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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 199 | The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation's 25th Anniversary

By Jess Repanshek - December 4th, 2022
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Image of Blue Ridge Parkway

Across the National Park System, national parks fortunate enough to have friends groups helping them out have been leaning a little bit harder on those non-profit organizations than in the past. In some cases, a lot harder as federal funding has not kept up with the increase in park units, or the costs of maintaining and operating those parks. 

It seems the National Park Service can never get ahead of the costs of operating the park system. That’s where national park friends organizations come into play. They raise charitable dollars to help cover the costs of programs and initiatives that the parks wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has been doing this kind of work for 25 years. Today we’re going to take a look back at the foundation’s many successes along the Blue Ridge Parkway with Jordan Calaway, the foundation’s chief development officer.

Once you're done with listening to this podcast, check out Lynn Riddick's podcast with the director of the Blue Ridge Music Center. It's National Parks Traveler Episode 85.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
:56 Almost Home - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
1:10 Interior Federal Credit Union
1:33 Great Smoky Mountains Association
1:54 The Everglades Foundation
2:10 Kurt Repanshek discusses the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s 25th Anniversary with Jordan Calaway, the foundation's chief development officer.
13:30 Amaranth - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
13:45 National Parks Traveler Promo
13:57 Washington’s National Park Fund
14:29 Potrero Group
14:56 Friends of Acadia
15:25 The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s 25th Anniversary with Jordan Calaway continues
24:16 Black Woods - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
24:26 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
24:54 Yosemite Conservancy
25:16 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
25:41 The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s 25th Anniversary with Jordan Calaway continues
35:45 Escalante - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
36:09 Episode Closing
36:52 Orange Tree Productions
37:25 Splitbeard Productions
37:35 National Parks Traveler footer

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The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.