Summer is here! School is out, the days are getting hotter, and the kids are home looking for something to do. For all the folks who missed the June 3rd Mocksville Town Board meeting, a proclamation was read declaring June 15th-21st as Parks and Grounds Week. During our meeting, we took time to recognize the hard work of our Parks Department in keeping Rich Park and Downtown Park looking great and in helping create a welcoming environment for everyone in our town and county.
At the request of my son (the one who lives in Arizona), I had the opportunity last month to travel to Zion National Park in Utah to backpack and camp in The Narrows canyon. We hiked for 18 miles in the Virgin River and observed waterfalls and rock formations unlike any we have here in our area. It was the trip of a lifetime. I got to spend time with both my sons while taking in a part of God’s creation that I had never experienced before. Time spent with family making memories that will never be duplicated is priceless.
We can experience the beauty of our Creator’s handiwork right here in our backyard. Have you been to the Riverpark at Cooleemee lately? Have you walked the greenway at Rich Park or played disc golf in Farmington? Have you let your kids play in the splash pad at the Davie County Community Park or watched a movie in the Mocksville Downtown Park? There are so many ways to take advantage of all the local parks and events planned this summer.
Go to the Mocksville and Davie County websites for a calendar of events. Spend some time watching an American Legion game or a Carolina Disco Turkey baseball game at Mando Field, or attending a concert Downtown or at the Davie County Community Park. I attended a church picnic at one of the shelters in Rich Park on Sunday afternoon, and all the shelters were filled with families taking advantage of the beautiful, sunny day.
If you happen to be at any of the community parks and see one of the individuals responsible for maintaining the grounds, be sure to say a big “Thank You”. I know that Mocksville Parks Director Chris Vaughn and his crew would appreciate it if you could acknowledge the time and effort they put into making your experience the best it can be. If you see some trash that may have been accidentally dropped, pick it up and put it in a bin. If your pet happens to relieve itself on the trail, take the time to clear the path so the folks that are coming behind you can experience a clean trail just like you did.
As a Boy Scout, our goal on every camping trip was to “leave no trace behind” so the next group of campers could experience nature in the same way we did. Let’s keep that same standard as we use our local parks and greenways. I look forward to seeing you outside sometime this summer!