Friends of the Parks (FOTP) is a non-profit organization in Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 1975, it acts as a watchdog group and environmental advocate for the Chicago area. Specifically, it monitors the condition and safety of the Chicago Park District and the forest preserves of Cook County.
FOTP's office is in downtown Chicago. Its president is Erma Tranter. Its staff of approximately eight people relies on volunteer efforts for many of its activities.
Annual events organized by FOTP include the LATE Ride, an overnight bicycling event in July where thousands of riders travel through city streets; Earth Day Parks and Preserves Clean-up, mobilizing several thousand volunteers on a single day in April to beautify and clean over 100 Chicago area locations; and a black tie ball which features a charity auction.
FOTP assists in educating the public regarding environmental matters. It provides environmental education programs for Chicago students through two programs: Nature Along the Lake (NAL) for elementary students, and the Earth Team, an after-school apprenticeship program for high school students.
FOTP encourages grassroots efforts to organize local park organizations and acts as a liaison for organizing volunteer events to maintain and improve Chicago area parks, forest preserves, and other greenspace.
Famous quotes containing the words friends of, friends and/or parks:
“God’s benison go with you, and with those
That would make good of bad, and friends of foes!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A gentleman chooses his friends carefully.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Towns are full of people, houses full of tenants, hotels full of guests, trains full of travelers, cafés full of customers, parks full of promenaders, consulting-rooms of famous doctors full of patients, theatres full of spectators, and beaches full of bathers. What previously was, in general, no problem, now begins to be an everyday one, namely, to find room.”
—José Ortega Y Gasset (1883–1955)