridge Parkway series of the competition which provides an opportunity for amateur and professional photographers to showcase their work in varying categories: adventure, culture, environment, flora/fauna, landscape, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Read the complete news release. March 2007 "Denim and Cider" Celebration Will Coronate Moses Cone as Denim King The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is collaborating with the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, the Blowing Rock Historical Society and Appalachian State University to host “Denim and Cider”, a celebration which includes an evening reception and world premier performance of Moses Cone: The Denim King on Saturday, June 2. Tickets for “Denim and Cider” include the reception and are $40 per person. Read the complete news release. February 2007 Introducing Official Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Licensed Merchandise As we approach the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has commenced efforts to promote the experience of the Parkway through licensed merchandise, special events and strategic promotional partnerships. It is the Foundation’s intent to create a sensory driven and emotionally compelling brand identity through the use of its name, logos, associated trademarks, taglines, and the colors, imagery and cultural history of the Parkway. Read more... February 2007 Proposed Budget Could Help Reduce Parkway Shortfall The 2008 budget submitted by President Bush proposes a $258 million increase in the National Park Service operating budget, to $2 billion. The Blue Ridge Parkway operating budget faces a $3 million deficit and the proposed budget would increase operating funds by $1.5 million or 11 percent over the 2006 budget, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. The Parkway has been operating under a continuing resolution that kept federal agencies operating at 2006 funding levels. The proposed increase could add 47 additional seasonal employees, including 24 maintenance workers, 14 visitor center workers and nine law enforcement officers, Superintendent Phil Francis said. To see the proposed budget, visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/interior.html
October 2005
Zika Palmer, co-founder of the training center, comments "the Cone, with 26 miles of well-maintained and graded carriage trails for our athletes to train; plus the added benefit of being in such an important culturally rich setting on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we know contributes to the well being and performance of our athletes." The ZAP Fitness training center and through support of the ZAP Fitness Foundation financially supports 8-10 post-collegiate distance runners in their efforts to make World Championship and Olympic Teams. The center develops the physical talent necessary for success in a competitive environment, teaches mental and emotional skills necessary for success in a competitive environment and provides role models for America 's youth by promoting an active healthy lifestyle. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the private and professional fundraising organization for the Blue Ridge Parkway (National Park Service). It operates through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service and Department of Interior. The ZAP Fitness Center can be found at zapfitness.com.
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According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, North Carolina now has over 6 million registered automobiles. About 23,000 have Blue Ridge Parkway license plates generating over $502,160 for the Parkway in 2007. Those funds are being used to assure the beauty, natural and cultural resources, and history of the Blue Ridge Parkway are nurtured today and into the future.
ZAP
Fitness, an elite training center and mountain retreat for Olympic running
hopefuls in Blowing Rock, NC has established a named endowment fund
with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation for the benefit of Moses H. Cone
Memorial Park. An initial gift of $5,000 seeds the endowment fund whose
annual dividends will be used for the purpose of "preserving the culturally
significant carriage trails" of Moses H. Cone Memorial Park . The carriage
trails are one of the most historically defined features of the estate
and their preservation is critical to the cultural significance of Flat
Top Manor. 
