Student raising awareness ahead of Love Your State Parks Day

Across Alabama, state parks are being threatened.

Many are in danger of limiting hours of operation, services or closing their gates altogether because their funding is being reallocated. To Westminster senior Maddie Hoaglund, this is unacceptable and heartbreaking. 

“State parks play a vital role in communities both to citizens and the wildlife they protect,” she said.

As part of her work toward her Girl Scout Gold Award, Hoaglund is planning an event to raise awareness for this issue.

Love Your State Parks Day will take place Sept. 24 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Oak Mountain State Park. Hoaglund hopes to celebrate and support the state parks and educate the community about an upcoming vote in November, which will potentially protect state parks’ funding in the future. 

“I want to educate the community about the importance of state parks as well as the upcoming vote, and through this celebration, hopefully people will get out and vote,” Hoaglund said.

Volunteer groups will come together to help make improvements to the park during the event. Hoaglund plans to have them work on the park’s demonstration farm by painting the barn and repairing the fence.

She has currently recruited Girl Scout troops, Boy Scout troops, Teen Republicans and various groups to come out, but she is still looking for other volunteers and people to donate supplies. 

For more information or to sign up to volunteer or donate supplies, contact Maddie Hoaglund at maddiehoaglund@gmail.com.