Volunteers clean up Westbrook Park so others can safely play

Kim Kornegay stood before the row of rakes and shovels, scanning back and forth before bending down to grab her choice.

Seconds later, her daughter Morgan did the same, and they set off to level mulch in scooped out areas of Kids World Playground.

The Kornegays were among the some 20 volunteers who turned out Saturday morning to help out at the Community Work Day at Westbrook Park sponsored by Mount Olive Friends of the Parks.

“We have a long to-do list, and whatever we do on the to-do list is positive,” said Josh Phillips, Mount Olive Parks and Recreation director. “Things are always needed at the parks.

“The folks who come out get more than just saying they are working at the park. There is good community involvement, and if you bring your children, they are learning in the process — to give back and volunteer.”

Volunteers included members of Mount Olive Girl Scout Troop 389 and Rotary Club and Exchange Club members.

Danny Strickland with Strickland and Mitchell Properties came with his tractor to do some heavy work.

“We had a good group of volunteers that I am proud of; they all worked hard and they helped get a lot done,” said Tony Martin, president of the Mount Olive Friends of the Parks.

The volunteers leveled the mulch around the park, painted a swing set bright red, reworked flower beds, cleaned the playground areas, filled in holes, replaced timber boarders around one swing set and removed old concrete bollards and the cable that connected them.

“I am all about service, the community services,” said Kim Kornegay, a member of the Mount Olive Rotary Club. “If there is a project that needs to be done, we normally participate. I am part of the Rotary organization which is a club of service.

“My daughter, who has been in Girl Scouts since kindergarten (and is a now a high school freshman), so it has been a long time.”

The project is to beautify the community — something they both want to be a part of, Kornegay added.

“We come here (park) a lot,” she said. “We walk the trail and Morgan of course, when she was younger, would play on the playground. We love it. So anything to beautify or help — we are there.”

The parks are an important part of the community, Williams continued.

“It is very beneficial as far as family time and getting kids out of the house and off of the electronic devices and get some fresh air,” she said.

It is a family-oriented area where children can have fun, Williams said.

“Not just kids,” she added. “I am a big kid, and I enjoy it.”

Williams encouraged any and everyone to participate whenever there is a community service project in town.

She also invited everyone to attend Rotary Club meetings held each Thursday at noon at the Mount Olive First United Methodist Church, 120 E. James St.

“I appreciate everyone who came, it was a beautiful day,” Martin said.

Martin thanked Max Herrera with M.P.H. Septic Tank and Driveways for donating a 10-ton load of topsoil for the flower beds and filling in a lot of holes around the park.

“We recently had an old chain link fence moved and replaced, so one of the goals for the tractor operators was to clean the fence lines and remove other damaged fencing and concrete bollards,” Martin said. “The donation of the hours done by the tractor operators certainly made light work of those jobs.

“We appreciate the town of Mount Olive for providing an employee and a dump truck for hauling away the yard waste and concrete scraps. The FOTP has always had a good partnership with the town. The partnership with the town and the Friends helps so much and it’s really good for our parks.”

A work day at Nelson Street Park is being planned in the very near future, he said.

Next for the Friends is the N.C. Pickle Festival, Martin said.

“We will have the famous Pickle Train set up at the festival on the corner of Chestnut and Main streets beside the library,” he added. “The Pickle Festival is a lot of fun and a great fundraiser for the Friends of the Parks.

“We welcome any volunteers who would like to help us on that day on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If someone would like to help for an hour or two, just show up at the train on Saturday.”

Members of the local Pickle Ball Club attended the last Friends board meeting, Martin said.

“I believe the Friends will be partnering very soon with the Pickle Ball group to begin the plans for fundraising and constructing a pickle ball court at Westbrook Park,” he added. “There is a lot of excitement about the project throughout town.”

Also being planned is the 25th anniversary celebration for Kids World Playground on Oct. 25, Martin said.

“The Friends have watched a lot of babies grow up enjoying Kids World and our parks,” he added. “For the birthday celebration we hope to have lots of fun, games, food and entertainment free for everyone.

“We are also looking forward to digging up the time capsule buried at Kids World 25 years ago at this birthday celebration.”

The Friends will be reaching out to other civic groups, charities and churches for donations of food, desserts, and sponsorships of all kinds for the “Let’s have a 25th Birthday Party” help, he added.

“We are looking forward to all the great things coming for the Friends this year,” Martin said. “We welcome everyone to come and enjoy our parks, and invite everyone to join the Friends. We met every third Thursday at 6 p.m. at Pizza Village. Watch our Facebook page for updates.

“As always, to everyone we say, thank you for being a Friend.”

Founded in 2000, Friends of the Parks supports and helps maintain Westbrook and Nelson Street parks.