With a little help from its FRIENDS, San Angelo State Park is coming of age.

As state parks go, San Angelo SP is an awkward 15 –year-old adolescent.   Created in 1995 as a transfer of property with the US Corp of engineers, the infant park was an abandoned,   run down, overgrazed 7,000 acre area near a lake famous for periodically going dry. Without any of the facilities common to older parks – like gate houses, trail signs, cabins, lodges, staff housing, etc.  

State funding for the much needed make-over was never enough to cover much more than basic operating cost.   

The park needed help. 

A group of local outdoor enthusiasts stepped to organize a ‘Friends Group’  to take on the challenge to advocate for improvements, raise funds and create public awareness.

Fifteen years later, the group has accomplished much:

-Provided four-six events annually to raise funds and awareness: Free Day in the Park, Silver Bluebonnet Day for senior citizens, youth camps, trail ride and cowboy celebration, Dogs Day in the park with wiener dog races, bicycle races.

-Enrolled more than 100 supporting members annually with membership fees providing funds averaging $2,500.

-Maintains a park store in limited space in the gatehouse with caps, shirts, books, etc. that annually produces around $2,500 income.

-Produces quarterly informative newsletter.  Maintain website www.friendsofsasp.com.

-Received more than $50,000 in grants and gifts.

-Acquired 8 canoes, 10 bicycles, binoculars, GPS for use by youth group.

-Purchased and donated to the park a flatbed trailer and a hydraulic dump trailer valued at over $8,000.

-Provided a portable building used as a gatehouse and storage building.

-Provided $3,000 for trail makers and signs.

-Supported Boy and Girl Scout projects in the park such as trail improvement, bridge building, flag pole, painting, landscaping, etc.

-Coordinated with local Scouts in providing outdoor events for camping, biking, hiking, birding , etc.

-Provided Wildlife Viewing Blind with bird feeders and water feature. Provides ongoing funding for bird seed.

-Built lighted outdoor theater that seats 200 visitors.

-Purchased and maintain a concession trailer used at park events.

-Provided horse pens at equestrian campsites.

-Facilitated a Volksmarch trail in the park.

-Paid taxidermy expense for head mounts of a park pet longhorn and a Bison herd bull.

-Purchased sound equipment, computer and accessories, folding tables and chairs, office supplies and  furniture, building materials and paint as requested by park staff.

-Held social/meeting for members in the park with a meal and program.

-Provided a system for annually recognizing and honoring park volunteers.

-Recruited volunteers for trail maintenance and deer blind maintenance.

-Local and state political advocacy on issues of park funding and support.

Activities of the Friends are coordinated by a Board of Directors, elected by the members.  The board meets bimonthly and consists of 18 directors. 

During a networking session, directors were asked to name activities they personally are involved in at the park. The impressive list included: hiking, camping, Geocaching, riding  horses, bird watching, feeding and photography, attend meetings, managing the gate house store, dog races, event planning, day camp, volkswalk, newsletter,  trail maintenance, obtaining  materials and supplies for projects, membership recruiting, bookkeeping, biking, stargazing, media presentations and working at concessions at events.

“Is it any wonder that we are all exhausted?” remarked one director.

Celebrating its fifteenth birthday this year, San Angelo State park is coming of age thanks to a hard-working park staff and a lot of help from its FRIENDS.