Keeping the legacy alive: Friends of the Parks hopeful to attract new members by hosting Thursday night’s ‘Bring Back the Friends’ floating meeting/social

Mount Olive area residents interested in becoming part of the legacy of Mount Olive Friends of the Parks are being encouraged to attend a “Bring Back the Friends” floating meeting/social that will be held between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at Pizza Village, 500 N. Breazeale Ave.

Founded in 2000, Friends of the Parks (FOTP) help maintain Nelson Street and Westbrook parks.However, a combination of older members who have aged out or have passed away and COVID restrictions have taken a toll on its membership.

“It is our hope that soon we will be able to fill these vacancies on our board giving us more leadership, new faces, new ideas and extend our base all around Mount Olive and its surrounding communities,” said Tony Martin, FOTP president, who is the only member of those who first came together to form the nonprofit in 2000.

Those original members were a blessing and provided a wealth of information and knowledge that Mount Olive Parks and Recreation Director Josh Phillips said he could draw upon.

“We need a new group of folks that are willing to take pride in our community, in our children, and this (meeting) is a chance to be a part of that,” Phillips said. “What we want them to know is that all of this stuff they see in the parks … don’t they want more for our community and our parks? This is their chance.”

For example, there is a vision to add a splash pad at Westbrook Park, he said.That and other ideas can be brought to FOTP that can be asked what is needed in the parks, Phillips continued. There is plenty of space at Westbrook and Nelson Street parks to implement those ideas, he said.

“And with these people and this help, we can do that,” Phillips added. “That is my hope. We already have incredible parks, but they can be even better with the help of community members.”

Martin said he would like to have areas at the parks that are totally handicapped accessible where children who have handicaps or disabilities can come and play.

“We are very excited about our floating Bring Back the Friends pizza party social/meeting at Pizza Village,” he said. “This will be our first planned public meeting and membership push since we stopped meeting because of COVID restrictions.

“Josh and I hope that having an evening meeting at a location like Pizza Village, where entire families can come with less time restraints, as well as eat and play, will make for a good turnout. We hope this will be a time for our guests to learn about the FOTP, what we do, what our goals and needs are as well as meet the driving force behind the Pickle Train. And most of all, become a friend.”

There is no membership fee even though the charter calls for a $15 fee; the fee has not been enforced in many years, Martin said.

“We were just honored to have people join us and be a part of it,” he said.

The organization provides leadership, conducts the business of, and promotes the financial support for the FOTP through a board of directors; helps develop the guidelines for the parks and playgrounds as well as govern the rules and regulations of the parks in cooperation with the town’s Parks and Recreation Dept.

It supports the growth and upkeep of the parks and sponsors events and socials in the parks. It also works with other organizations, nonprofits and individuals in promoting their purpose, goals and financial success.

“When you think about Friends of the Parks, it helps me out in my department because there is always something messed up at a park because of the public,” Phillips said. “We are trying to fix something all of the time.

“We have so much going on and so much in our parks that maintenance is a concern.”

Martin has been a part of the FOTP since it was created in 2000 and has been the president since 2011.

“It’s been awesome to see the changes and the growth at both of our parks,” he said. “Since 1998 when we began the plans for Kids World (playground at Westbrook Park) I have met and have seen so many of the kindest, most generous, talented people and organizations be a part of making our parks what they are today.

“We want to be sure this continues on for many more years to come. With that said I hope that our Nov. 9 meeting will be the start of many more meetings, events and socials for the FOTP, our parks and most of all for the children who play in our parks.”

The Pickle Train has become a great success for the FOTP and has become its primary fundraiser, Martin said.

For some time now Friends of the Parks has been raising money to extend the length of the George Fulghum Train Depot to help accommodate a larger and improved Pickle Train, and the funding for this project is nearly complete, he added.

“We are seeking a builder who can do the addition to the depot for us, and we welcome any building professionals to contact us,” Martin said.

Recently, new and larger seats were built for the Pickle Train barrels to make it more comfortable and safer for riders, he continued.

“We appreciate Danny Strickland with Mount Olive Builders for donating all the material needed for our new seats,” Martin said.

In late October, a ‘Paint and Beautification Day’ was held at the parks where all of the park benches were painted and trees added to the landscape.

“We appreciate the freshmen students and Amanda Raynor, University of Mount Olive director of First Year Experience & Traditional Student advisor” Martin said. “We also appreciate Tony Jones at Mount Olive True Value for his donation in obtaining the trees, the equipment and the manpower for planting the trees.”

One of the next projects will be to stain/seal all the wood on the playgrounds and around the parks. Currently FOTP is looking for paint contractors for this job.

“We welcome any paint contractors to contact us,” Martin said. “This will be done in cooperation with the Mount Olive Parks and Recreation Dept. We appreciate Scott Summerlin with SummCo Complete Clean for doing the pressure washing at Westbrook Park in preparation for the stain/sealer.

“Scott and SummCo have provided all the equipment, chemicals and labor needed for cleaning everything at Westbrook Park at no cost to the Friends.”

The next work day, hopefully to be held soon will be “Mulch Day” where mulch will be spread in and around all of the play areas at Westbrook Park, he added.

“This will be a Saturday event that will take about four hours depending on how many volunteers show up with rakes, pitch forks and wheelbarrows,” Martin said. “It will include some music while we work, food and lots of fellowship. We welcome people of all ages on this day.

“It sounds like work, but it’s always fun and we always make new friends.”

The Mount Olive Rotary Club recently sponsored a “Mulch Day” at Nelson Street Park. The club donated the money for the mulch and help provide labor in spreading the mulch.

“To hold these work days (at the parks) with people in the community who know how to handle a drill or hammer or have knowledge in certain areas, all these work days — the camaraderie is what we miss because back in the day there used to be so many people coming out with incredible, positive energy,” Phillips said. “They can bring their kids during this work day.

“It might be something as easy as moving mulch — something that everybody can do. Or it might be building new picnic tables that we have had somebody donate the wood. You are teaching the younger generation how to volunteer. So we need to get back into doing stuff like that.”

FOTP has been blessed with great financial support from corporate sponsors like Mt. Olive Pickle Co., Southern Bank and Trust and Tri-County Electric Membership Corp., Martin said.

It also has enjoyed local business support from companies like Mount Olive True Value, Mount Olive Builders, Pizza Village, Piggly Wiggly, Hwy 55 and Walmart, he said.

“We also are financially supported by our local churches including the Mount Olive Methodist Peanut Crew, the First Baptist Church and the Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church,” Martin said. “We are so pleased to get to be a part of the many events sponsored by the Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church — these events always draw huge crowds, especially children. Being a part of these events brings a lot of good exposure to our town, our parks and our Pickle Train.”

It also is a pleasure to help and serve other nonprofits and organizations who likewise support Friends of the Parks, he added.

“Being able to help promote other organizations, their goals and helping them promote their cause and message is a win-win for everyone,” Martin explained.

“Josh and I often say, ‘We do what we do for the children.’ So if you have children; if you love to see children have a fun and a safe place to play; if you love and use the parks of Mount Olive; if you want to make a difference, come join us on Thursday Nov. 9, any time between 6 and 8 p.m. for a floating business social at the Pizza Village. You’ll make a friend and be glad you did.”

For more information, contact Martin at 919-273-1057 or Phillips at 919-738-2602.