Celebrate Earth Day 2023
The first Earth Day occurred on April 22, 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson and Congressman Pete McClosky worked with activist Dennis Hayes to organize college campus teach-ins to raise the public consciousness around air and water pollution. It soon went beyond college campuses to inspire over 20 million Americans to march in the streets and parks, and rally to demonstrate against the unregulated impacts of industrialization on our environment. Over the many decades since the 1970’s, Earth Day has become a global day of awakening to not only acknowledge human environmental impacts, but also to leverage the collective power to change human behavior, volunteer within our communities to impact our local environment, and to advocate for environmental policy changes. Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park proudly lives the ideals of Earth Day through our mission to support Lake Sammamish State Park.
In 2013 the Friends group came together to make a difference in our local state park by providing a supportive group of volunteers advocating for the park’s restoration and bringing people to the park with improved infrastructure. Ten years later we are still advocating for Lake Sammamish State Park and working with our local community to showcase the park’s natural habitat, wildlife and birds, and to highlight the opportunities the park provides for human health and wellness through activities and events. FLSSP’s work and partnership with our community embraces the ideals of Earth Day and supports the fundamental need for urban wildlife habitat and sustainable use of our natural environment.
Earth Day 2023 will take place on Saturday, April 22nd. This year’s theme, Invest in our Planet, is quite fitting as FLSSP continues to work to improve partnerships, create dynamic programs directly impacting our local environment, communicate the benefits of our urban wildlife refuge, and build investment here in our own community – Lake Sammamish State Park. We ask you to join us this Earth Day and throughout the year as we build this investment.
In 2023 FLSSP is actively seeking to build its Park Improvement Fund to create a fund sufficient to meet the growing need for park maintenance, operating expenses, and allow Lake Sammamish State Park to flourish. This year we are specifically looking to create a fund that will continue to maintain FLSSP’s first major investment – the all accessible playground at Sunset Beach. Every few years the rubber surface of the playground needs to be resurfaced at a cost upwards of $10,000. Beyond the playground maintenance needs, Lake Sammamish State Park will be focused on restoration efforts including replacement of aging shade trees, trail maintenance needs, and improving ADA accessibility to trails. This work needs support from our community and we are asking you to join us by generously donating to the FLSSP Park Improvement Fund.
The dollars you donate to FLSSP will be smartly re-invested right here at your community state park, so please consider living the Earth Day theme this year by investing in your planet and FLSSP’s Park Improvement Fund.
Beyond your dollars, please consider investing a moment of your time in 2023 by joining us throughout the year for our restoration work events with FLSSP and FLSSP partners, attending a FLSSP sponsored history or cultural walk at Lake Sammamish State Park, or volunteering at a FLSSP event. Please visit our FLSSP events page for more information.
If you are interested in learning more about FLSSP and our work please come visit the FLSSP booth at the City of Sammamish Earth Day Event, Saturday, April 22nd from 11 am – 2 pm at the Beaver Lake Lodge. We would love to see you there!