Silver Springs State Park to receive $436,000 bequest from former volunteer

Silver Springs State Park will receive a $436,000 gift from the estate of Monica McNamara, a longtime volunteer and supporter from Ocala. The bequest adds momentum to the Florida State Parks Foundation’s legacy giving effort as National Make-A-Will Month begins.

Why it matters: - The $436,000 bequest will support Silver Springs State Park directly through the Florida State Parks Foundation. - The gift comes from a former volunteer, underscoring how estate giving can extend a supporter’s impact long after active service ends. - The announcement lands at the start of National Make-A-Will Month, which the Foundation is using to encourage legacy giving for Florida’s state parks.

What happened: - Monica McNamara, 80, of Ocala, Florida, died on May 30, 2025. - McNamara included a $436,000 gift in her estate for the Florida State Parks Foundation, designated exclusively for Silver Springs State Park. - Silver Springs State Park is one of Florida’s most visited state parks and has offered glass-bottom boat tours for nearly 150 years. - McNamara had previously volunteered at the park. - Her bequest makes her the newest member of the Great Blue Heron Legacy Society, the Foundation’s legacy and estate giving program.

The details: - Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Florida State Parks Foundation, said McNamara’s gift reflects a deep connection to Silver Springs State Park and will help support the park “for decades to come.” - The Great Blue Heron Legacy Society launched in 2024. - Fourteen benefactors have joined the society since launch. - John Kerschner and Bonnie Lizer are among the donors named by the Foundation. - Society members can receive recognition on the Foundation’s website, if they choose, along with other membership benefits. - The Florida State Parks Foundation was founded in 1993 as Friends of Florida State Parks and renamed in 2018. - The nonprofit supports the Florida Park Service, its parks and trails, local Friends groups, and more than 20,000 park volunteers. - The Foundation says it works through programs that preserve and protect state parks, educate visitors, encourage community engagement and active use, and support advocacy. - Florida State Parks Foundation Services LLC, an affiliate, completes the Foundation’s projects. - The Foundation’s board includes members from private and public sectors and local and statewide interests.

Between the lines: - The McNamara bequest highlights a growing reliance on planned gifts to support park maintenance and long-term preservation. - The legacy society gives donors a formal way to align estate planning with conservation, recognition, and park support. - The timing around National Make-A-Will Month suggests the Foundation is trying to turn a single gift into broader awareness and future commitments.

What's next: - The Florida State Parks Foundation is encouraging supporters of Florida’s state parks to consider joining the Great Blue Heron Legacy Society during National Make-A-Will Month. - The Foundation is expected to use legacy gifts to strengthen long-term support for Silver Springs State Park and other Florida parks.

The bottom line: - A longtime volunteer’s estate gift is now set to help preserve one of Florida’s signature parks while the Foundation pushes more donors toward legacy giving.