SCOTT CITY PARKS OFFICIAL MOVES TO CAPE

SCOTT CITY -- Being the park director in Scott City used to be a lonely job.

"When I first got here," said Penny Wingerter from her desk in the park office, "there would be days when I'd sit here and not see a soul, and it wasn't because it was raining. People just didn't come to the park like they do now."

From a window near her desk, Wingerter can see the changes she, park volunteers and more city funding have made possible, including a walking trail, renovations in the park pool and better grounds keeping.

Next on the list are lights for the baseball fields and a sand volleyball court. But Wingerter won't be around to see those projects through.

After three years with Scott City, Wingerter, 25, has left to become a recreation coordinator for the Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department. She starts Monday.

"I'm real excited," she said. "Cape has a lot of untapped potential, and it's really been a goal for me to work for Cape. It's one of the best Parks & Recreation Departments in the state."

Before becoming Scott City's Park Director, Wingerter, a 1988 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, worked for the Missouri Parks & Recreation Department in Jefferson City.

The Perryville native said the most challenging part of the Scott City job was trying to purchase equipment and make improvements to the park on a yearly budget of $100,000.

"After salaries and upkeep, there was only about half of that left to try to make improvements," she said. "It was a constant but pleasurable struggle."

Wingerter, who organized youth baseball and softball leagues, said she's glad to see some of the changes coming about even though she's leaving.

The new lights for the ball fields are a necessity, she said. "That's something I've wanted to see since I arrived."

During Wingerter's tenure, the youth leagues were reconstructed. Age divisions were broken down and, she said, the leagues were more youth - rather than parent - oriented.

"I made it more for recreation and not so much competition," she said.

But she doesn't take all the credit for the changes at the park. Park Superintendent Bud Holder, who is in charge of grounds-keeping, and volunteers helped to put the park on the right track, she said.

"For a small community, there is a lot of volunteer help," she said. "The youth programs have incredible support, especially the swim team. More than 80 kids participate in that every summer."

Wingerter said the 15-year-old park has come a long way. "This is the first year there has really been a steady stream of people in here on a daily basis," she said. "To finally see these extra things; you really get some satisfaction from it."

New playground equipment was purchased this year thanks to a grant to the city. It's the first playground equipment installed in the park since it was developed.

Wingerter will coordinate special events for the Cape department. One of the events she is looking forward to is an arts and crafts festival in Capaha Park this summer.