April 17th, 2010

Established in 1986, Friends of the Park is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to providing support for Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, the oldest and largest historical park in our national park system. The Park was established in 1890 through the joint efforts of Union and Confederate veterans of the Civil War, who came together in peace and reconciliation only 25 years after they clashed on the battlefields of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. The Friends goals are to:

• Serve as advocates for the Park, promoting public care of its valuable resources and its protection from encroachment and misuse.
• Serve as a community liaison group and as a coordinating agent for projects that promote and support the Park and its founding ideals.
• Cooperate with the Park to implement programs and activities that educate the community about its mission and value to our community and to all Americans.
• Establish and build a permanent source of funds to be used for worthy projects at the Park.

Members support the Park through annual donations at graduated levels. Membership is tax deductible and acknowledged according to federal law. A newsletter and the Friends' web site offer information and give advance notice of Friends' activities and scheduled Park programs and events.

Friends of Chickamauga & Chattanooga was one of the first groups formed in the nation to support a national military park. The Friends are recognized as a national model for raising $3.6 million and for producing the year-long celebration of the Park's 100th anniversary in 1989-90.

A vigorous, committed, and active membership assures continued volunteer support for the preservation and protection of the cherished historic legacy and natural beauty of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga areas. Please join today and help support our historic battleground.

Visit the Friends at www.chickchatt.org.