Yosemite National Park Kicks-off 125th Anniversary Celebration | Sierra Star

Ranger Gabriel Lavan-Ying named Honorary Chairman of anniversary with over 300 students in attendance at ceremony at Yosemite Falls

Yosemite National Park kicked-off its celebration of the park's 125th Anniversary with a ceremony at Yosemite Falls last week. The theme of the event was Youth of Today: Park Stewards of Tomorrow. Approximately 500 people attended the event, 300 of whom were students from the Yosemite region and Sacramento.

The guest of honor was Gabriel Lavan-Ying, better known as “Ranger Gabriel.” Ranger Gabriel was named an Honorary Yosemite National Park Ranger last June through a visit arranged by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Ranger Gabriel addressed the crowd and was named Honorary Chairman of the park's 125th Anniversary Celebration by park Superintendent Don Neubacher.

“The focus of today’s celebration and next year's Centennial of the National Park Service is on young people. The students of today will be the park stewards of tomorrow and we are making every effort to connect young people to national parks, an integral part of America's heritage,” stated park Superintendent Don Neubacher. “We are so pleased that Ranger Gabriel was here to help us kick off the Anniversary. He is truly an inspiration to us all, and we’re honored that he agreed to serve as the Honorary Chairman of the year-long Anniversary celebration.”

During Gabriel’s first visit to the park, he performed many duties that are done on a daily basis by Yosemite Park Rangers, including putting out a fire, conducting a search and rescue operation, going on a nature walk. Ranger Gabriel is actively raising money for other kids to realize their wish, just as he did. So far, “Team Ranger Gabriel” has raised more than $14,000, which will pay for two children to make their wish a reality.

The event also featured five students, from third grade through university, reading letters to the future stewards of Yosemite National Park. Other highlights included the Yosemite Mounted Patrol and the serving of commemorative cakes. After the brief ceremony, all of the students in attendance participated in educational activities related to Yosemite National Park and the importance of its preservation.

- NPS