Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 04, 2013
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Mason Neck State Park wins $50,000 recreation grant from Coca-Cola
(LORTON, VA) – Mason Neck State Park has won second place and a $50,000 grant from the Coca-Cola America Is Your Park campaign. The contest was developed in partnership with the National Park Foundation, America's State Parks and the National Recreation and Park Association.
Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
“We are so pleased to win, not only the financial award, but we're honored so many people supported Mason Neck,” said DCR's State Parks Director Joe Elton. “We owe special thanks to two dedicated groups of supporters, the Earth-Walkers group and the Friends of Mason Neck State Park. These two groups rallied support during the contest, and they continuously championed the park year-round.”
The online campaign included more than 1.4 million votes for nearly 12,000 national, state and local parks from around the country. Mason Neck was second in the contest, with nearly 280,000 votes. Only Veterans Memorial Park in Moore, Okla. received more votes. Results were announced this week. (Link to Coca-Cola release.)
The grant money will be used to help purchase new visitor center exhibits dedicated to getting people more active in the park.
Located in Northern Virginia, a short drive from Washington, D.C., Mason Neck offers hiking and multi-use trails, canoe, kayak and bicycle rentals, a large picnic area, a playground, a car-top canoe launch and a visitor center.
Well-known for its American bald eagle population, the park's wetlands, forest, open water, ponds and open fields make it ideal for environmental study and wildlife observation.
Coca-Cola has supported efforts to maintain and rebuild parks across the nation for more than 40 years. The Company has donated more than $17 million to date in recreation grants and partnerships to help keep families active in the great outdoors.
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