Friends of the Park

Cape Girardeau is blessed with many parks, providing great facilities for competitive sports, walking and even Frisbee golf. This Saturday the Friends of the Park Day will be held to help keep these facilities looking nice.

The annual event, which in past years has drawn several hundred volunteers, is an important opportunity to spruce up the facilities, plant flowers, spread mulch and paint and stain items like park benches.

Brock Davis, with the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, said nearly 300 volunteers have preregistered for the event -- numbers that are up from previous years. He said there are folks who don't preregister but show up on the day of the event. These volunteers are also welcome. Brock said there are usually 400-500 people who participate.

While the Friends of the Park Day is usually dedicated to cleaning the city's 23 parks, this year the event will expand citywide. With the city's connection to Keep America Beautiful, a committee called Keep Cape Beautiful is combining efforts to help spruce up other areas of town. With this expanded effort, the event is now referred to as Friends of the Parks Day & the Great Cape Cleanup.

This is an important event for Cape Girardeau as we enter the summer months. The work provided goes a long way to maintaining the park facilities. For volunteers there will be free T-shirts and Schnucks will provide lunch.

The fun kicks off at 9 a.m. with most projects finishing by noon. Volunteers will meet at Cape Park Shelter No. 1.

You can preregister by calling 339-6340 or email parks@cityofcape.org. We hope you consider participating.