Tractor donated early to BIPS rangers

From left to right, BIPS board members Dave Ferrie, Mike Giobbe, BIPS Executive Director Sharon McKenzie, board members Joan Ardrey, Jim Grant, Susie Stringer and Mary Lou Humphrey. In the back row are Assistant Park Ranger Mark Duncan, BIPS board member Chrys Hyde and Parks Manager Chad Lach.

The tractor is to be used exclusively to support a number of park services at three of the state parks that BIPS supports – Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro Land Base and Stump Pass Beach.

Lach said, ”The park staff and I are just so excited to have this new tractor. To have a piece of equipment that is reliable, dependable and able to tackle the task at hand will make our jobs so much easier. We cannot say thank you enough to the CSO board of directors, BIPS’ contributors, volunteers, and staff for making this happen.”

The island park staff has had a tractor for years, but it is in need of major repairs, has only two-wheel drive which limits it uses, and lacks useful attachments to provide vital services.

They can put the new tractor to immediate use to improve and assist capabilities in maintaining park roads and parking facilities, move and store lighthouse-museum exhibits, maintain fire lines at Don Pedro, clean and improve hiking trails and, with four-wheel drive, to maintain our beaches as required from time to time.  

BIPS’ new funding game plan, which will kick off in the fall, will be to ask islanders and BIPS members to help us pay off the loan with donations to “The Tractor Fund.”

If you wish to begin helping BIPS now to pay off the loan, please send a check payable to BIPS at: P.O. Box 637, Boca Grande, Florida, 33921 and mark “tractor fund” on the memo line.