The
organization was formed following a public meeting called by Brand
Frentz, a local environmental activist, with the encouragement of
Howard Ward, the park manager, and help from the Parks and Trails Council
of Minnesota. More than 50 people came to the community meeting room at
Benco Electric next to the park. The statements made at the meeting showed
that people in the Mankato community had remarkable affection for the
park and a desire to take care of it.
The
Friends of Minneopa State Park became a non-profit corporation registered
under the laws of the State of Minnesota. According to the organization’s
Articles of Incorporation, the purpose of the organization is "to
work with the Minneopa State Park to preserve, manage, and promote the
resources of the park."
The first general meeting of the new organization was in June 1998, and
the Friends have met quarterly since that time. Meetings are traditionally
held on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October and have
featured talks and programs on all aspects of the park: history, geology,
birds, vegetation, animal life, and more.
The Friends organize various activities in the park. An annual
breeding bird survey had been conducted each June since 1999. Friends
members have led nature hikes and given talks on park history. The organization
has re-published a history of the park’s early days and produced
sets of note cards and postcards. The annual Minneopa
Photo Contest run by the Friends has drawn outstanding work by local
photographers. The Friends contributed directly to the park by purchasing
the stove for the camper cabin. Members have also been involved in removing
invasive plants (buckthorn, sumac) and collecting native plant seeds for
prairie restoration.
The Friends’ newsletter, called the Minneopa
Messenger, has been published quarterly since June 1998. The newsletter
carries regular columns by the park manager and the president of the organization
plus organizational news and feature articles on a variety of subjects
ranging from articles about park history and wildlife, to the night Jesse
James slept in the park, to an interview with the Friends member who removed
350 smelly dead fish from the pond below the falls – manually, one
slimy fish after another (estimated weight -- 1/3 of a ton) and hauled
them to a dumpster a quarter of a mile away in October 2001.
The Friends of Minneopa have been fortunate to have many fine volunteers
doing the work of the organization. The presidents of the Friends have
been Brand Frentz, Bernie Lindberg, Merrill Frydendall, LaVonne Craig,
and (current 2004 president) Harriet Mason. Gordon Herbst has been an
officer as well as unofficial park historian and indefatigable worker
for the benefit of the park. Many other members have contributed to the
Friends’ work.
We welcome you and invite you to join us!
Membership Application
Download an Application form (pdf)
To become a member of Friends of Minneopa, simply 1) download a pdf or
2) fill out the information below and send it to us. New members are welcome
and will begin receiving the newsletter immediately upon receipt of dues.
Simply fill in the form below and send with your check to:
Friends of Minneopa State Park
20499 555 Lane
Mankato MN 56001
Annual Dues
Student — $5
Individual — $10
Family — $15
Patron — $50
Sponsor — $100
Name(s) _________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________
Phone ___________________________________
E-mail ___________________
Comments:
Mailing
address: 20499 555 Lane, Mankato MN 56001
Email: brandf@hickorytech.net
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Resources Center, Minnesota State University, Mankato