about us
Mission & Vision Statement
Mission of the Lassen Association
"The Lassen Association promotes the discovery of Lassen Volcanic National Park, enriches the experience of visitors, and supports the preservation and protection of the park for future generations. "
Vision of the Lassen Association
How the Mission is accomplished - "To enhance Lassen Volcanic National Park visitor's experience by operating on-site interpretive/educational merchandise outlets at the Loomis Museum and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, as well as an online bookstore. Products are high-quality books, maps, games, DVDs, and other items which help develop an appreciation of the natural and historical significance of Lassen Volcanic National Park."
History
The Lassen Association, as it is called today, is Lassen Volcanic National Park’s non-profit “cooperating association.” The primary purpose of such associations nationwide is to support the educational, scientific, historical, and interpretive activities of the National Park Service (NPS) by providing educational products and services that enrich national park visitors’ experiences. Such associations are one of the oldest and most enduring partnerships of the National Park Service.
The Association’s goals are accomplished by (1) selling appropriate educational items both at our sales outlets within Lassen Volcanic National Park and online, (2) sponsoring seminars and workshops, and (3) offering memberships. When we have revenues above our operating costs, we donate money to the park based on NPS requests. Such revenues have helped fund museum exhibits, the park’s “Peak Experiences” newspaper, the Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) Program, the Jr. Ranger Program, various scientific management activities, and other special park projects. While our national parks are owned by the American people, many aspects of our parks are not funded by tax money.
The Lassen Association started as an informal, ad hoc “society” aimed at supporting the educational and interpretive mission of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Having been organized in April 1939 by former Superintendent John Preston and Park Naturalist Carl Swartzlow, this society was one of the early organizations formed in the U.S. specifically to support the National Park Service.
The organization adopted a constitution and by-laws in January 1956. Incorporation as an official non-profit organization under California laws was achieved in March 1957. The official name, “Loomis Museum Association,” was chosen since most of the organization’s activities were centered at the Loomis Museum at Manzanita Lake, which opened about the time the “society” had formed. Formal designation of the Association was made by Assistant Secretary (DOI) Harry Slattery and signed by NPS Acting Director A.E. Demaray. The Articles of Incorporation were accepted by the State of California on March 23, 1967 with Louis W. Hallock as Chairman and James A. Richardson as Executive Secretary. One of the early board members was Rawlins Coffman, a Red Bluff attorney, who did the legal work for the organization’s incorporation on a gratis basis. The by-laws for the Loomis Museum Association were adapted May 4, 1967, to fit the new incorporation status.
It wasn’t until a 1969 by-laws amendment that membership in the Association was opened to people who were not board members. Interested parties were required to file an application to be sent to the executive secretary with a $1.00 membership fee. The by-laws amendment permitted attendance of non-board members at membership meetings (but with no voting privileges) and a 20% discount on purchases. At this time, the board was made up of five members. The park superintendent served as chair, the park naturalist was automatically executive secretary, and three other board members were “selected from citizens in local and nearby communities . . . having a genuine interest . . .” in the program.
The Lassen Association Was Formed
The Association produced postcards and slides for sale of the famous Loomis photos (for which the Association owned the copyright). In addition, the Association carried an assortment of publications such as books, trail leaflets, and information guides (including 26 titles in total, ten of which were the Association’s own products). Other items carried by the Association included educational posters, USGS topographic maps, and the phonograph record “Indian Days,” which entailed a personal interview with a park naturalist and a resident native American telling about their life and history in the park.
Loomis Museum Association Evolves
By-laws for the Association were amended over the years (1969, 1970, 1978, 1991, 1996, and 2009) to accommodate new NPS agreements, directives, and growth. Rhonda Whitmer served as one of the first Association aides followed by Jackie Cundiff who started in 1991 and was later hired as a business manager in 1996. Subsequent business managers or executive directors included Debbie Inouye, Anne Dobson, and currently Melanie Allen.
In 1990, the Association provided NPS with funds to help cover costs involved in producing a video called “Lassen Volcanic National Park– Land of Renewal.” In the same year, the Association covered the cost of a Lassen Volcanic National Park visitor survey conducted by California State University, Chico. Several years later in 1993, the Association was pleased once again to help financially support the completion of a second NPS video titled “Volcanoes, Glaciers, and Fumaroles” in cooperation with Dr. Aaron Bor of California State University, Chico. The video was entered in the Broadcast Education Association’s “Juried Faculty Production Competition” and was awarded a second place prize. Also in 1993, the Association provided funding to help Dr. Glen Kroh of Texas Christian University conducts research involving the mapping of forest species in the Devastated Area within the park.
