Celebrating National Park Week & How to Support

For one week each April, the National Park Service celebrates National Park Week where entrance fees are waived and preservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Parks are highlighted. My interest for traveling to Parks wasn’t piqued until I began working at my current job, where our artwork & products of the National Parks are all over gift shops and visitor centers across the country. I took a childhood field trip to the Everglades and Mammoth Cave and would often visit the Smokies, but that was it. My boss frequently made trips simply because he loves the Great Outdoors and wanted to start a collection of the National Parks… and the rest is history. I managed to create a portion of my job where I travel to Parks as well to create content and showcase our products “in the wild.”

It’s taken me to California (Channel Islands, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Yosemite), South Dakota (Badlands and Wind Cave), and Maine (Acadia). On personal time, I’ve ventured to the Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone. I’m excited to add to that roster coming in June where I’ll be heading to northern California and Oregon to Lassen Volcanic, Redwood, and Crater Lake!

I’ve had so many incredible, magical moments connecting to nature in these places and appreciating its rich history. Often in quiet moments, feeling very small and overwhelmed, but still feeling the energy of the land surrounding me. I’ve learned how important it is to honor that history by protecting and preserving it in various ways. I’ve mentioned in my South Dakota blog about the Lakota Emergence Story we were told in Wind Cave National Park (please take a moment to read!). Or, by purchasing products that go toward keeping our National Parks clean and meeting their most important needs. Here are a few businesses I support and encourage you to support as well:

And a few of my favorite views. How lucky are we to visit these?

"There is nothing so American as our national parks.... The fundamental idea behind the parks... is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us."

-President Franklin D. Roosevelt