Volunteer Opportunities At Edgar Evins State Park



Volunteer Opportunities At Edgar Evins State Park

EESP booth at Baxter Street Fair: EESP Seasonal Naturalist, Holly Taylor, shares a pet snake with a child and her mother at the Baxter Street Fair, while volunteer Anna Bertram of Bradyville looks on.
“What happens in the park, stays in the park”, says Fount Bertram, President of the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park, on Center Hill Lake, near Smithville. Mr. Bertram is referring to monies raised by the Friends group. As a state chartered not-for-profit organization 100% of the funds brought in by the Friends is used to help the park.

“This is especially important just now”, adds Mr. Bertram, “because of the state’s even deeper budget cuts”. Mr. Bertram is a long time resident of Cannon County who has served as a volunteer of the park through the Friends group since 2003.

Within the past year the organization has provided a laptop computer, and digital projector for the use of the park’s seasonal naturalist to provide top notch visual programs both at the park and in the community. Other accomplishments include a group size barbeque grill, color printer for the office, the money to purchase plants and materials to develop a butterfly garden, maintenance on hiking trails, the purchase of specialized tools for park maintenance, and new decking on the park’s pontoon boat.

The Friends of Edgar Evins State Park and loyal park employees provide several events for the public throughout the year, some to raise money and some to give back to the community. The Celebration of Spring is an event that is free to the public and true to its name this last year featured wildflower and bird identification walks, the Easter Bunny and an Egg Hunt. In addition the fund raising events include a waterfall tour with visits to different waterfalls in Middle Tennessee each spring, the annual History Hayride in October, and the Fall Color Cruise on Centerhill Lake via pontoon boats. Before Christmas the Friends entertain guests (without charge) from the Smithville Senior Citizens Center with a home cooked holiday dinner at the park’s Hospitality Hut.

In addition to events, projects to beautify the park are underway. One of these is to paint nature themed murals on the now obsolete old pay stations throughout the park. “We need artists to step forward to help with these”, says Mr. Bertram. “We don’t care what age they are, from elementary school to senior citizen. As long as they can design and paint we can probably use their talents. “

“We are always looking for new persons to join us in our planning and carrying out of these programs. The fee to become a member of the Friends of Edgar Evins Sate Park is small and may be paid for by giving 10 hours of volunteer service on our projects. We have fun and enjoy fellowship while we work together to make our chosen park a better place for the community”, states Mr. Bertram

Persons interested in finding out more about the volunteer opportunities at Edgar Evins State Park may contact Mr. Bertram at (615)765-5357 or fwbertram@dtccom.net Visit the website at http://foeesp.ne1.net/.