Benefactors of Red Rock State Park

Due to lack of funds from the State of AZ, Red Rock State Park was to be closed June 3, 2010.

The Benefactors simply could not allow this to happen and decided to try to raise the funds necessary to keep the Park open until June 30, 2011 ($160,000). By that time hopefully permanent funding sources for AZ State Parks will have been found. With support from Yavapai County, a fund-raising event at the Park, and contributions from many individual donors, the Benefactors raised in less than three months the funds needed ($50,000) to keep the Park open through December 31, 2010. The Park thus could retain its four AZ State Parks staff and continue to offer its educational programs. Since then, the Benefactors were awarded $15,000 from the City of Sedona and $7,500 from the Sedona30 Foundation, and have received many donations towards the total of $110,000 needed to extend the open time to June 30, 2011. But we still need your financial support to reach that goal. Can you help? Please make a donation.

NBC Nightly Evening News came to Red Rock State Park on April 28 to film a report on the plight of State Parks in this time of financial crisis for many states. They chose two AZ State Parks, Red Rock and Homolovi, for the project. The Benefactors advised them to film a class of school kids on their field trip to the Park’s Connection School Program, record the Benefactors’ fundraising efforts in front of the Sedona New Frontiers Natural Foods store, and document the Moonlight Hike scheduled for that day. April 28 also was the day of the big decision by the Benefactors and Yavapai County to commit $50,000 for keeping the Park open through Dec. 31, 2010, with an extension option to June 30, 2011. There thus was a meeting at the Park that day with State Parks Director Renee Bahl (also appearing in the news clip), Asst. Director Jay Ream, Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis and his team, Sedona Mayor Rob Adams and Benefactors Board members Birgit Loewenstein, Claudine Mohney and Brenda Robinson. An eventful day – to win reprieve for the Park and to have the attention of a national news channel! Watch the news clip at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#37541223

Connection School Program Ran at Full Capacity in April and May
Despite the skeleton staffing of only four, the Park was able to offer its Connection School Program during the spring months of April and May this year because the Benefactors provided the salary for part-time ranger Donna Cavedon to co-ordinate the program. In just these two months, a record 1161 students from 29 schools participated in the hands-on field classes in environmental subjects and Volunteers logged over 300 hours teaching the classes – many thank-you cards were received from the grateful students. This program is one of the main reasons the Benefactors strive to keep the Park open: nowhere else in North Arizona can schools send their kids to for an educational experience of this kind! Kids even come from California for this program!

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Day-in-the-Park Fundraiser was Huge Success!

Day-in-the-Park visitors gather on the Visitor Center's roof top for a guided nature hike.

The Benefactors thank all those volunteers who made the April 17 fund-raising event A Day in the Park such a success! Over 500 people came that day to enjoy the talks and the guided tours, the presentations on owls and bats, the so appropriate songs delivered by Hank Levine at the Visitor Center Ramada, the Silent-Auction and Raffle displays, the Park Manager’s Special lunch at the Twin Cypress Ramada with delightful music and harmonies by Wendy, Pam and Sarah! The Benefactors raised about $15,000 that day!! Many businesses, Benefactors, Volunteers and other individuals donated items to the auction and raffle. With their help and that of those who bought at the auction and raffle, or made a donation, we took a long step towards keeping the Park open! Our special thanks to the New Frontiers Natural Foods store in Sedona for donation of natural beef and vegetarian burgers for the Park Manager’s Special lunch.

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How Can You Help Now?

Ongoing: The Magazine Arizona Highways will donate $5 for each $24 subscription to the magazine for the State Park of your choice! Please consider gift subscriptions to your family and friends and designate Red Rock State Park as your choice!

The long-term solution is permanent funding by the State of Arizona – funding that is voter-protected. The legislature in this session has failed to pass a bill that would achieve that. The only bill, HB2599, that would have provided protected funding and that would have required that voters approve it, was killed by Rep John Kavanagh, chairman of the Appropriations committee, by not putting it on the Committee’s agenda.

HB2464, which would have devastated AZ State Parks by forcing the agency to lease its most profitable state Park, Lake Havasu State Park, to the city of Havasu for $50,000 annually for 25 years, when the expected net revenue for that Park is $400,000 to $500,000, was finally killed in the Senate on April 28, even after numerous amendments still on 4-27. A big Thank You to everyone who called their Senator to vote against this bill. And please thank Senator Steven Pierce for having voted against it!

November Ballot Question
In November, voters will be asked to approve Governor Brewer’s request to sweep all $100 Million from the Land Conservation Fund into the State’s General Fund. The Land Conservation (or Smart Growth) Fund was established for purchasing State Trust Land for conservation purposes. And although the fund itself could not be used for State Parks operations, the interest of the fund, about $1 million, could, and it had been a significant source of revenue for State Parks. This $1 million had been swept by the state in 2010. Elimination of the Fund altogether, and thereby of the interest, by sweeping it into the State’s General Fund, will further cripple State Parks. Please remember to vote AGAINST this sweep and elimination of the Fund during the November election. In the meantime share with your neighbors and friends how a YES vote on this ballot question would negatively impact State Parks.

For future legislative sessions, establish an account that allows you to directly sign in on bills that are up in Committee! Ask Sandy Bahr to set up an account for you. Just email her a user name and a password that you would like to use with the request to set up an account for you: sandybahr@sierraclub.org

Immediately:The Benefactors have applied to Coconino County for $20,000 in aid to help keep the Park open. Please email Supervisor Matt Ryan, District 3, to let him know the Park means a lot to you and that it is important for the City that it remains open. Mention also that a lot of school children from Flagstaff come to participate in the Park’s school program. Thank you!

Welcome to the Benefactors of Red Rock State Park

THE BENEFACTORS OF RED ROCK STATE PARKis a private charitable organization formed to provide financial and other support to Red Rock State Park. It is independent of, but coordinates closely with, the Park.

RED ROCK STATE PARK, located in Sedona, Arizona is unique in its emphasis on environmental education for children and adults. It also provides visitors with a variety of red rock experiences and acts to protect and conserve a unique riparian habitat.

THE BENEFACTORS PORTAL (under construction) leads to a selected compilation of scientific writings with special emphasis on Sedona area flora, fauna, archeology, and geology, combined with analysis of global trends which may be affecting our environment.