Bill Lunney, chair and co-founder of the Foundation for Dane County Parks, recently “retired” after 30 years of service as Parks Commission Chair and over 50 years of conservation leadership. He helped guide and build one of the best park systems in the Midwest, which has grown from 3,500 acres to over 15,000 acres.
A fundraising event for the Foundation and the Friends of Dane County Parks Endowment to celebrate Bill and his wife, Judie Pfeifer, was held this fall at the Lussier Family Heritage Center, adjacent to the recently renamed William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park.
Thanks to all those who attended, sponsored, and donated, the event raised a total of $80,000 for our parks!
“Together we have crafted a necklace of green adorning our county that will be here for many decades and centuries to come, and we're not done yet,” Bill said in his speech.
Dane County is experiencing rapid growth and our available land is dwindling, which is why Bill said we need more parks and accompanying buffer areas “to assure that our investment in those resource areas is not compromised” and to “give us even more robust green space for the future.” Bill also stressed the importance of parks and the outdoors on physical and mental health, adding that “healthy parks lead to healthy people, which lead to healthy communities.” He said to sustain these resources and promote the parks, “we need to increase our volunteer base” and “engage every generation in our cause” by building community support.
“Love your parks, learn from them, cherish them, advocate for them, support them with time and money, but most importantly enjoy and appreciate them for the wonderful resources they are,” Bill said.
A video recording of the entire event and Bill’s speech, in which he presents a “road map” for the future of the parks, can be viewed here.
A photo album from the event can be viewed on Facebook here.
