The SOS Campaign was formed by the California State Parks Foundation in 2008, in response to the unprecedented proposed closure of state parks. Over 7 years, the SOS Campaign fought multiple park closure proposals and threats to eliminate lifeguards from state beaches.
The following are some of the activities of the SOS Campaign from 2008 through 2013:
“I’m Saving State Parks For”
Park supporters uploaded photos and messages to share their reasons for saving state parks. The pictures and messages were made into posters that we displayed at the Capitol during Park Advocacy Day.
“Don’t Let Our State Parks Become Just a Memory”
Park supporters shared a favorite state park photos and memories. The pictures and memories were formatted into “postcards” that we delivered to legislative offices throughout the summer.
Campaign partners also helped CSPF collect thousands of signatures and messages opposing park closures on giant postcards (measuring over 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide). We delivered 200 of these giant postcards filled with signatures to the Governor.
“I ♥ State Parks”
“I ♥ State Parks” weekends of action were held in the summer of 2009 to bring state park supporters together – in state parks, around their communities, and online. Organizers at each event will provide participants with green paper hearts- on which they are encouraged to share their favorite park memory or a reason why state parks are important. Over 20,000 green hearts were collected and displayed on large banners, which were later displayed at the Capitol and delivered to the Governor.
Closing Parks is Bad for Business
Working with the California Travel Association and Enviornment California, SOS partners distributed placards to businesses throughout California, who displayed the placards in store windows, cash registers and other public areas. Within 2 weeks we distributed over 500 placards to locations throughout California!
In May 2012, the SOS Campaign worked with 19 chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, and other statewide business organizations (representing more than 10,000 businesses) to send a joint letter to Governor Brown opposing state park closures.
First 70 Film Screenings
After hosting a public screening in Sacramento in early May, 2012, CSPF worked with SOS Campaign partners throughout the state to arrange over 30 regional screenings of the short documentary The First 70. These screenings reached a wide variety of audiences and helped involved new groups in SOS Campaign activities.
The Defend What’s Yours Challenge
The Defend What’s Yours Challenge was held in 2012. During the Challenge, participants were asked to complete at least one activity from each of the Top 5 Ways to Defend State Parks: Defend; Visit; Volunteer; Speak Out and Share.
Participants received a Defend What’s Yours Challenge kit which included a window decal, speak out shield and challenge checklist. As participants completed challenges, they also became eligible to win prizes from CSPF’s E-store.
Challenge kits were also distributed to SOS Campaign partners to use during activities at state parks. In the course of the 4 month challenge, CSPF distributed nearly 4,000 Speak Out Shields and window decals and over 3,300 Challenge Checklists. Many participants emailed pictures and/or posted pictures on CSPF’s Facebook page.
