Crater
Lake license plates raise more than money
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
January 27, 2004
By LEE JUILLERAT
CRATER LAKE - License plates featuring Crater Lake are doing
more than raising money. They're also raising awareness about
Crater Lake National Park as a tourist destination.
"These plates are driving all across the country. They're
marketing the park, promoting Klamath County," says Michael
Justin, the park's management specialist and, until recently,
long-time member of the Oregon Tourism Commission.
Special Crater Lake license plates, issued in conjunction with
the park's centennial, have been available to Oregon motorists
since September 2002. So far, Justin estimates that more than
60,000 plates have been sold, or about 3,700 a month.
After expenses, including the repayment of a $150,000 loan to
Klamath County, which supplied the money to develop the plates,
the park has received about $750,000.
Some of the money has been used to help develop a new park
video, "The Mirror of Heaven," by Southern Oregon Public
Television that will debut this spring.
Most is being used for an endowment fund for the future
operation and maintenance of the Crater Lake Science and
Learning Center. Construction on the $1.7 million center, which
will be used by teachers, students and researchers, will begin
this summer.
Justin said it's hoped the endowment can eventually grow to $3
million to $4 million, from the sale of license plates and other
donations, to ensure the center's ongoing operation.
Justin and park superintendent Chuck Lundy are coordinating
plans to assure that sale of the plates, the most popular
speciality plate in Oregon history, continue.
"It is without a doubt the strongest selling license plate,"
Lundy said. "Our purpose is to continue to raise awareness about
the availability of the plates and awareness on where that money
will go. We're trying to hit all of the areas in Oregon."
Park staff have worked with automotive dealerships so that
purchasers of new vehicles are informed about the special Crater
Lake license plates, and told how the money is used, when sales
are finalized.
The National Park Service Foundation has an ongoing working
relationship with Ford while Crater Lake staff have developed
ties with Lithia Motors, which has car dealerships throughout
Oregon, including Klamath Falls. Karen Deboer, the wife of
Lithia owner Sid Deboer, is a member of the newly formed Crater
Lake Trust, which is working to develop long-range financial
programs to benefit the park.
The Crater Lake licenses cost a one-time fee of $20, with about
$17.50 from each plate going to the park. The state is also
selling blank Crater Lake speciality plates for people who live
out of Oregon.
Last summer, members of the Friends of Crater Lake sold and
provided information about the Crater Lake plates at the Rim
Village Community House.
"We're interested in making sure the program stays viable,"
Justin said. "There are up to 3 million vehicles in the state
that could display Crater Lake licenses, so we're working on
marketing and stressing the benefits."
There is no "sunset" date for ending sales of the Crater Lake
plates, which will remain available for purchase as long as
demand exists.
Justin's term on the Oregon Tourism Commission recently ended
but he remains active in national tourism organizations. Beyond
raising money for the park, he says the plates promote the park
and, indirectly, Klamath County, the "Gateway to Crater Lake,"
when they are seen around the state and nation.
"The Crater Lake license plate program is probably one of the
best tourism devices we have," Justin said. "It's a great
program for Crater Lake and for our region."
Related Crater Lake News Stories
County repaid for Crater Lake license loan -
January 07, 2003
Crater Lake license plate
available in Oregon
-
August 25, 2002
Long lines expected for new
license plates
-
August 23, 2002
Crater Lake license plate unveiled
- July 31, 2002
New plates would celebrate Crater
Lake -
March 05, 2001
