sParkConnections

National Park Week Thanks

Published on April 25, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

As National Park Week wrapped up yesterday, I thought a lot about our national parks this past week. I thought about all the memories of our visits there.

I also thought about the sPark discovery, creativity, collaborations, innovations, opportunities, preservations, actions, curiosity, and memories. I love the sPark!

I smiled a lot during all these thoughts and memories. National parks bring us great joy in addition to many other benefits. National Park Week provided us with a daily reminder of all the goodness within this great and unique system.

Thank you for coming along with me on this year’s National Park Week.

sPark Memories

Published on April 24, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy Cherry1 Comment

Happy National Park Week!

To end this fun week, today’s theme focuses on memories. National parks provide families and friends with so many wonderful and lasting memories.

Enjoy two photos from my own amazing memories from the same area in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming 15 years apart.

What’s your favorite memory from one of the national parks?

Time to start planning the next national park trip to create more memories!

sPark Curiosity

Published on April 23, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Today’s National Park Week theme focuses on curiosity.

I can’t think of a better place to go and be curious than our national parks! They all offer so much to learn, explore, and just be a part of.

Merriam-Webster defines curious as “marked by desire to investigate and learn”.

To celebrate today, take a look in person or online at a national park and investigate and learn something new. There’s so much to explore and learn out there!

Are you curious about Crater Lake National Park? Here are some fun facts about it:

Happy National Park Week!

sPark Action

Published on April 22, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy Earth Day! Today’s theme during National Park Week looks at taking action which fits perfect with Earth Day.

Click this link here for some ideas to incorporate conservation at your home. Anyone can help. And every little bit adds up and makes a difference.

Happy Earth Day!

sPark Preservation

Published on April 21, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Today’s theme for National Park Week centers around preservation. The National Park Service is a leader and partner in preservation of historic, cultural, natural and recreational resources nationally and internationally. It’s literally their mission.

If you’re interested in historic preservation programs or resources, click here to learn more.

Happy National Park Week!

sPark Innovation

Published on April 19, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Today’s theme for National Park Week focuses on innovation. The National Park Service works to create new technology to support conservation and preservation efforts while working to improve current conditions at the parks as well.

For example, did you know that parks like Petroglyph National Monument are going green with newer technology, such as electric vehicle charging stations and solar panels?

They have projects that range from multi-year waste reduction initiatives and all-electric bus fleets to the installation of water bottle refill stations, solar panels, LED lights, and more. These measures are helping parks think and plan long-term for a greener future, ensuring they are resilient and sustainable for the benefit of both parks and the people who love them.

Propane recycling outside the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center at Lassen Volcanic National Park
NPS Photo by Amanda Sweeney

To celebrate today, go online and watch a webcam at one of the national parks. See the technology first hand and check out somewhere new! Click here for your choice of parks to visit online.

Happy National Park Week!

sPark Collaboration

Published on April 18, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Today’s National Park Week theme looks at the many partners working to help our national parks.

The national parks need our time by volunteering and our donations to help continue these great treasures. You can help by supporting one of more than 200 philanthropic organizations that partner with national parks nationwide. In addition, many national parks have nonprofit associations linked to them. In addition, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of our national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service.

Take a moment to check out one of these friend organizations of the national parks today! Click here for a directory of these organizations.

Happy National Park Week!

sPark Creativity

Published on April 17, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

National parks have inspired artistic expression and creativity for many, many years. Today’s theme asks what can the national parks inspire you to create?

The national parks have definitely inspired me! Our national parks inspired me to write children’s book set in a national park.

I created a magical national park, Erutuf National Park, as the setting for my children’s book, Turtle Tube: An Erutuf National Park Novel. It’s not a real national park, but an idealistic and magical one.

What creative spark do the national parks ignite in you?

sPark Discovery

Published on April 16, 2022April 8, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

National Park Week kicks off the week with a free day at the parks. No fees today!

Today’s theme encourages people to find something new by visiting a national park. If you have been there before, look for something new this time.

I love to learn and discover something new while visiting national parks. The Junior Ranger programs provide great opportunities for both children and adults to learn in greater detail about the park and its’ unique details.

The visitor centers also provide a great resource for discovering something new. Stop in and enjoy some fun facts there! Talk to the Park Rangers and ask them some questions.

If you can’t get to a national park today in person, visit one virtually online. Explore it virtually!

Whether you go in person or online, what might you discover?

“Learning never exhausts the mind,” ~Leonardo da Vinci

National Park Week

Published on April 15, 2022April 11, 2022 by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

It’s one of my favorite weeks all year! National Park Week starts tomorrow, April 16th, and goes through the 24th this year!

This year’s theme is “sPark Connections”. I love the play on the words Spark and Park here with this theme. Each day will present a new theme with the sPark and I’ll highlight them each day on this blog to celebrate this fun week!

Let’s all enjoy our amazing national parks!