Buck Tracks Volume 20: Field Notes from Marie Buck, WNPA CEO
Hello Everyone,
The two years since I started at WNPA have certainly flown by. Every day I continue to be inspired by our mission, the amazing WNPA team, our resilient and dedicated National Park Service partners, and the support of the WNPA board of directors. On July 22, 2024, WNPA celebrated our 86th anniversary! Founded in 1938 in Casa Grande, Arizona, our organization was one of the first cooperating associations formed to support the National Park Service to enhance the visitor experience and promote the understanding and appreciation of our cultural, natural, and historical resources. Here’s to many more years of safeguarding and preserving these cherished landscapes for future generations.
Now, for some important organizational updates!
May Board Meeting
In May, the WNPA Board of Directors, senior leadership team, operations managers, and associate director of learning convened for our spring board meeting. This experience was a strong reminder of the importance of connecting leadership to our partner parks on-site to foster stewardship, engagement, and inspiration. Conducting our board meetings at the unique and inspiring partner parks that WNPA supports is an incredible honor and privilege.
We were warmly hosted by our National Park Service partners and WNPA staff at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site on the Navajo Nation, where we enjoyed a delicious meal catered by Ganado High School’s culinary arts students. We also experienced a ranger-led tour of the site and a beautiful weaving demonstration from Tonita Yazzie. I want to thank NPS Superintendent for the Four Corners Group Lynn Carranza, WNPA Trader Wallace James Jr, and the entire NPS and WNPA teams for such a special time together.
Continuing our journey, we visited two other beautiful partner parks: Walnut Canyon National Monument and Tuzigoot National Monument. These parks, each located on the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples, are distinct but share the thread of cultural and natural preservation, which is at the heart of WNPA’s mission. The Island Trail allowed us to observe more than 25 cliff dwellings along the way—not to mention the exhilaration of ascending more than 700 stairs on the way up!
Special Panel and Board Speaker
Visiting the parks is an important component of our board meetings but more important is inspiring one another and conducting business in service of our mission. Two key highlights strongly resonated with me and our board. Our WNPA operations team participated in a partnership panel conversation that was informative and engaging—a big thank you to panelists Mindi Gusman, Julie Bodenheimer, Joanna Johnson, Paul McCrackin, Robert Placencio, and John Todd, facilitated by Lindsey Stone. Another key moment came from our newest board member, Pat Gonzales-Rogers, as he talked to us about the history and complexities of the Doctrine of Discovery, Westward Expansion, and the impact on Indigenous peoples past and present.
I want to thank and recognize the phenomenal work and commitment of everyone involved in the week’s events, from the park staff and volunteers to our esteemed board members who daily work to ensure we fulfill and advance our mission with integrity. This event was a team effort, a true testament to the spirit of collaboration. A big shout out to the senior leadership team, Lauren Mooney and Michael Matthews, for their tireless enthusiasm and heart for the parks we support. And I also want to express my appreciation to Julie Tainter, for keeping us organized and always heading in the right direction.
Welcome Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
I’m thrilled that we were able to announce our newest partnership with Nevada’s Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. Located just outside of Las Vegas, this urban park preserves a spectacular story of an ecosystem dating back more than 500,000 years.
With its stunning views of nearby mountain ranges and its unique and rich fossil record, this park is naturally beautiful, scientifically fascinating, and culturally rich, and WNPA is already hard at work supporting the park to enhance public awareness and visitor experiences.
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is now our 72nd partner park! You can read the full press release here.
National Park Week Park Protector Promotion
In April, WNPA kicked off a company-wide campaign during National Park Week aimed at expanding our Park Protector program. Park Protector is more than a membership program. It is a community of people who care about and want to support the parks!
This campaign was extraordinarily collaborative in every way. From marketing efforts on social media and email to the signage and excellent customer service in our park stores, we were able to reach and sign up unprecedented numbers of new members who are now a part of our WNPA community.
A huge thank you to everyone in the organization—you inspire me with your creativity, teamwork, and passion.
Commemorations and Celebrations at our Parks
It’s been a joyous season at our partner parks! In April, Chiricahua National Monument commemorated 100 years of balancing protection with enjoyment. The NPS staff was joined by WNPA staff and volunteers to host a three-day event at the park. The event truly lived up to the park’s long and complex history with musicians, living history demonstrations, and food and fun for everyone who attended. I want to send a big thank you to Park Store Manager Angela Rossman for her integral role in the event—and everyone who volunteered their time.
On June 19, we celebrated Juneteenth National Independence Day. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our park staff for their dedication and hard work in serving visitors on Juneteenth, ensuring a memorable experience for all while honoring this important day. Not only was Juneteenth a “fee-free” day at national parks, but several of our partner parks participated in special events that celebrated the occasion.
