The Folks Story

Friends of Lime Kiln State Park Founding Celebration, September 2011

Founder Erin Corra with Ralph Munro, Fmr. Secretary of State for Washington State; Ken Balcomb Founder, Center for Whale Research

Lime Kiln Point – Our Favorite! Ralph and Karen Munro

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The FOLKS Founding Story

Enthusiasm for educational programs caused Erin Corra to found the Friends of Lime Kiln Society

In 2010, state budget cuts caused Erin to lose her job at Lime Kiln State Park as Interpretive Specialist – a position she had held since 2007. Initially, the Center for Whale Research stepped up as an umbrella fiscal agent to keep the programs “afloat” at the park. That allowed time to come up with a more sustainable solution and Friends of Lime Kiln Society (FOLKS) was launched in the fall of 2011 with Erin as Founder and Program Director.

FOLKS is made possible in collaboration with the Washington State Parks Foundation. Lime Kiln Point State Park is a key location for public education and promotion of protection of the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Close contact with the whales inspires people to change the way they live in their environment to help protect these magnificent but threatened beings. Over 200,000 visitors from 40+ countries visit the park each year to view and learn about the SRKW. It is clearly a critical education habitat that must be protected as passionately as the whales themselves. That is what FOLKS is all about.

Vision, Mission & Goals

Vision:

FOLKS strives to preserve, restore and enhance Lime Kiln Point State Park as a living laboratory for ecosystem science, understanding and appreciation and to inspire the feeling of awe into memorable actions!

Mission

Friends of Lime Kiln Society’s mission is to provide a unique experience for visitors through the design & development of educational programs and activities related to Lime Kiln Point State Park’s extraordinary location, diverse ecosystems, and historic structures.

Goals

To enhance learning experiences by assisting visitors, to experience a diverse blend of recreational, cultural, historical and educational programs.

To promote cooperation between all organizations who use the park to develop a cohesive interpretive program and to encourage support by those organizations to contribute to the improvement of the park facilities that they utilize.

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Our 2019 Accomplishments

Last year we were sucessful in fulfilling both our mission and our goals

Because of 1322 Lime Kiln Point State Park volunteer work hours:


Indivudual Donations	Thank You Donors $00000
Interpretive Center	IC Attendance – 33,722
	Discover Pass Sales – $39,650
Events and Activities	Lighthouse Tours – 305
	Low Tide/Park Tours – 25 – 425 people
	Lighthouse Weddings – 5
	Orca Sing – 250 people
	Lighthouse Centennial – 500 people
	Volunteer Appreciation BBQ – 20+ people
	Holiday Open House– 150 people
School Group Programs	Bellingham 4th Graders – 850 students
	Single day student class tours – 7 days
Grants Received	Lodging Tax Advisory Committee – $00000
	San Juan Island Community Foundation – $2,300
	Lighthouse Environmental Program– $10,000
Ongoing Projects	IC Sound Station – monitor whale sounds
	Update to the FOLKS Website
	Build the Virtual Reality system
	Replace and Re-seal Lighthouse Windows