Glacier National Park Associates (GNPA) is our Park Support Group of the Month for July.

We've had the pleasure of spending some time with their past president, Ed Sullivan and his lovely wife, Shirley, in their Montana home and talking to them about the work the GNPA does on behalf of Glacier National Park. It's obvious that their passion for the park is shared by their fellow Associates.

The Glacier National Park Associates is a non-profit volunteer organization that assist the park with special projects of long-term significance for which there is no adequate funding.

One of our favorite annual projects is the GNPA's Backcountry Ranger Intern Funding. Each year they raise enough to pay the salary of a backcountry ranger intern at Glacier. This of course provides the backcountry with a vital extra ranger-to-be, and provides that young individual with a tremendous experience and valuable knowledge of the park.

We especially like the hands on approach of the Glacier National Park Associates. Whether it's scraping and painting park buildings, clean up work, trail repairs, or working side by side with Park Service employees to rehabilitate historic Ranger Stations, the volunteers of the GNPA regularly put their elbow grease and time to good use for the better of the park they love.

The GNPA is one of the smaller support groups in terms of number of members and total amounts of money raised, but they're one of the most effective. Your support of their efforts would have an especially impactful result since their budgets are so tight.

You can become a member of the Glacier National Park Associates for $30 a year for individual, $40 a year for family and $50 a year for business. If you're one of the fortunates with fortunes you can become a lifetime member for $500.

Glacier is always referred to as one of the National Parks best kept secrets. Our personal opinion is that it rivals Yosemite for sweeping mountain-filled vistas, grandeur, diversity and magnificence that surrounds you wherever you go. It's not easy to get to, way up there on the Canadian/Montana border, but it's well worth the effort.

Anything you can do to help keep it that way will be greatly appreciated by not only the GNPA, but all who love the parks.

You can only reach them via the US Mail at:

Glacier National Park Associates
PO Box 91
Kalispell, MT 59903-0091

Say hi from Joe and Mike if you write them.