Official Name Change
In 1996, the Association’s name was expanded to include the word “Lassen'' so people would more easily associate our organization with Lassen Volcanic National Park. Hence, the name “Lassen Loomis Museum Association'' was adopted. In addition, a new logo was adopted. The Association continued to grow its product line, which resulted in an increase in its donations to Lassen Volcanic National Park. The Association provided the first funding for the annual park volunteer appreciation event (and such funding continues to this day). With encouragement of the park superintendent in 1999, the products our Association offered expanded into “green – recycled” themes and product development that supported park research and resource programs. For many years, our Association has paid for the cost of publishing the park’s “Peak Experiences” newsletter, which is handed out to visitors at park entrance stations and is mailed to park supporters.
Southwest Visitor Services Facility
In 2003, when the NPS began planning the new Southwest Visitor Services Facility, Association board members participated in helping plan the new facility. In addition, Chairman Jud Hanna and other board members helped raise funds to meet the needs for setting up a new Association sales outlet in the visitor center, which was eventually named the “Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.” Realizing that the addition of the visitor center sales outlet would mean the Association’s primary sales area would no longer be limited to the Loomis Museum, the Lassen Loomis Museum Association board decided in 2006 to change the organization’s name to the “Lassen Association” and adopt a new logo.
The Lassen Association’s “Business Plan for Operations at the Loomis Museum and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center” was generated in 2008. The new visitor center outlet opened in October of 2008 and the outlet at the park headquarters in Mineral, CA was closed accordingly.
Hiking Lassen Volcanic National Park
In 2010, the Association started a new field seminar program aimed at helping visitors learn of the park through photography. The Association then started offering guided hikes in 2017 with Tracy Salcedo, the author of a book carried by the Association called “Hiking Lassen Volcanic National Park.”
Over the years, the Association has printed or reprinted a number of books. For example, in 2016 we carefully reprinted the “Pictorial History of the Lassen Volcano” by B.F. Loomis, which was last printed in 1926. More recently, we designed and printed a new photo book called “Lassen through the Lens, 100 Years of Lassen Volcanic National Park.” The concept and the majority of the work was done by Lassen Association’s Executive Director, Melanie Allen. The Association has also designed and sold a limited number of educational and interpretive gift and/or souvenir items over the years.
Lassen Peak Eruption
May 22, 1915, there was an explosive eruption of Lassen Peak. The eruption forever altered an already dynamic landscape and led to the creation of a national park which serves as a place of discovery for curious visitors and a living laboratory for a variety of scientists. Lassen Volcanic National Park celebrated the Eruption Centennial with a special celebration at the Loomis Museum. The Lassen Association developed special commemorative items for the centennial.
Celebrating 100 Years!
Celebrating 100 Years! News of the eruptions, including the famous six photo series by Benjamin F. Loomis, excited a nationwide interest in the volcano that sparked efforts to establish a National Park. Although larger eruptions would follow later that summer and the next, Loomis’s photos became essential support in the establishment of Lassen Volcanic National Park on August 9, 1916. There were many special events at Lassen Volcanic National Park in 2016 to celebrate. Also in 2016, the Association, in partnership with Lassen Volcanic National Park, started the extremely popular “Adopt a Pika” program. Donations to this program have helped field scientists track pika populations in the park as well as impacts, like our changing climate, that may affect the pikas.
Over the years, the Lassen Association’s Board of Directors has been composed of people with widely varying backgrounds including teachers, business owners, financial advisors, lawyers, professors, and even past NPS employees. However, all Board members have shared one trait, namely, a strong connection to and love of, Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Dixie Fire
Lassen Association and Lassen Park Foundation, in partnership with Lassen Volcanic National Park, created the Lassen Resilience campaign to showcase the park’s resilience and bolster recovery efforts following the 2021 Dixie Fire.
The Lassen Association plans to continue as a 501©3 non-profit organization working cooperatively with NPS staff in the future to be responsive to the changing needs of visitors to Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Early reference and excerpts; “Field Trip Report – Review of Cooperating Association Operations Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, June 1969,” by E. Alberts.