Friends of Fort Clinch recently celebrated the Second Annual Family Fun Mill Day. The event recognized Earth Day and Arbor Day and was hosted in partnership with local companies RYAM, WestRock, and LignoTech.

This year the event raised $20,000 through donations of $10,000 from the three companies and a matching $10,000 from FOFC. Employees from the mills and their families spent the day enhancing the Beach Side area of Fort Clinch by adding native palm trees, removing invasive plants, cleaning the beach, installing fencing and interpretive panels.

"It's truly inspiring to have RYAM, LignoTech, and WestRock, come together with their families to contribute so meaningfully to our park,” said Heath Alboher, Park Manager for Fort Clinch State Park. “Their commitment not only supports the ongoing maintenance of Fort Clinch, it ensures that this treasured local landmark can be enjoyed by future generations." The RYAM and West Rock facilities were under construction in 1937 when Fort Clinch became a state park. We continue to share our appreciation for the island.

The day’s efforts focused on making substantial improvements to the park’s infrastructure and visitor experience, reflecting Friends of Fort Clinch’s dedication to preserving its natural beauty and historical significance. Additional improvements were made to the Birding Pavilion to enhance wildlife viewing opportunities. In total, the event produced more than 300 volunteer hours, adding to the value of the effort.

“Each year, Family Fun Mill Day grows in significance, embodying the spirit of Fort Clinch as a place where history comes alive,” said Logan Eason, President of Friends of Fort Clinch’s Board of Directors. “We are profoundly thankful for the generosity and hard work of RYAM, WestRock and LignoTech and look forward to growing this partnership in the years to come.”

For more information and photos from the event, or to learn more about the ongoing conservation efforts at Fort Clinch State Park, please visit FortClinch.org.

About Friends of Fort Clinch

The Friends of Fort Clinch, Inc. (FOFC) is a non-profit known as a Citizen Support Organization (CSO). Any and all money raised by FOFC goes directly to fund Fort Clinch State Park projects which would not be funded by the State of Florida. Through fundraising and grant acquisitions, the FOFC enables restoration projects at historic Fort Clinch, supports special events and educational programming, provides tools and equipment to assist park rangers, and expands and improves the park's renowned living history program. FOFC works closely with the local community and endeavors to be an integral part of Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach and Nassau County.

Zero Feet Above recently donated $1500 of its proceeds from the 2024 Florida Roots Trail Race to Friends of Fort Clinch. Pictured are Matt Mueller of Zero Feet Above, Logan Eason, President of Friends of Fort Clinch, Daniel Larkin and Alex Johnston of Zero Feet Above.

The annual event was established in 2020 and consists of 50K, 30K, and 10K events utilizing the park’s many trails. Ever-increasing popularity of the event, led to its expansion this year to 150 entrants. Local sponsors included First Port City Bank and Brightway Insurance along with Nana Teresa’s Bake Shop which provided assorted baked goods for the runners.

Cars and Cannons Vintage Car Show is a unique, once-a-year, opportunity to see more than sixty vintage and classic cars inside historic Fort Clinch. It is Saturday, September 23, 2023, 9 am – 2 pm. The public is invited to view these cars inside the walls of this unique 19th-century coastal fort setting. Visiting Fort Clinch State Park is special anytime, but the day of the Cars and Cannons Vintage Car Show is a bonus. Attendees will vote for a “People’s Choice Award” among the cars on display.

The regular park entry fee of $6 per vehicle (2 to 8 people) or $4 per single-occupant vehicle is required along with $2.50 per person for fort admission. The Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, while the fort is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Do you own a vintage car, 1998 or older, and have an interest in showing your car at this unique 19th-century coastal fort setting? More information and registration.

Registration is $50 and all cars must be pre-registered by September 17. This is a cruise-in event and owners are responsible for driving their cars to the park and into the fort. Registered participants receive a one-year membership with the Friends of Fort Clinch which includes 12 free park visits for the year. 

This classic vintage car show event benefits the Friends of Fort Clinch. The Friends exist to support the preservation of Florida's natural and cultural resources while providing outstanding recreational and educational opportunities to the public in Fort Clinch State Park. Through fundraising and grant acquisitions, the Friends enable restoration projects at historic Fort Clinch, support special events and educational programming, provide tools and equipment to assist park rangers, and expand and improve the park's renowned living history program.

Friends of Fort Clinch (FOFC), a nonprofit Citizen Support Organization dedicated to supporting the Florida Parks’ mission of providing resource based recreation while preserving, interpreting, and restoring the natural and cultural resources of Fort Clinch State Park, on Saturday, April 22, teamed up with two of Nassau County’s largest employers, RYAM and WestRock, for a Family Fun Mill Day.

Employees and families from all three organizations spent the day at Fort Clinch participating in service projects, as well as nature activities and historical tours. The event raised over $28,000 to support the park, with RYAM and WestRock donating funds for beautification and improvements, matched by FOFC.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for employees and families from the two mills to come together and support the preservation of Fort Clinch State Park, ” said Stewart Pikula, President of FOFC’s Board of Directors. “We’re grateful to RYAM and WestRock for their generous donations and hard work in making this event a success. Park Manager, Heath Alboher had the original idea to bring the groups together 3 years ago, but Covid delayed having the work day.  Looking back, Fort Clinch became a state park in 1937, just as both mills were beginning construction of their facilities.  Over the last 86 years, all three have flourished and contributed significantly to our community. It was time to bring the three of us together. We all had a great time and look forward to making this an annual event.”

The service project included installing new fencing, landscaping improvements near the Museum and Visitor Center, replacing ground cover, a beach clean-up, maintenance tasks inside the fort including laying sod, painting and restoring period-authentic furnishings, and installation of new ADA-approved playground equipment.

Both mills are committed to supporting Florida’s natural spaces and heritage sites. RYAM is a leading global supplier of renewable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastics and fossil fuel-based products. WestRock is a leader in sustainable, fiber-based packaging solutions.

“Fort Clinch State Park holds important environmental conservation and historical value for Fernandina Beach and we are pleased to have partnered with Friends of Fort Clinch and WestRock to support preservation efforts for the fort and park,” said Mark Homans, Plant Manager at RYAM’s Fernandina Beach location. “When people are excited and willing to improve the park in a hands-on way, it really demonstrates the power of our community.”

Dan Rowland, General Manager of West Rock, added “our ~600 local employees live, work, volunteer, and play in our community.  Mill Day is a great way for WestRock to support the community and have fun doing it”.

Fort Clinch enhances the lives of 400,000 visitors annually. To become a member or learn more about Friends of Fort Clinch’s ongoing conservation and support efforts, visit their website, FortClinch.org.

About Friends of Fort Clinch

The Friends of Fort Clinch, Inc. (FOFC) is a non-profit known as a Citizen Support Organization (CSO). Any and all money raised by FOFC goes directly to fund Fort Clinch State Park projects which would not be funded by the State of Florida. Through fundraising and grant acquisitions, the FOFC enables restoration projects at historic Fort Clinch, supports special events and educational programming, provides tools and equipment to assist park rangers, and expands and improves the park's renowned living history program. FOFC works closely with the local community and endeavors to be an integral part of Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach and Nassau County.