Deer Lake State Park [update - not closing]

[katie blue]

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

That's truly just about the best news I could imagine hearing. Thank you, sea angels, wherever you are!!!

 

[hi n dry]

Alert: Deer Lake status still not finalized: meeting today

Volunteer program at Deer Lake State Park to be discussed

A meeting to discuss starting a volunteer program at Deer Lake State Park will be held March 18, 5-5:45 p.m., at the South Walton Fire Department Community Room (near Publix on Hwy. 395)...

Forestry Department representatives will be at the meeting to discuss how volunteers can support the current and future needs at Deer Lake State Park.

For additional information,
please contact Beverly Kraska at 850-231-3305 or bkraska@gmail. com

NOTICE: Deer Lake meeting scheduled for today is still on.

Although the governor has said he wants the park to stay open the legislature still has to vote.

Hope to see you at the meeting

 

[hi n dry]

Alert: Fate of Deer Lake not finalized

NOTICE: Deer Lake meeting scheduled for today is still on.

Although the governor has said he wants the park to stay open the legislature still has to vote.

A meeting to discuss Deer Lake State Park will be held March 18, 5-5:45 p.m., at the South Walton Fire Department Community Room (near Publix on Hwy. 395)...

Forestry Department representatives will be at the meeting to discuss how volunteers can support the current and future needs at Deer Lake State Park.

For additional information,
please contact Beverly Kraska at 850-231-3305 or bkraska@gmail.com

Hope to see you at the meeting

 

[Kurt]

Deer Lake supporters rally, consider forming nonprofit | state, lake, deer - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

SANTA ROSA BEACH - Talk about the possible closure of Deer Lake State Park as part of the state's budget-cutting efforts has been a catalyst for a community volunteer effort.
About 45 people attended a meeting last week led by the staff from the state Division of Parks and Recreation.
Those who attended also talked about possibly forming a nonprofit organization such as the Friends of Grayton Beach that would allow for fund raising.
Dale Schnedler, park manager for both Grayton Beach and Deer Lake state parks, said they talked about the history of Deer Lake and the volunteer opportunities available.
Deer Lake is among more than a dozen state parks that could be closed temporarily starting July 1 to help ease the state's financial crunch.
But "to the best of our knowledge, Deer Lake will be there tomorrow, next week and the week after that," Schnedler said. "We have no direction that the park's closing, and if it does, we have no direction about what we're going to do ... . We're just moving forward optimistically."
According to state figures, 5,370 people visited Deer Lake in fiscal 2007-08, and its operating budget was $45,479. Those figures were disputed at a County Commission meeting last month, and the commissioners agreed to consider taking over management of the park.
Beverly Kraska, who organized Wednesday's meeting, said the volunteer program "really has nothing to do with keeping the park open or closed" and that the state's announcement "raised everyone's level of awareness and involvement."
If a volunteer program is started, residents would help with tasks such as clearing out invasive species, maintaining and developing trails, and counting various species of plants and wildlife.
Talks at Wednesday's meeting also included the possibility of forming a CSO, or Citizen Support Organization, that would allow members to raise money.
According to the state parks Web site, Welcome to the Official Florida Online Parks Guide, more than 80 CSOs have been formed in Florida to support parks. They include ones at Henderson Beach, Topsail, Eden Gardens and Helen McCall, Schnedler said.
Kraska said a smaller group will meet later to discuss forming a chapter and writing bylaws.