Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Volunteer Reinforcements for Parks

The CA has a good story today on Joan Alperin, a volunteer landscaper at Fox Meadows Golf Course, one of the city-owned courses. She spends hours each week tending to the golf course and setting out plants for it. Outdoors, Inc. co-owner Joe Royer says that the park closest to your home is the most important park in the world.

Memphis parks are lucky to have various people adopt them and do a bit more tending and caretaking than the DPS budget can manage on its own. Lee Askew and Mary Allie McClellan have been long time daily litter gatherers on their morning walks through Overton Park. We've also been lucky enough to have different people clearing and maintaining Old Forest trails and the jogging trail. Overton Park manager Gary Basye cites Park Friends' volunteer efforts in the article.

Ms. Alperin makes the point that if everyone picked up just a bit of what they encounter in their daily lives, Memphis could be transformed. Please consider picking up a few pieces of litter, pulling a few weeds from flowerbeds, or doing other small services for the park that is most important to you. If many of us did a few small things regularly, our parks would become their best selves.

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