Five Ways to Celebrate National Park Week
National Park Week: April 20-28, 2024.
This is a time to celebrate and experience our National Parks, these great American treasures. Pendleton’s connection to America’s national parks dates back to 1916, when we were commissioned by the president of the Great Northern Railroad to create the first National Park Blanket in Glacier Stripe. That same year, the National Park Service was founded to preserve and protect America’s parks.
We understand that the parks are as important to our customers as they are to us. In 2023, our customers helped raise over 82K in support of the National Park Service. Since 2006, Pendleton and its partners have donated $1,595,365.49 to support the National Park Foundation’s mission to preserve and protect our national parks for future generations. We want to thank all of you for making a difference with your purchases.
Making a difference
Each year, the parks are celebrated in April, this year from 4/20 through 4/28. Admittance fees are waived at many parks that first weekend, and it’s a wonderful time to get out there. We would love it if you packed up your Pendleton National park blanket to a park, and used it for a picnic, a rest after a hike, or simply to keep warm as you enjoy the sunrise or sunset. There is really something special about taking a blanket home to its park, isn’t there?
We’d like to offer a few more ways to celebrate this week.
Visit a lesser-known National Park: The most-visited of all our parks is Great Smoky National Park, in part because it is traversed by a major highway. But with 429 parks and monuments over all 50 states, you have so many to choose from! Read about some less-visited but truly amazing parks here: https://dailypassport.com/underrated-us-national-parks/
Volunteer at a National Park: In the week preceding National Park week, from Sunday 4/14 to Saturday 4/20, the NPS recognizes the tireless efforts of volunteers, as well as offering opportunities for you to pitch in. You can learn about ways to help here; Volunteering in National Parks and read the inspiring stories of people who make a difference here: Park Service Volunteers and here: The Next (And Next) Generation of Park Stewards (nationalparks.org)
Act local: If a trip to a national park isn’t on your April calendar, you can make a difference by supporting Park-Friendly Policies. Learn about and advocate for policies that support national parks. This can be through signing petitions, attending town hall meetings, or educating others about the importance of preserving natural spaces.
Make a direct donation: This page tells you more about National Park Week, with a convenient link to donate to the National Park Service directly, to help them in their mission to preserve and protect America’s treasures: https://www.nationalparks.org/theme/national-park-week
Celebrate Earth Day, April 22nd: National Park Week is usually timed to include Earth Day. According to the NPS website, “The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, and drew an estimated 20 million participants…Today, Earth Day is celebrated in 174 countries by over a half billion people, making it the most celebrated secular holiday in the world, a day on which people get outdoors, plant trees, clean up trash and lobby for the environment."
Remember, our national parks belong to us, and we can all make an impact in their preservation and protection. Let’s go the wilderness! And don’t forget to tag @nationalparkfoundation and @pendletonwm when you go.
More information
Help support your National Parks with Pendleton: National Park and Pendleton
