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Tom Murphy enjoying the track chair |
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By: Jennifer McDonald Murphy
There aren’t adequate words for the gratitude my family experienced on June 3rd when my husband Tom was able to use the Track Chair provided by Friends of Ludington State Park.
When I met Tom in the 1990s, he was an avid hiker and biker. He even hiked some of the Appalachian Trail. Unfortunately, Ankylosing Spondylitis and severe neuropathy has slowly caused him to lose all mobility of his spine and pelvis.
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I grew up camping at LSP - almost every summer since 1971 - even traveling back once I moved from Flint to Tennessee in the 90s. This park is magical to me. Knowing that, Tom proposed to me in the sand dunes in 1997! He immediately understood my obsession with this park. We have made many trips back as a family over the years. Sadly, traveling has become almost impossible for Tom. Last year, we bought an RV with the hopes that we could get him out of the house - if even just to sit next to a fire. I reserved our site for June 1 many months ago - not even knowing the Track Chair would be available. On the morning we were to leave Tennessee for our trip, I opened my Facebook to see the post that the chair would be available for reservation stating June 1. I immediately signed him up on June 3. He was actually the first camper to use the chair!
I cannot begin to describe the feelings my family had seeing Tom TRULY happy for the first time in years. Driving along the beach he said “I never thought I’d hear the waves again.” He took the chair out the Logging Trail, to the beach and then down to the bridge. He loved everyone single minute of it. Absolutely the best three hours of his life in the last 10 years! Thank you for making this possible. We are forever grateful for this experience!
FLSP is currently fundraising for a second track chair with a goal of ordering it by the first of December so it can be placed into service in May 2023. |
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Entertainment Series Continues
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There is plenty of entertainment still scheduled to occur at LSP this summer thanks to the donors and volunteers of FLSP. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on. Mosquito spray sometimes advisable at the amphitheater. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required to drive into the park. For a complete listing of the 2022 entertainment series schedule, click here.
If you are interested in helping FLSP by passing the bucket at an event sign-up by clicking here. |
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LACA and FLSP Art Exhibit |
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The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) and FLSP art exhibit will run August 5 through 27, 2022 at LACA. If you are an artist and want to participate in this exhibition 'Celebrating the Ludington State Park', click here. |
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FLSP is in the planning phase of establishing informal guided hikes once or twice a month. In order to offer such a program we need hike leaders. Hike leaders would choose a 3 to 7 mile hike to lead. These would be informal hikes with hikers walking at their preferred pace.
If you would be interested in being a hike leader, please let us know by sending an email to FriendsofLudingtonStatePark@gmail.com. |
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Adopt-a-Highway Volunteers |
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The next scheduled Adopt-a-Highway pick-up is Tuesday, July 19. For more information or to sign-up please click here. |
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Please consider donating to FLSP! |
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There are many ways to support the FLSP. You may give towards overall park stewardship (trees, trail maintenance, historical structure repair), programming (summer entertainment, environmental education, signage, snowshoeing) or specific projects such as the second track chair. See our donor page for more information. |
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