ABOUT US

The Friends of Fillmore Glen began in 2016 under the umbrella of the Cayuga-Owasco Lakes Historical Society. Over the next three years, the group secured its status as a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit and became officially recognized as a Friends group by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The Friends’ first project was a collaboration with park staff to bring the statewide volunteer event, I Love My Park Day, to Fillmore Glen in May 2016. 125 people attended the first I Love My Park Day at Fillmore Glen, an amazing outpouring of support. Volunteers came together to clear trails, clean, pick up debris, paint, garden, and build nest boxes. We take pride in noting for the first three years the event was held we had the highest volunteer count of all parks in the entire Finger Lakes Region!

I Love My Park Day has continued to be a pivotal event to bring park-loving volunteers together each spring. Camper events, movie nights, game and book lending libraries, garden improvements and nest box projects were also among the group’s early activities. When special needs arose at the park, such as storm damage in July 2017, the Friends were able to mobilize volunteers to help park staff get the grounds cleaned up and cleared.

In August 2019, the Friends group brought back the ever-popular Fillmore Days and Bathtub Races, a beloved community event that had been suspended for about 20 years. An estimated 2,500 people attended, proving that good, clean fun never goes out of style.

A Parks & Trails New York grant to enhance Fillmore Days and grow membership was awarded in 2020, and a signage grant for trail kiosks and educational displays was awarded in 2021. The success of these applications has encouraged the group to do more long range, strategic planning. Together with the park manager, many projects have been identified which would help to preserve the existing infrastructure, expand programming, extend the trail system, and improve visitor experiences. To implement these projects, the group will need additional funding and volunteers.