Friends of Jocassee (FOJ) Year in Review 2024

The Friends of Jocassee (FOJ) accomplished a lot this year!  Take a look at this recap of 2024 and how FOJ educates, protects, and enhances the Jocassee Gorges. And see what we have in store for 2025!

Overall

  • Revalidated Friends of Jocassee mission and outreach imperatives.  Adopted new Mission Statement: “Conservation of the Jocassee Gorges for all.”

  • Purchased Directors and Officers insurance for all board members.

  • Established committee structure to deliver on imperatives and developed marketing, membership, governance and fundraising goals.

  • Implemented in Google workspace for FOJ Board members to organize events, communications and administrative activities for efficient operations.

  • Granted former board members Mike Atkins and Kevin Evans emeritus status members.

  • Welcomed new executive board member Traci BeGole.

  • Dedicated a memorial bench for our past president, Nathan Pinner, using funds generated through donations.

  • Focused on increasing membership with new campaigns;  created new membership brochures and FOJ banners.

  • Increased awareness of FOJ through participation in newly formed SC Lake Associations meetings, published article in Friends of Lake Keowee Society’s magazine (KEOWEE), and partnered with Friends of Gorges to support Mountain Monarch Festival (cancelled due to Hurricane Helene).

  • Planned and hosted our FOJ Annual Meeting on November 23rd with Heyward Douglas as guest speaker.

Educate

  • Awarded two $1,000 Educational Scholarships for outdoor education to James M. Brown Elementary and Blue Ridge Elementary.

  • Updated signs on the Oconee Bell Trail for interpretative use.

  • Hosted 11th Annual BellFest event on March 16th with the highest attendance to date of approximately 750 attendees. 

    • 30 Vendors and exhibitors, 2 food trucks, 3 local bands, and guest speaker Rick Huffman.

    • Added Oconee Bell Trail shuttle to much favorable feedback.

Protect

  • Maintained wood duck boxes around Lake Jocassee.

  • Assisted Boy Scout troop in gaining volunteer hours for Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico.

  • Facilitated 4 Adopt a Highway events quarterly, resulting in over 50 bags of trash collected over 4 miles of roadways.

  • Coordinated PUP - Perk Up the Park at Keowee Toxaway State Park on May 13th.  Litter pickup of 18 bags of trash and light park projects completed.

  • Successfully hosted 13th annual V.I.P. Day on September 14th at Devils Fork State Park (DFSP) and Lake Jocassee with over 70 divers, kayaks, land, trail and road volunteers resulting in the collection of 50 bags of trash;  assisted with construction of 5 picnic tables for the state park.

  • Rescheduled Native Plant Workday for next year (initially scheduled for October 14th, which was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene.)

Enhance Experiences

  • Held 2 Campground Crawls handing out lemonade and popsicles to DFSP campers and boat launch users while creating awareness about our FOJ mission.

  • Hosted Fishing with Friends Trout Tournament on April 27th with 24 participants.

  • Planned and gained sponsors for annual Paddle Splash race on October 5th, which was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene.

  • Hosted our very own Jocassee Santa on November 23rd with photos, crafts, and refreshments at DFSP Day Use area.

Initial FOJ Plans for 2025

Overall

  • Continued efforts to communicate with our membership through newsletters, website and social media outreach.

  • Plans for purchasing storage containers for FOJ Inventory and DFSP.

  • Recruiting of new board members.

  • Renewed focus on fundraising with new events such as an FOJ Golf Tournament to help raise funds for specific projects as well as to make up for the cancellation of this year’s Paddle Splash event - one our largest fundraisers.

  • We plan on providing a full calendar of events much like prior years and adding a few additional opportunities to show your support for FOJ.

Educate

  • Will continue to provide Education Scholarships to local elementary schools to increase wildlife education and advocacy.

  • Plan on participating in Friends of Gorges Mountain Monarch Festival to bring awareness of their migration journey across Lake Jocassee.

  • Developing quarterly Lunch and Learn programs to educate members about various scientific studies within the Jocassee Gorges.

Protect

  • Developing a plan to support the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking Research project with Birds Canada, Audubon and American Bird Conservancy.

  • Proposed workday in February to help clean up extensive park damage at DFSP on the Oconee Bell Trail.

  • Setting up a new wood duck box location to encourage more nesting success.

Enhance

  • Working with Earth Design to consider a design proposal for an ADA Accessible launch site at Day Use area.  Campaign entitled “Jocassee Access for All.”

  • Will continue funding Campsite Impact Pads for DSFP as time permits.