7 / 24
Summer 2016
• RECRE8-NC 7
W
hat parks and recreation agency wouldn’t want
a great partner? Especially one with the mission
to improve the quality of life for the citizens of
Mecklenburg County and the surrounding region by
preserving, promoting and enhancing the parks, greenways, open spaces,
active play and recreational opportunities within their community.
This is what Partners for Parks is all about. They are an independent
non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Mecklenburg County. They
partner with Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation department which
preserves and maintains over 200+ parks and facilities covering almost
20,000 acres of parkland. Partners for Parks strives to sustain the legacy
of recreation by providing a safe place to raise funds and offers grant
assistance to area organizations. They also facilitate community outreach
and education to bolster the trails, the parks, the playgrounds, the
recreation centers and the natural areas saved and created.
Since its establishment in 1996, Partners for Parks has been an
integral advocate for promoting and enhancing parks, greenways, open
spaces, active play and recreation. Founding Partners for Parks, was
undertaken by three key and highly supportive former Chairs of the
Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Commission - Brad Davis,
Joe Cogdell and Doug Youngblood. Each of these gentlemen served a
six year term on the park and recreation commission and served two
or more years as Chair. Their initiative was hailed by the Mecklenburg
County Board of County Commissioners as an effort to continue
pursuit of seeking positive funding results that identified, with what was
perceived at that time, to be on the verge of an era of fiscal crisis and
maybe even “permanent” fiscal crisis for local governments’ provision
of parks, recreation and leisure services. The old adage of “Doing
More with Less” established the cornerstone of the desired quest for
charitable fund-raising and recognition of regional achievements by local
communities by Partners For Parks, after formal approval by the Board of
County Commissioners.
Segments of the Park & Recreation Commission’s Annual Retreats
were dedicated to building regional relationships with park and
recreation boards in adjoining counties and their cities. These initial
regional relationships led to the building of improved and expanded
regional support and recognition for parks and recreation projects.
Partners for Parks continues to pursue its mission of improved quality
of life throughout the region by assisting in the cultivation of solutions for
fund raising challenges and by bringing significant awareness to the many
capital and programmatic achievements in the region.
BREATHING LIFE INTO COMMUNITIES
Partners for Parks
n
Beth Poovey, Chair
Land Design
n
Doug Youngblood, President
B. Douglas Youngblood, CPA
n
Alvin Woods, Vice President
Retired - Community Volunteer
n
Matt McGlothlin, Secretary
AdSpark Promo Products
n
Al Brown, Treasurer
Retired - Community Volunteer
n
Greg Austin, Assistant Treasurer
Retired - Community Volunteer
n
Bill Belk
Monroe Hardware
n
Christy Churchill
Duke Energy
n
Matt Price
MR Price Water, LLC
n
Steadman Sugg
Duke Energy
n
Nils Weldy
ACEing Autism
n
Jim Garges
Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation
PARTNERS FOR PARKS BOARD MEMBERS