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Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Receives 2017 Active Trails Grant from the National Park Foundation
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Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Receives 2017 Active
Trails Grant from the National Park Foundation
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Washington, DC – June 2017 / Newsmaker Alert / Trail of Tears National Historic Trail is one of 21 national parks selected to receive a 2017 Active Trails grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The grant funding will be used to support the Remember the Removal bicycle ride by Cherokee Nation members as they retrace a portion of the Trail of Tears across seven states and approximately 950 miles to commemorate the forced removal of the Cherokees from their homeland during the winter of 1838-39. The ride provides an educational opportunity for the riders to be introduced to the trail, learn more about their heritage, explore ancestral homelands and learn about themselves as they complete this multi-day ride. The ride began on June 4 in New Echota, Georgia, and will finish in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on June 22. For more details on the ride, please visit: www.cherokee.org/remembertheremoval. To learn more about the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, please visit: www.nps.gov/trte.
 
Now entering its ninth successful year, the multi-faceted Active Trails program enriches national parks; strengthens relationships between parks, community members and organizations; and supports individual growth and well-being.
 
Since 2008, the National Park Foundation has granted nearly $3.8 million through its Active Trails program. As of early 2016, Active Trails has engaged more than 15,000 volunteers and nearly 900 project partners.
 
“National parks offer great spaces to build community. Whether it is admiring a dark night sky, walking in the footsteps of your ancestors, or taking part in a fun outdoor challenge, our Active Trails grants make it possible for people from all backgrounds to engage in activities that bring us together in national parks,” said Susan Newton, senior vice president of grants & programs at the National Park Foundation.
 
“As the National Park Service enters its second century of service, connecting more people to parks, trails, and heritage areas builds on the success of our centennial and prepares us for the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System in 2018,” said Rita Hennessy, the National Park Service National Trails System program manager. “These grants will encourage new generations of visitors to build their own connections to America’s remarkable places, where they can be active and inspired.”
 
The entire list of the 2017 Active Trails recipients can be found here.
 
The Active Trails projects are great examples of the countless ways there are to #FindYourPark. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people from all backgrounds to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. #FindYourPark invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
 
The National Park Foundation wishes to thank The Coca-Cola Company and The Coca-Cola Foundation for their generous support of the Active Trails program.

About The National Park Service
More than 25,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.NPS.gov, on Facebook Facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter Twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube YouTube.com/nationalparkservice.
 
About The National Park Foundation
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

Media Contacts:
National Trails Intermountain Region
Aaron Mahr, 505-988-6098
National Park Foundation
Alanna Sobel, 202-796-2538
 

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Publishing Dates: 06/15/17 – 08/15/17
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