Friends of Freedom Park volunteers are overwhelmingly hardworking, talented, and community-centered. This spring, several well-qualified people have agreed to take a turn as new members of the Friends of Freedom Park Board of Directors. The vetting process is driven by a list of board leadership needs. Although it is impossible to do justice in a press release to the talents each person brings to the organization, these new directors will join with Executive Director Israel Haas to expand the skill set of the leadership group.

Briefly, the newest directors are: Donna Boatman – with expertise in marketing and business communication; Jeremy Raverty – Kiwanis member and local financial advisor; Jeff Ruehle – a nonprofit fundraising expert and business executive; Mary Ann Saxe Thompson – a former Peace Corps volunteer and French professor; and Ka Vang – community engagement and diversity expert with Minnesota Public Radio. Longer biographies will be featured in our newsletter and on social media.

This year, 2020, has thrown many challenges at our community. Despite this, the Friends of Freedom Park have continued to focus on its mission of “safeguarding the extraordinarily scenic site at the confluence of two great rivers, while teaching generations about natural and human history.” Check out our website (freedomparkwi.org) and sign up for our newsletter for information about the gradual, safe reopening of the building and restarting of educational programs. Especially during these months of safe distancing, the outdoor portion of Freedom Park has become a beautiful refuge where people walk, picnic, watch birds, view boat traffic and treasure extraordinary sunsets. If it has been a while, come visit the “jewel of Prescott.”