With A Little Help
Maximize impact through a “friends of” parks group
By Dave Herpy
In late September 2020, a lunch conversation at a local pizza shop in Clayton, N.C., spurred the idea for the Friends of Johnston County Parks—a volunteer coalition advocating in support of parks, open space, the arts, and recreational opportunities. Since that initial conversation among a passionate citizen, the county’s Parks, Greenways, and Open-Space Coordinator, and the town of Clayton’s Parks and Recreation Director, the group has accomplished the following:
Trent Stanforth, Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center
Recently registered as a non-profit organization with the North Carolina Secretary of State
Established its first board of directors
Grown its support to more than 1,000 followers on social-media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter)
Hosted a handful of public events.
What makes Friends of Johnston County Parks unique is its approach—partnerships with not only the county and the town, but also the East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA), Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST), Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, Johnston County Visitors Bureau, and Triangle Land Conservancy, to name a few.
Tapping Into Resources
Since the group was new, a critical resource for establishing a framework for the organization was National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Park Advocate Handbook, a free resource available as a PDF download. It provided the essential steps in creating, developing, and growing the organization into what it is today. From establishing a mission, vision, and strategic priorities for the organization to recruiting volunteers to gaining support from local businesses and elected officials, the handbook served as the organization’s “go-to” source.
The Friends of Johnston County Parks core group and now Board of Directors includes business owners, coaches, community leaders, parks and recreation students at NC State University, and parks and recreation professionals, as well as ex-officio members, including the Johnston County Parks, Greenways, and Open-Space Coordinator and local town parks and recreation directors. From hosting its monthly meetings at various facilities to partnering on events like the Earth Day Countywide Cleanup, collaboration has been the name of the game.
Attendee of Jazz & Art Market Event
Event Partnerships
Some examples of collaborative efforts and events include #OptOutsideJoCo, the Friends of Johnston County Parks first official public event, hosted less than two months after establishing the organization. This event is a part of REI’s #OptOutside movement that began in 2015. It is designed to encourage families and friends to spend time in their local parks and share their experiences on social media, using the hash tag #OptOutsideJoCo. This past Thanksgiving, the focus of the event was to raise awareness for Johnston County Parks and Open Space’s new website, www.jocoparks.org, and connect residents with a local park, playground, greenway, or open space.
Another initiative included a #RecreateResponsibly public-service announcement on Country Superstars 102.3 FM radio station to encourage citizens and visitors to follow CDC guidelines for recreating responsibly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The most important example of collaboration was the Earth Day Countywide Cleanup in April 2021. This volunteer event, which was a part of North Carolina Department of Transportation’s “Litter Sweep” spring event, was an effort among the Friends of Johnston County Parks, Johnston County Parks and Open Space, most of the local town parks and recreation departments, and partner organizations such as Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site and Triangle Land Conservancy. Although most events were organized locally by the towns’ parks and rec departments, there was a larger overall effort to coordinate across the county.
“The Earth Day Countywide Cleanup presented a great opportunity to get outside and make a positive difference,” says Sarah Bunn, a Board Member of the Friends of Johnston County Parks and a graduate student in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (PRTM) online master’s degree program at NC State University.
The project included 200 total volunteers, 349 bags of litter collected over two days, and 5,465 estimated pounds of trash removed across Johnston County. The results were compiled into an impact infographic that was then shared with the local town parks and rec departments, Johnston County Commissioners, and NC DOT.
Dave Herpy is a camp and outdoor-recreation professional, a founding member and board member of the Friends of Johnston County Parks, and a freelance writer. He has over 24 years of experience in the parks and recreation field with municipal, county, and university settings. His greatest adventure in life is being a father of four and sharing his passion for the Great Outdoors with his own children. He can be reached via email dherpy@yahoo.com or follow him at explorenc.travel.blog.