Hello Friends-
I enjoyed working with some CoStar and Data Company One volunteers this weekend on Belle Isle. Together we picked up and scanned more than 1,700 pieces of trash that were left on the ground around the island, and I am sure we didn’t get all of it. About 20 of us worked for two hours to try and undo some of the damage done by less careful Park users throughout the week. We filled more than 30 bags of trash and removed many bulky items. It was hundreds of pounds and the result of the carelessness of a few hundred people.
I have so many questions after a cleanup event like this. The most perplexing of which is how does a Twisted Tea or Modelo can get so heavy once it is emptied that it is easiest to just drop it on the ground? Or, Why do people seek out a place like Belle Isle, only to make it worse than it was when they got there? Presumably, they went there to enjoy the natural setting, so what purpose does it serve to disturb that natural setting by tossing a Flaming Hot Cheeto bag on the ground?
I concede that not everyone has the same ethics around our shared public spaces as I do. That is why our work at FOJRP is so important. The JRPS is a unique place that draws in millions of people each year. Even the most careful of those people make an impact. The job of being a steward of the Park is mitigating and managing those impacts, and we exist to help the City of Richmond do just that.
The James River Park System needs your help, in the form of funding and volunteer time. That is the only way we get anything done. It is a little tough to calculate an exact number, but right now the City’s budget for the JRPS is in the ballpark of $3 per Richmond household, which is a lot for a Richmond City Park. Part of the problem is that only about one-third of JRPS users come from the City of Richmond. Another third comes from the surrounding counties, and the last third comes from outside of Richmond altogether. All of that means we as individuals have to decide to do more than our share if the Park is going to thrive.
Friends of the James River Park is designed to be a convenient conduit for Park lovers to put their resources to work. I spend a good chunk of my time coming up with new ways for people to get involved in our work, and right now there are several great ways to support the Park.
You can:
Purchase a ticket to our annual fundraising event, Camera to Canvas-https://event.gives/
Made a one time donation or become an annual support member-https://jamesriverpark.
Buy a T-shirt-https://www.bonfire.
Get your JRPS license plate- https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/
Purchase a memorial bench or kiosk- https://jamesriverpark.org/
Make a non-cash gift of stocks or securities- contact josh@jamesriverpark.org
Talk to us about planned giving- contact josh@jamesriverpark.org
Organize a volunteer cleanup with us-https://jamesriverpark.org/
Whether you are donating your time or your money, we need more people to help, and every little bit counts. I am asking you to think about what the Park is worth to you and help us make a difference today.
Thank you, and see you in the Park!
-Josh
