FRIENDS OF PARK DAY HELPS TO MAKE CITY SHINE

It seems appropriate that Friends of the Park Day should so closely follow Earth Day. It allows us to bring the global consciousness for preserving our Earth down to our own part of the planet by sprucing up our parks this Saturday.

Hundreds of volunteers will give of their time Saturday morning. They will be painting pools, waxing playground equipment, planting flowers, weeding park ground and much more. It's a chance for young and old to show their appreciation for Cape Girardeau's first-class parks.

The effort will be headquartered at Capaha Park, which is one of the most utilized of the city's 24 parks. Friends of the Park Day will run from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will be treated to breakfast, lunch and T-shirts, thanks to a number of local businesses.

Friends of the Park Day helps us in several ways. First, volunteer labor saves money during times of tight finances. But more importantly, the day builds pride and enthusiasm for our park system. It gives park patrons an enhanced sense of ownership.

Lush and well-tended green space softens our fast-paced, concrete world. City parks give us a chance to kick back to enjoy nature and family outings. Our city and county parks are some of the finest in the region and state. But to maintain that status, they need constant maintenance and care. But they also need use. Unused parks can often fall into disrepair.

This marks the seventh year for Friends of the Park Day. Rainy skies did not dampen the enthusiasm of volunteers last year. More than 500 citizens participated.

The day brings together organized groups as well as individuals and families. We encourage anyone who cares about our parks to join in. There's no need to pre-register. People only need to care enough to show up Saturday morning, ready for work. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. If enough people show up, volunteers may be put to work on projects at other parks as well.

Friends of the Park Day is an important part of "Help Cape Shine" month. A well-main~tained park system really allows our city to "shine" for tourists and residents alike.