The National Park Service isn’t the only entity marking its 100th anniversary next year. With Acadia National Park’s own 2016 centennial fast approaching, Friends of Acadia is busy coordinating a year-long grassroots celebration involving more than 200 community partners, each honoring their own special relationship with the park.

From area chambers of commerce, school organizations, museums, and local businesses, businesses and organizations are all working together to both celebrate the park’s first 100 years and ensure its integrity through the next century. It’s no easy task, and getting every visitor to Acadia to appreciate not only the park’s beauty but its needs is critical.

Through the many centennial events and commemorative products, Friends of Acadia hopes every visitor to Acadia will take part and deepen their own relationship with Acadia—to be a more committed and inspired part of Acadia’s protection for the future.

Along with getting ready for both the park’s and the Park Service’s centennials, at Friends of Acadia the staff is constantly building on essential programs to preserve and protect Acadia continue. The friends group's final event of 2015 is Take Pride in Acadia Day this coming Saturday, November 7. After that, Friends of Acadia will begin gearing up their volunteers for winter grooming of Acadia’s historic carriage roads for cross-country skiing, planning for next spring’s hiring of interns and volunteer leaders to provide a margin of excellence for the park, and seeking support from members and all who love Acadia for the Friends of Acadia Annual Fund. Through that fund, Friends of Acadia is able to remain a strong and nimble partner, ready to meet the park’s most pressing needs