Foundation for Dane County Parks Update

An Update from the Foundation for Dane County Parks

Dear Outdoor Enthusiast,

Dane County Parks are always in season, so I hope you’ve had a chance this spring to enjoy all our parks have to offer. We are very excited to share the completion of the Mendota County Park improvement project! Earlier this month, County Executive Melissa Agard joined the Foundation for Dane County Parks and others to celebrate this new chapter for one of our oldest Dane County Parks.

Improvements include a new accessible playground, timber park shelter, paved walking trail with benches and fitness nodes, stormwater facilities, rehabilitation of the basketball court, and replacement of the boat landing concrete ramp. This multi-million dollar project was made possible because of the generosity of Karen and Tom Ragatz and many others. We hope you can visit the park soon!

With summer just around the corner, Dane County Parks is gearing up for another season of summer camp. Thanks to donations to the Foundation, the Parks can provide scholarships and community center programming for children who would otherwise have limited access to nature and environmental education. Thank you to the Cap Times Kids Fund for their recent donation of accessibility equipment to help the Parks continue to make programming inclusive to kids of all abilities.

As always, please let me know if you would ever like to learn more about the Foundation and its impact in our beautiful Dane County Parks. It is an honor to work with all of you to support the largest (and I think best!) county park system in Wisconsin. Thank you for your steadfast support!

Sincerely,

Environmental Fun Fair

July 11, 2024, 9 AM - 12 PM

Join Dane County Parks for an Environmental Fun Fair located on the grounds of the Lussier Family Heritage Center facility. This FREE fun-filled afternoon will be full of hands-on activities centered around nature, recreation, and science like bird banding, tree climbing, camping demos, and more. This is an inclusive event appropriate for ALL ages and abilities!

"A park is not just a piece of land, it is a vibrant part of the community.”

Remembering William G. Lunney

William (Bill) G. Lunney was a visionary leader of the Dane County Parks Commission, lifelong champion for conservation, co-founder of the Foundation for Dane County Parks, and Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame inductee. Please join us in remembering Bill at an event celebrating his legacy September 15th. More details to come.

Adopt an Acre

The Adopt an Acre program restores our beloved Dane County Parks by converting farmland back to its native habitat. A $1,000 donation helps restore one acre, providing diverse wildlife habitat and additional outdoor recreational opportunities. Every donation to the Adopt an Acre program contributes to land restoration efforts, including prairie plantings, invasive species removal, tree plantings, prescribed burns, training for volunteers, restoration workdays, and more.

To support land restoration in Dane County Parks, you can send a check made payable to the Foundation for Dane County Parks to 5201 Fen Oak #208, Madison, WI 53718 or donate online.

Adopt an Acre to support land restoration

Support our beautiful Dane County Parks by donating today!

foundationfordanecountyparks.org