About Us

Incorporated as a non-profit organization in October of 2003, the Friends is the Citizens Support Organization (CSO) for four beautiful and historic state parks in Franklin County: Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, John Gorrie Museum State Park, Orman House Historic State Park, and Chapman Botanical Gardens including the Three Servicemen Memorial.

The Friends provide support for the parks in many ways.  We lend muscle to work projects like building boardwalks and weeding gardens; we help sponsor special events and educational activities like John Gorrie Ice Days in Apalachicola; we promote beach access with the purchase of sand-friendly wheelchairs; we partner with the Franklin County School woodshop to build picnic tables for the parks; we apply for grants to assist with special projects.  We fund this support by raising money to supplement the parks’ state budgets in order to expand services to our visitors, residents, and volunteers. The funds we raise stay at our parks, and pay for needs like a 20-station fitness trail at the SGI State Park, and the reupholstering of historic family chairs at the Orman House.

Friends benefit from free entry to the State Parks for official Friends activities, and get 12 days of free admission to the parks we support.   But the biggest benefit is the gratification that comes with knowing that we are preserving and improving our historic beaches, buildings, and gardens for future generations.

Please join us by being a friend, lending a hand, and loving our Franklin County State Parks!