Goals
Education
FOGG is continually exploring new avenues to ensure we provide an exciting education opportunity for students of all ages. Our volunteers are often the first person to greet visitors to the Garden of the Gods at the Visitor and Nature center. We strive to educate them, and our community, about the history, care and preservation of our wonderful city park. Youth are our big focus. Our goals is to increase these grants to 1000 in the 2011-2012 school year. We will also provide preschool and scouting programs.
Members
Having a growing membership is critical to having a successful organization. With that in mind, our goal is to grow our FOGG membership by 10% per year. We hope to achieve this by providing the resources and activities that members find interesting and exciting. We strive to ensure that the activities of FOGG meet the expectations of our membership. Additionally we are looking for an increased level of volunteers, especially in the Parks Plus youth education program, to support the education initiatives of FOGG.
Trails
Much labor is spent on maintaining and building trails and preserving our Park’s beauty. As our attendance grows, so does the need for additional support in this area. We have worked to increase the visibility of FOGG in the community by undertaking joint projects with other nonprofits which are focused on the Garden. As a result, we have helped repair an illegal/ extreme bike trail, have worked on a joint reclamation project in the central Garden, and have repaired trails. We clean two miles of 30th Street monthly to assure the approaches to the park are presentable for visitors. We plan to enhance these efforts and increase their effectiveness.
Accomplishments
Education
- Provided over $20,000 in funding for our Parks Plus youth education program.
- Over 4200 school children attended our Parks Plus youth education program during the past school year.
- Paid tuition and transportation for 727 Title 1 students through our grant program.
- Volunteer-supported Parks Plus program, nature walks, tour bus guides, and lectures in the Visitor and .Nature Center.
- Provided funding for “Earth Day” and “Big Horn Sheep Day” celebrations.
- Funded Preschool and Scouting programs.
- Provided funds for “Earth Day” staffing, city staff coverage during summer months, and city staff coverage for the Program Coordinator.
- Volunteers staffed the information desk at the Visitor and Nature Center, greeting and informing hundreds of thousands of park visitors.
Fundraising
- Received grant from the Osborne Trust to fund west side student attendance at “Parks Plus” education program.
- Accepted as a participating nonprofit in the Colorado Springs Independent’s 2010 Give! fundraising campaign. Raised over $15,000.
Membership
- Provided lunch to members after the “Audubon Christmas Bird Count”.
- Published the FOGGhorn Newsletter for members.
- Presented social and informational events for FOGG members.
Trails
- Donated $5,000 to the Rocky Mountain Field Institute for continued trail rehabilitation.
- Coordinated monthly volunteer teams for cleanup efforts along 30th Street
- Led trail cleanup activities on “Earth Day”.
- Worked with the City of Colorado Springs to find ways to help improve and maintain trails in the Garden of the Gods Park.
- Organized and led trail reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts within the Garden: click here
Organizational Interface
- Increased coordination with Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOSC), Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI), Rock Ledge Ranch Living History Association and other agencies who also support the Garden of the Gods Park.
- Worked closely with the Garden of the Gods Foundation to preserve and protect the Garden of the Gods Park.
- Coordinated and cooperated with the City of Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation department to provide services they were unable to fund.
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