Visitor Center Renovation
We are excited about our long awaited Visitor Center Renovation project.
Total to date donations and pledges $67,430
The current Visitor Center and exhibits were constructed around 1980. They have served us well and informed many thousands of visitors. We operate the volunteer program, bookstore and other FOPP activities at the Center but the structure and exhibits were overdue for a makeover.
Dedicated funds in any amount are requested to meet Friends portion of the renovation expense. Please go to Donate to Friends to make your donation and be sure to indicate it is for VC Renovation. Please contact the FOPP President for additional details contact us.
Starting in 2008 we initiated proposals seeking funds to completely refurbish the interior, design and construct new exhibits and improved facilities for volunteers and park visitors. In partnership with DEP Division of Parks and Recreation, we were successful obtaining a total of $700,000 in grants from the Scenic Highways program with a $140,000 match from Friends. In our first fundraising phase 'Heart of Prairie Appeal' we raised over $65,000 from members and supporters Heart of the Prairie . We now seek additional funds to complete the exhibit construction and installation.
Details of the plans can be seen at ConceptPlan-PaynesPrairieVisitorCenterOFHH.pdf
Visitor Center Exhibit Appeal
We invite and welcome offers of support for all the exhibits and can discuss preferences, terms and interests at your request. Please contact any board member, or the president, Dr. James P. Ross (pross@ufl.edu 352 378 1228) to discuss your support.
Friends can receive donations in any amount that the donor wishes to be used to support completion of the exhibits and other facilities in the newly renovated and improved Visitor Center (e.g. displays, exhibit content, audiovisual material, equipment, educational material, services and facilities). The specific needs and donor opportunities for each exhibit are displayed in the concel;t plan above and with the artists’ concept boards in each exhibit section. Donations that are not restricted by the donor will be utilized and applied at the discretion of Friends, in consultation with the Park staff, to accomplish the design plans already approved. Donations that a donor wishes to support a particular exhibit unit or function will be applied to that exhibit. However, the application of those funds will be contingent upon Friends receiving sufficient funds to complete that unit.
Unless we are informed that a donation is to be made anonymously, every donation received to support an exhibit unit or facility will be acknowledged by the permanent display of the donor’s name(s) attached to or close to that exhibit. Acknowledgment plaques will be of a similar size and form for all exhibits. Commercial donors may request display of their logos in the exhibit acknowledgement.
Donations can be received in any form, but checks made out to ‘Friends of Paynes Prairie Inc.’ or direct transfer to our bank account are preferred. Donors should clearly state their preferences or directions for exhibit support in a written note accompanying the donation. All donations will be acknowledged in writing.
James Perran Ross, President of Friends of Paynes Prairie, Inc.
pross@ufl.edu 352-377-6329
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