News Release No. 377

DEPARTMENT APPLAUDS AFP'S SELECTION
OF OUTSTANDING PHILANTHROPISTS

Volume 32-377

Contact: Sue Holst

(For immediate release)

573-751-6510

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. NOV. 15, 2004 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources today applauded the selection of Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones as outstanding philanthropists by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Pat Jones of Williamsburg received the award from AFP at its annual awards luncheon and celebration Nov. 15 in St. Louis. She accepted for her contributions and for those of her husband, Edward, who is deceased.

"We would like to echo the fact that Ted and Pat Jones deserve this honor for what they have done for the department and, especially, the Missouri state park system," said Steve Mahfood, department director.

The first major contribution to the state park system was the acquisition of the railroad corridor that was developed into Katy Trail State Park. In addition to funds for the acquisition, Ted and Pat Jones provided funds to develop the trail. Following Ted's death, Pat Jones continued to support the trail and these were reflected in the contributions by the Edward Jones Co. after the flood of 1993 to rebuild the trail. They have continued this support with contributions for the first full-color trail brochure and toward the opening event.

"Essentially, there would not be a Katy Trail State Park today if it were not for the support and financial contributions of Ted and Pat Jones," Mahfood said. Today, the trail is open 225 miles from St. Charles to Clinton.

Pat Jones has continued to support the state park system in many ways. She is a supporter of the Missouri Rails-to-Trail Foundation, the Missouri Parks Association and the Missouri State Park Foundation. During the efforts to renew the parks-and-soils sales tax, she was an active member of the Citizens Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks and supported it financially.

In May the department opened a new state park that is named in honor of the Joneses. The Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park is located at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in St. Charles County. "It is appropriate that this important new park be named after Ted and Pat as a small token of the support they have given the Missouri state park system," Mahfood said.

For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, call the Missouri Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

###