Accomplishments 

How Friends Dollars Support Devil’s Lake

Over the years, Friends members and volunteers have contributed to many valuable efforts, including events, staffing, facilities repairs, and capital improvement projects. Some of the more regular contributions include monies toward:

  • Hosting special events, such as Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Torchlit Hikes, and Music in the Park

  • Planting and mulching trees

  • Maintaining trails

  • Staffing supplemental help in the Nature Center and Visitor Center

  • Supporting nature center programming

  • Campground and picnic area enhancements

  • Accessibility upgrades and improvements

Funding Accomplishments

Where do Friends dollars go? The list below highlights some of the specific purchases and efforts from donations, which is just one way in which we support the Park. A mix of donations, fundraisers, and grants allows the Friends to support the park and enhance visitor services.

Examples of projects funded by Friends donations

2025
~$34,400

  • Park events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Chateau

  • Burial mound rehabilitation and restoration

  • Accessibility upgrades at campsites and day use areas

  • “Panoramic” interpretive display

  • Upgrades to emergency access / Ice Age Trail to East Bluff Trail

  • Nature Center supplies and equipment

  • Monthly stewardship workdays

    • Tree mulching

    • Beach clean-up

    • Campground clean-up

    • Bench repair and painting

    • Litter control

  • Two Adopt-A-Highway Clean-ups

  • Assistance with park operations and maintenance costs

2024
$51,000

  • Park events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • “Wingspan” display and Friends kiosk by the Chateau

  • Monthly stewardship workdays

  • Assist with park operations and maintenance costs

2023
$32,200

  • Park Events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • Marketing: Social media and website updates

  • Assist with park operations and maintenance costs

2022
$5,300

  • Interpretive signage

  • Park events

  • Miscellaneous park expenses

2018
$11,600

  • Scenic viewer repairs

  • Chamber of Commerce memberships

  • Bathroom improvements to Headquarters and Rock Elm Shelter buildings

  • Replace picnic table boards

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Maintenance tools

  • Campground host campsite improvements

2017
$8,450

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Employee summer picnic

  • Purchase staff radios

  • Purchase additional picnic grills

  • Install bathroom privacy screens

  • Spading trees

  • Replace tables and chairs in Red Oak shelter

2016
$13,600

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Annual meeting for Friends, Park staff and Concession Corporation

  • Carpet cleaning

  • Tree spading

  • Internship funding

  • Purchase emergency phone

  • Purchase lake buoys

  • Replace public bathroom lights on Headquarters building

  • Improvements to campground host campsite

2015
$10,780

  • Repair and parts for UTV, mower, and other small engine projects

  • Pesticides to protect park trees against Emerald Ash Borer pesticide

  • Snowshoes to loan to park visitors

  • iPads, sensors, and bat demo equipment for Nature Center

  • Purchase vault toilet blower motors

  • Repairs to Red Oak shelter

  • Supplies for blacktop trail paving repairs