Bellvue, Colo. – The application period for the Spring 2020 Friends of Lory State Park Get the Kids Outside Scholarship Grant is open Feb. 20 through March 20, 2020 and is now available online! Non-profit organizations, especially public schools, that work with economically disadvantaged children are eligible to apply for these funds to cover transportation costs for educational field trips to the Park.
“Teachers and administrators often point to booking and paying for transportation as the biggest challenge in coordinating a field trip for youth,” said Friends’ President Rick Bunch. “This scholarship helps create opportunities for kids of all economic levels to enjoy outdoor programs that meet learning standards, inspire and educate, and connect them to nature.”
These outdoor programs give youth hands-on experience learning about geology, plants and wildlife native to the Park, as well as history of the Native American groups and the homesteaders who occupied the area. Groups can also conduct service-learning projects, such as removing invasive plants.
As part of the application process, organizations must first book field trip dates for mid-April through the end of May 2020, with the Lory Interpretive Naturalist at dnr_loryinterp@state.co.us . Then, applicants can visit the Friends of Lory State Park website: www.loryfriends.org and click on the “Scholarship Grant” tab to download an application form. Completed applications can be submitted via email or regular USPS mail to the Friends of Lory State Park Board of Directors for review and approval. Turnaround time is five to seven days.
Since 2015, the FoLSP Get the Kids Outside Scholarship has provided assistance with the costs of bus transportation and park passes, up to $500.00, so that children can visit the park for guided programs and hikes. Applicant organizations are responsible for making transportation arrangements, and only one scholarship grant is available per school for that school year. Preference is given to schools in Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.
Friends of Lory State Park is dedicated to the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the Park. The Friends’ group serves as a supportive entity to complement the goals of Lory State Park. One of these goals is part of Colorado State Parks and Wildlife (CPW) mission to “educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources.”
The Friends of Lory State Park (FoLSP) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 2012, composed entirely of volunteers. The group promotes community stewardship of Park natural areas, resources, and wildlife. Membership is open to all, and volunteers for various projects and events are welcome. To learn more about the FoLSP please visit their website at http://loryfriends.org.
Lory State Park is located in beautiful Bellvue, Colorado and offers visitors a variety of rugged terrain and stunning vistas of the northern Colorado Front Range. The park covers almost 2,600 acres and features 21 miles of trails that lead through forest, meadows, and rock outcroppings, offering visitors great terrain for mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, bouldering, and horseback riding. Additional information on Lory State Park is available at: http://www.cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/lory.
CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including 42 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW’s work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