80th Anniversary Port Chicago Commemoration and the Exoneration of The Port Chicago 50
On July 20, I had the honor of attending the annual Port Chicago Commemoration at Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, marking 80 years since the Port Chicago Disaster. Every year, this day of remembrance honors those who lost their lives in 1944, when a massive explosion instantly killed 320 people and injured nearly 400 more. This year’s ceremony began a new chapter in the story of Port Chicago: exoneration.
Last week, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, exonerated 256 African American sailors who were court-martialed and wrongfully convicted after refusing to return to dangerous working conditions and further imperiling others. The brave men live on in the hearts and minds of families and a widespread community of advocates who worked tirelessly to bring about this historic moment of justice. Family, friends, neighbors, and advocates—so many who have lived with the generational pain of fighting for justice so long deferred—were recognized and honored during the ceremony. National Park Service Superintendent K. Lynn Berry and Supervisory Park Ranger Hilary Grabowska gave moving remarks. In an emotional address, Secretary Del Toro recognized the significance of this moment for the families whose lost loved ones have been finally and rightfully vindicated.
Among many distinguished special guests were Thurgood Marshall Jr, Congressman George Miller, Congressman John Garamendi, and Rev. Diana McDaniel. Rev. McDaniel cofounded the Friends of Port Chicago Memorial with Dr. Robert L. Allen, who sadly passed away only seven days before the historic exoneration was announced.
Rev. McDaniel and representatives of the friends group honored Kelli English, the Servicewide Program Manager for Cooperating Associations and Partnerships for the National Park Service, with the 2024 Friends of Port Chicago Commemorative Hero Award. In her work supporting Port Chicago, Kelli English has served as a key liaison to the friends group and personally conducted Port Chicago tours, programs, and presentations. Her remarks were full of deep respect for the families and humble joy that this day had finally arrived. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to Kelli for this much-deserved recognition.
I had the honor of attending the ceremony and the reception that followed, joined by Senior Content and Communications Manager Julie Thompson, Operations Manager John Todd, and Park Store Manager Lindsey Smith. It was an unforgettable and emotional experience to honor the lives and sacrifices of so many, and to be present during this historic moment in the fight for civil rights. We hold in our hearts the knowledge that this act of prevailing justice will bring greater public awareness and understanding of the profound significance of the story of Port Chicago.
Photo courtesy of NPS/Luther Bailey
More Park Commemorations
In May, Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park hosted a Homecoming Celebration in honor of the 70th anniversary of the milestone Supreme Court decision. Inviting former students and educators of Topeka’s four former African American elementary schools, the park used direct aid funding to cater a lunch for the 200 attendees. Jeffrey Tully, NPS Park Guide, shared, “A highlight of the day was the catered lunch purchased in large part through [direct aid funding] provided by our bookstore partner, Western National Parks Association. So, many thanks, WNPA! We really appreciate your continued support of [Brown v. Board’s] programming and special events.” My thanks also go out to the WNPA staff who supported this event directly and indirectly. Your efforts truly make a difference.
On May 10, Golden Spike National Historical Park commemorated the 155th anniversary of the Last Spike Ceremony, which completed the construction of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument held a Day of Remembrance on June 25 to commemorate the 148th anniversary of The Battle of Little Bighorn.
WNPA is fortunate to partner with and support such a diverse roster of parks. A big thank you to all who supported these important events.
Thank You WNPA Volunteers!
WNPA is so special because every person who supports us has an inspiring passion for the parks and communities we serve. Our volunteers are no exception to this! WNPA volunteers help provide customer service in our stores, ensure our events are engaging and fun, and support bigger projects across multiple departments that are integral to our mission.
Over the past year, WNPA volunteers supported specialty shows, outreach events including the SEAZ Birding Festival, SCI Fest and Earth Day at the Tucson Children’s Museum, the Tumacácori Fiesta, and Tucson Festival of Books, adding up to 2,677 hours! Every year, we recognize our WNPA volunteers with a luncheon—just a small way to demonstrate how much we truly appreciate them. The next time you see a WNPA volunteer, please say “hello” and tell them how much they make a difference. We couldn’t do it without them.
At the beginning of this edition of Buck Tracks, I mentioned the resiliency of our National Park Service partners. Climate change and natural disasters ranging from extreme heat, fires, hurricanes, and more, have impacted many of our partner parks operations and personnel. I commend our incredible NPS and WNPA field staff for their unwavering dedication and resilience, always stepping up to support one another, ensure visitor safety, and protect our significant and vital resources in the face of these challenges.
I often say there is park for everyone and I encourage you to get out there and explore.
I will see you in a park soon!
Be well,
Marie Buck, WNPA President and CEO
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