This Washington Gives season Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park is partnering with City Fruit and WA State Park to launch Renewing the Orchard : Rooted in History, Still Growing for the Future, a four year campaign to steward the historic apple orchard trees into the next generation. These trees were planted by one of the pioneering farming families and have only been minimially maintained since the acquisition of the site in the 1950’s.

Earlier this year we were connected to City Fruit and are excited to be partnering with them to help WA State Parks steward these apple trees into the future, but we need our communities help. We are seeking to raise $7500 dollars in the next few months to get this four year project underway in summer/fall of 2026. What better time to give then for during the Washington GiveBIG fundraising event?

With these funds City Fruit master arborist will help us prune the trees, identify any hazard branches, and train WA State Park staff to continue the appropriate pruning and care of the historic apple trees. City Fruit will also help us work on the younger trees located near the park offices.

Beyond the pruning work we will be partnering with City Fruit and local entities to hold community programs to gather edible apples from the younger trees and donate them to local food banks, learn to make apple sauce and cider, and work to make these apple trees productive again.

Will you help us reach our goal? You can give to the Renewing the Orchard campaign through our WA GiveBig site here or on our direct donation site here. The WA GiveBIG event will end with a 24 hours giving event on May 5th. Will you consider pushing our campaign forward with a gift today?

Every donor with a $50 dollar gift or more will be acknowledged on a small plaque to be placed at the orchard site. Please help us spread the word and share this campaign with your friends and family to save a little bite of this pioneering history right here in our own community.

Thank you for helping us steward these fruit trees forward for the next generation!

Donate Today!