By Cookie Horner, Friends of Acadia Board Member and 2017 Membership Campaign Chair

In these times of profound change on many fronts, isn’t it wonderful that we can depend on places like Acadia National Park for comfort, renewal, and inspiration? I feel so lucky that I can hike in Acadia every day, to get in touch with what is good in the world and in myself—such as a recent hike when my husband and I watched buffleheads, eiders, and hooded mergansers feeding in the surf off of the Ocean Path on a brilliant winter day.

In my seven-decade relationship with Acadia, I have seen many changes in the wider world but Acadia has been a constant for me. Much of the park’s stability is due to Friends of Acadia—a reliable, creative partner that not only helps in moments of change and stress but is constantly working to make Acadia stronger, more resilient, and ready to face the next challenge. I well remember the condition of the carriage roads—growing in with weeds and damaged by ruts—before Friends of Acadia helped raise funds to restore them and established an endowment and a dedicated volunteer corps to maintain them. Your membership in FOA affirms that you, too, understand how important this organization is for protecting Acadia’s future.

Through the years, Friends of Acadia has rallied its members to add their voices and contribute their resources to protect Acadia. When there was a need for fare-free public transportation in and around Acadia … when development threatened Acadia Mountain and the Schoodic Peninsula… when the Maine Legislature considered permitting open carry of firearms in the park … Friends of Acadia stepped forward and worked with partners to ensure a favorable outcome.

Underfunding for Acadia and other national parks continues to be high on our list of concerns. As a non-partisan advocate for Acadia, Friends of Acadia addresses this issue with each Congress and administration. In fact, Friends of Acadia is one of the most active park friends groups in the nation. Our membership has increased nearly one-third in the past three years, and it is essential that we continue this healthy rate of growth. The greater the number of people we represent, the stronger our voice as advocates for Acadia. That is why new and renewed memberships are critically important at this time.

Please help us by joining as a new member or making a membership renewal gift today, keeping in mind that membership at every level supports Friends of Acadia at a time when it is needed perhaps more than ever. To make your gift, please visit the Friends of Acadia website. Thank you for doing your part for Friends of Acadia and for Acadia National Park.

Help Us Strengthen Acadia, One Member at a Time from Friends of Acadia on Vimeo.