Summer fun abounds at Brunet Island State Park

As summer approaches, Friends of Brunet Island State Park is making plans to benefit the park. The group has been organized to promote the park, provide supplemental revenue and assist the park staff on specific projects.

The first 2024 activity for the friends group, will be to staff a booth at Outdoor Edventure at Mill Yard Park, Sunday, April 28. Following the event, friends and any volunteers who wish to join, will have a clean-up in the state park in the picnic/beach area, picking up branches and any trash.

Gloves are suggested; rakes would be useful, as well.  Admission stickers will not be required for those helping out with the clean-up. Helpers should meet at the beach area pavilion at 3 p.m.

Other events currently on the calendar, are the following presentations: Birds of Brunet Island, May 25, at 10 a.m., by Andrea Smith; State Park Open House Weekend hike, June 1, at 10 a.m., by Sue Crisp; Pelts and Skulls, July 27, at 2 p.m., by Mike Reiter; Wisconsin bats, with children’s crafts, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m., by Sue Crisp; Owl Program, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m., by Beaver Creek Reserve staff; and Dutch Oven Cooking, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m., by Crisp.

All events are free of charge and open to the public.  Those who want to participate, should meet at the  pavilion in the park, near the beach area, at the start time.

Over the past few years, the friends have refurbished three of the four fire rings in the park, purchased a  side-by-side vehicle for the staff and funded the reconstruction of  the bridge along the Jean Brunet nature trail. During the summer of 2024, a new kayak launch will be installed on the west side of the island and the fourth fire ring will be refurbished.

For those who want to learn more about the 501(c)3 group, the next meeting will be held in the shop attached to the park office, Wednesday, May 15, at 3 p.m., or look them up on Facebook.