Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation puts a twist on #GivingTuesday

Press release:

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Joins the Global #GivingTuesday Movement
Nonprofit pledges to protect vistas on the Blue Ridge Parkway

(Winston-Salem, NC) – The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Occurring this year on December 1, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is putting a spin on this national day of giving and turning #GivingTuesday into #GivingViewsDay to encourage donations that will be used to safeguard the Parkway’s vistas for future generations. The historical views cherished by more than 13 million visitors a year are vulnerable to land use changes because the federal government manages only a narrow corridor along the road.

There are more than 4,000 landowners adjacent to Parkway, with 60 percent of scenic viewsheds composed of private land. Past efforts for viewshed protection by the Foundation include a recent partnership with the Hemlock Restoration Initiative, a boundary encroachment study completed by an Appalachian State University student in 2010, and the funding of the booklet “A Neighborhood Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway” to educate builders, developers, and property owners about building adjacent to the Parkway.

“Whether hiking, driving, or bicycling, the views of our beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains are essential to the Blue Ridge Parkway experience. It is critical that we protect these vistas for future generations of visitors,” says Carolyn Ward, chief executive officer of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Ward and other Foundation staff members will be fueling the #GivingViewsDay momentum by sharing pictures and stories of their favorite Parkway vistas on Facebook and Instagram from now until December 1.

About the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1997 through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service to provide private financial support for the Blue Ridge Parkway. It contributes critical funding beyond the federal budget to assure that the traditions and beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway can be forever preserved and shared. Visit www.brpfoundation.org to learn more about the Foundation’s activities and how you can support preservation and enhancement efforts.
About #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give—the 2015 iteration will be held on December 1. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners—nonprofits, businesses and corporations as well as families and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate, and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday employs the energy of social media to create a global moment dedicated to giving around the world.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit:

Website: www.givingtuesday.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday
Twitter: twitter.com/GivingTues