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Reaching for the stars: 2023 Annual Report now available online
“When the sun first rose in 2023, we could not have imagined the heights you would help Friends achieve in one year,” says Executive Director Jeff Rennicke, “but the future is shining brightly on the islands we love, thanks to you.”
The 2023 Annual Report, recently released by Friends of the Apostle Islands and featuring a beautiful night sky photograph by Mike DeWitt, is a chronicle of accomplishments for our organization and a celebration of a year of great success.
A successful $325,000 Access for All campaign which will bring more accessibility projects to the park, nearly 200 first-time members and a trio of new board members bringing new ideas, fresh energy, and strong commitment to Friends.
Friends saw more programs, member trips, and volunteer efforts than ever before in its 22-year history, more media coverage including interviews on Wisconsin Public Radio, a National Geographic story, and a system-wide webinar with the National Park Service.
From the sunrise on New Year’s Day to the sunset on December 31st, 2023 was an historic year for Friends of the Apostle Islands. Our members brought the bloom to the historic gardens of the Michigan Island Light and Junior Ranger badges to a whole new generation of park visitors. They helped the Apostle Islands become a leader in the push for accessibility in all of our parks, began new partnerships with organizations such as Wilderness Inquiry, Big Top Chautauqua, the Madeline Island Wilderness Preserve, Sea Grant, Kwik Trip, the National Park Foundation, and more.
Success blossoms into success, making the prospects for 2024 all the more exciting. In the coming year, your support will help boaters stay safe through our Wave Watch partnership with the University of Wisconsin and reach for the stars again in our Starry Skies Initiative.
Annual Reports are a chance to both celebrate the work of the year just passed and renew your commitment to making the year ahead even brighter. You can explore the full 2023 Annual Report by clicking the button below (Adobe Acrobat Reader or PDF-compatible browser required.)
“Let every page remind us of the great work of 2023,” says Jeff Rennicke, “and of the bright future your organization has ahead.”
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