Friends of China Camp (FOCC), part of the non-profit Marin State Parks Association, is working to raise funds to support China Camp State Park, which is one of the state parks slated for closure this year, and possibly even take over the operations of the park. The organization just launched a new website, allowing supporters to join or donate online, and held a membership meeting on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the state park workshop near the China Camp ranger station.

The meeting was very well attended, with approximately 150 people coming out to support and learn more about the status of China Camp, which has been slated for permanent closure by July 1. A recent article in the Marin Independent Journal said the meeting was going to be a "coming out party" for Friends of China Camp, and in many ways it did signal a new and more aggressive direction for the non-profit organization. FOCC is striving to bring in new members, establish partnerships with local businesses and sponsor special events in the park, all with the goal of raising enough money to prevent China Camp from closing.

FOCC Board Chairman Ernest Chung opened the meeting with welcoming remarks, followed by other members of FOCC, who spoke briefly on various topics. Steve Deering covered community outreach, Bethanie Gilbert talked about education and interpretation, and Ernie Stanton encouraged the crowd to support the park through a variety of volunteer opportunites. I gave a short talk about the fundraising efforts we are undertaking, and the importance of using the FOCC website and Facebook page for communicating with our supporters.

Additional presentations were made by people from the community. State park rangers Ryen Goering and Cecilia Rejas gave updates on the park closure situation, and talked about the series of upcoming workshops that will provide training for non-profit organizations that are seeking to take over park operations.

Other speakers included Linda Dahl from Marin County Parks and Open Space, Jenny Callaway from Assemblyman Jared Huffman's office, Kim Baenisch from the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, and Ellen Joslin Johnck from the China Camp Historic American Landscapes Survey. Afterwards, questions and suggestions were taken from the audience, as community input is a critical element of our efforts. Nona Dennis from the Marin Conservation League, Jean Chan from the Marin Chinese Cultural Association, and Alden Olmsted from the Olmsted Park Fund were among those who gave feedback and commented on the progress that we are making. An atmosphere of cautious optimism pervaded the meeting, along with an awareness that we still have a long way to go.