Well, it’s been almost 4 years of talking about it, but we are finally on the way to making "Friends of Bodie" an official non-profit organization.
Until now, "FOB" has been a "doing business as" name for SSPF (Sierra State Parks Foundation.) I sat on the Board of Directors for almost two years as a voting member, and as the Secretary/Treasurer.
After much debate, and false starts, a committed group of us who love and want to protect Bodie, have begun the process of making things happen.
We have filed with the State of California as a California Non-Profit. We are preparing the paperwork and pulling things together to file for 501(c)(3) status, and will eventually (hopefully sooner than later) be filing to become the Cooperating Association responsible for Bodie State Historic Park.
This is going to be a lot of work, but well worth it to help preserve the ghost town of Bodie. Although it is a California State Park, the State has not been funding the park as it needs to, and the condition of most of the area is awful. The State just isn’t putting enough money into this treasure. With almost 200 buildings from the late 1800’s, Bodie is truly an amazing, unique place that we need to protect for future generations. If we don’t save it now, there won’t be anything like it in the future to save.
If anyone is at all interested in donating or in any way support Friends of Bodie, please do email me or visit www.FriendsOfBodie.org.