Friends of Crater Lake

Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
November 18, 2001
By LEE JUILLERAT

The Friends of Crater Lake, a group formed to assist with programs at Crater Lake National Park, is taking an active role in the park's upcoming centennial celebrating 100 years as a national park.

Glen Kaye, a retired National Park Service ranger who has been coordinating the Friend's efforts, said the group has focused on four major projects: a Crater Lake history book, a public television program about the founding of the park, a play about William Steel, and an Artists in the Park program.

"We all recognized the opportunity to help cultivate understanding and appreciation for the values the park has, not just in local communities but nationally, too. After all it is a national resource," said Kaye.

"We recognized there must be substance to the efforts and they should have lasting value. Hence the nature of the projects the Friends committed to. Each of these, we think, will enrich the meaning of the park in American life."

Details about the various projects include:

Crater Lake history book

Rick Harmon of Portland, a professional historian and former editor of the Oregon Historical Quarterly, has written a 91,000-word manuscript of a definitive park history.

The 288-page book, from the Oregon State University Press, will have about 100 historical black-and-white images. It is expected to be published next March.

The Friends received a grant from the Arthur Family and the Chiles Foundation of Portland.

"Given the depth of the historical treatment, the publication should have a useful life measured in decades," said Kaye.

For information contact Mary Braun, Oregon State University Press acquisitions editor, 101 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-6407; (541) 737-3873; e-mail mary.braun@orst.edu.

 
Public Television Program, "The Mirror of Heaven"

The Mazamas of Portland, the outdoor club linked to the park's founding, donated $7,000 to develop an hour-long public television program on the history of the park.

A text for the 58-minute program, "The Mirror of Heaven," has been written by John Darling of Ashland. Greg Frederick, producer for KSYS public television of Medford, has developed a shooting plan of both field work and historical images. He continues to gather field footage from the park ancillary to other KSYS work.

Another $53,000 is needed to conduct further field shooting and studio work. Kaye said the program is seen as, "The most effective tool to communicate the history and values of the park to the American public, with the potential to reach an audience measuring in the tens of millions."

The program will be shown on public television stations throughout the state, be offered to other public television stations and be available to the History and National Geographic channels.

For information contact Greg Frederick, Southern Oregon Public Television, 34 S. Fir St., Medford, OR 97501, (800) 888-1847; e-mail at greg_frederick@ksys.pbs.org.

Will Steel Drama

Don LaPlant, a doctoral candidate at the University of Oregon's theater department, researched and wrote a one-person, one-act play of a character portraying William Gladstone Steel, know as "The Father of Crater Lake National Park."

The 45-minute program can presented in shorter performances. Through the performance, Steel recounts his life's struggle to see Crater Lake preserved and muses aloud about its wonders. Because the performance requires a minimum of props, it will be presented to schools, organizations and institutions. The park staff intends to hire a professional actor.

For information contact Marsha McCabe, Crater Lake National Park chief naturalist, Crater Lake, OR 97604; (541) 594-2211, extension 401; e-mail marsha_mccabe@nps.gov.

Artists in the Parks

Recognizing the historical influence of artists in shaping public perceptions of nature, the Friends, park staff and Schneider Museum of Contemporary Art in Ashland collaborated to develop an artist in residence program.

After advertising in national and regional art publications, a committee of six reviewed proposals and selected 49 artists from across the United States to participate in a program at the park. During a 13-month period the artists, including photographers, pastelists, oil painters, abstract painters and sculptors, were provided park housing for up to two weeks.

The Schneider staff is reviewing images of their works and making selections for a special exhibition at the museum from June 28 to Oct. 5, 2002.

For information contact Mary Gardiner, Coordinator of Public Programs, Schneider Museum of Art, Southern Oregon State University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520-5045, (541) 552-6246, e-mail at gardiner@sou.edu.

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‘The Friends of Crater Lake'

The Friends of Crater Lake is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to cooperate with the National Park Service in programs at Crater Lake National Park.

Cooperative projects include working with the park staff in completing special projects and taking the lead in fund-raising for special projects, such as the park's 2002 Centennial.

Over the years, Friends have volunteered as fire lookouts, built trails, held field seminars and operated a winter information desk.

Membership benefits include twice yearly newsletters, participation in park volunteer programs, discounts on items sold by the Crater Lake Natural History Association, and discounts on Friends course and seminars. Annual membership rates are $25 for individuals, $35 for families, $15 for seniors age 55 or older or students, $25 for senior couples.

For information write Friends of Crater Lake National Park, P.O. Box 88, Crater Lake, OR 97604; visit their Web site at www.nps.gov/crla/foclnp.htm.; or call Greg or Bev Hartell at 882-1134 or George or Judy Buckingham at 783-3136