July 27, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
The Friends of Edgar Evins State Park are the happy recipients of a $500 Small Grant from the Friends of Tennessee State Parks. The money will be used toward the cost of the new “pages” on the Storybook Trail. This is the second year a grant has been awarded to the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park by the Friends of Tennessee State Parks.
The check was presented to the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park at their July meeting by Fount Bertram, a member of the Board of Friends of Tennessee State Parks. Mr. Bertram is also the former president of the local group.
The Storybook Trail at Edgar Evins State Point, Silver Point, has become a popular attraction at the park for school and community groups as well as other visitors since it opened in June 2018. It’s purpose is to encourage youngsters to read and to be outdoors for exercise and pleasure. The trail is a project of the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park, an all-volunteer group that is dedicated to helping the park. It is planned to change the story displayed on the trail each year. Pages from a nature themed children’s book are reproduced in in full color on large metal signs that are framed with wood and posted at child height at intervals along the ½ mile trail near the Interpretive Center. This year the book is Anybody Home? by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Rebecca Dickinson and published by Arbordale Books. The story is about an expectant mama possum looking for a home among the many other forest creatures. Last year the story was about the life cycle of butterflies.
For information about the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park please visit the website at www.foeesp.com or find them on Facebook. The website for Friends of Tennessee State Parks is http://friendsoftennesseestateparks.org The nonprofit Friends of Tennessee State Parks is comprised of Friends Groups from Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee State Natural Areas statewide and individual members.
(Pictured: THE OFFICIAL PRESENTATION OF THE GRANT CHECK: Pictured left to right – Ron Davies, Woodbury, Barbara Comfort and Jerry Comfort, both of Smithville, Lynn Brown, Treasurer, Brush Creek, Fount Bertram, Bradyville, representing Friends of Tennessee State Parks, Brad Halfacre, Park Manager, Anna Bertram Bradyville.