DENVER — A petition drive is underway to get a special Colorado license plate for Mesa Verde National Park.
Colorado currently offers 39 special license plates for a variety of groups ranging from Rocky Mountain National Park and State Parks, to Adopt a Shelter Pet, Girl Scouts, firefighters and others. Typically, a specialty license plate costs $60 in addition to your regular registration fees. Plate owners are also expected to donate $30 or more to the cause being supported by the plate sales.
"We are wanting to get a Colorado specialty license plate for Mesa Verde that would provide some funding for the park, all proceeds through the license plates would go directly to park projects," explained Janet McFarland Burlile, the Executive Director for the Mesa Verde Foundation.
The Mesa Verde Foundation is Mesa Verde National Park's nonprofit partner. The Foundation raises money for park projects that go beyond what the federal government pays for.
The Foundation has provided money to help stabilize Cliff Palace, buy more bear-proof food storage lockers for the campground, and they're working to pay for transportation so students from nearby school district's can visit the park.
To get the special license plate, the Colorado State Legislature must pass a bill approving it. To get the legislature to look at the bill, the Foundation needs 3,000 signatures on a petition. You can learn more and sign the petition here.
Learn more about the Mesa Verde Foundation.