New Name – Same Mission - Florida Park Service Ranger Association

Established in 1989, the Florida Park Service Alumni Association was formed to foster continued relationships among past and present Florida Park Service (FPS) staff and to provide support activities and programs. Part of the efforts resulted in creating the James A. Cook Fund, Inc., a separate organization, in 1993 to provide financial assistance to distressed past and present FPS staff. The two organizations have been very successful in accomplishing their missions, however their functions have been intertwined since their inception which in several ways is duplicative.

At the Florida Park Service Alumni Association’s annual membership meeting on April 7, 2018 the membership voted to merge the Association and the Cook Fund into one organization and rename it the Florida Park Service Ranger Association. These changes had been considered for a couple of years and at the 2018 annual membership meeting the Board unanimously recommended the changes which was approved by the membership.

The organization change streamlines administrative functions and allows the Ranger Association to take full advantage of our 501(c)(3) status. The name change to the Florida Park Service Ranger Association is intended to be more appealing to those currently working (FTE, OPS, Volunteers) for the Florida Park Service.  The Ranger Association’s goal is to increase engagement with present staff, so they feel more connected to the whole Florida Park Service family, both past and present. 

Join us in celebrating our new name, the Florida Park Service Ranger Association, (Ranger Association for short) and the emphasis on Ranger First…no matter what your official position title is.  Help us engage and recruit new members by sharing this message with others in the FPS family, both present and past.

Ranger First!