We're very proud to announce our seventh annual round of grants to America's National Parks.  For seven (7) years now The Parks Company has stepped in to support our favorite National Parks with tangible help that makes a real difference.  

Working directly with rangers, park superintendents and the all important on-the-ground park support groups we donate 5% of our gross profits to  supply money, equipment and services that the National Park Service cannot afford.

Yosemite National Park was the recipient of our latest $1,000 grant which came in the form of much needed equipment for the High Sierra Loop Backcountry rangers.  In June of 2003 we worked with leader of the High Sierra Loop Rangers, Dick Ewart, and Interpretation Liaison and Mary Kline, Yosemite's Interpretation Liaison , Mary Kline, to find out what they need most.

Turns out the water filters the rangers use in leading hikers on the High Sierra Loop were falling apart and badly in need of replacing, but there was just no budget for it.

That was all we needed to know.  We asked them how many they needed and what kind would work best for them and within a matter of days we had five Katadyn Guide model water filters delivered to them.

These excellent filters eliminate: Protozoa, including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Cyclospora, and Entamoeba histolytica; as well as Bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli

We also discovered that the rangers who present astronomy programs at May Lake, Sunrise, and Vogelsang High Sierra camps needed help in pointing out the stars and constellations they talk about to the hikers they lead.

We put our crack research staff to work and found out that the best tool for the job is the SkyPointer green laser pointer.  So we ordered three of them and had them delivered directly to Yosemite's rangers.

The SkyPointer green laser pointer is a new variation of an old idea that amateur astronomers have practiced for many years: a narrow-beam high power flashlight has been used to point out celestial objects.  Tiny particles of dust, pollen and moisture scatter back enough light from the beam to produce a visible line in the air.

When Howie Glatter, owner of the SkyPointer company, found out that we were buying his devices for the rangers at Yosemite National Park he graciously worked with us giving us both a discount and shipping the units for free.  Thanks Howie!  (You can visit the SkyPointer site by clicking HERE.)

Yosemite ranger, Dick Ewart, has already reported that the SkyPointers were a big hit and a great help during the High Sierra Camp astronomy programs as well as the program he himself conducted this summer at Glacier Point.