June 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Edgar Evins State Park celebrated National Trails Day on Saturday with a ribbon cutting marking the opening of a new kid friendly half mile Hillside Story Book Trail.
Miss Tennessee’s Outstanding Teen, Mary Humphrey of Jackson joined Ranger Ramble, the Tennessee State Park mascot, in cutting the ribbon on the new trail. Miss Humphrey, whose slogan is “Pages With a Purpose”, has been campaigning across the state promoting literacy.
The new trail combines a children’s nature story with the thrill of being in the great outdoors. Come see how one of nature’s miracles grows from a tiny egg to a flying jewel as each giant page is posted at intervals along the trail revealing more of the story, based on the book, Where Butterflies Grow, by Joanne Ryder with pictures by Lynne Cherry.
Guides on the tour help children with their level of reading. The purpose of the Story Book Trail is to stimulate young readers as well as to encourage them and caregivers to enjoy an outdoor experience together. The trail was built by volunteers and park staff as a project of the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park.
The project is endorsed by the Governor’s Books From Birth Foundation, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Ready to Read, Tennessee State Parks, and Friends of Tennessee State Parks Conservancy. Representatives were on hand Saturday to sign up children to receive free books monthly from the Imagination Library. Refreshments and party favors were also served along with crafts for youngsters to make and other activities for the children to enjoy.
“Spearheaded by the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park with help from park staff, this trail has finally taken shape after over a year of planning and working together. We wish to thank the park staff and many others also for the opportunity to complete and present this trail to the children and families visiting the park. Among these are the Cookeville Children’s Museum, the Public Library Systems for DeKalb, Putnam and Smith counties for their help with games and activities for this event as well as the Friends of Tennessee State Parks and the Tennessee Trails Association for grants of money to help defray costs. Thanks also to the many volunteers of all ages who jumped in to help construct the trail from scratch on the hillside, including members of Tennessee Trails Association, Smithville Brownie Girl Scout Troop 3094 under the leadership of Tanya Hale, and the young men of the former Smithville Boy Scout Troop 875 under the leadership of Cameron Beal, and others,” added Bertram.
The Friends of Edgar Evins State Park is an all-volunteer organization with the sole purpose of helping the park. For more information about contributing money or time please visit our website at www.foeesp.com or Facebook at Friends of EESP