Friends of Lost Corner Wins Parks Volunteer Award

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The Georgia Recreation and Park Association recently recognized Friends of Lost Corner as a winner of its 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award. The organization, a community partner with the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department, is a nonprofit organization created to preserve the use of Loss Corner Preserve and its facilities for residents to enjoy.

The organization was recognized during the Association's awards banquet for agencies grouped into its Seventh District. Friends of Lost Corner was recognized in the category reserved for parks and recreation departments serving populations 50,001 or greater.

The organization provides stewardship to the 24-acre city park through funding, community involvement, volunteers and support. The group is also a "positive emissary working with both the community and the city to create a sense of goodwill surrounding the preserve," the city notes.

Friends of Lost Corner supports the Recreation and Parks Department by providing extra man power and funds to help maintain the cottage and grounds, supplement recreational programs, fundraise to supplement physical improvements, boost communication outreach and enhance educational programming.

One of these educational opportunities involve teaming up with the city to create an elementary school field trip program has, so far, welcomed 400 first graders to the property.

Mayor Rusty Paul, a third-generation beekeeper who installed the preserve’s apiary, knows first-hand the important role Friends of Lost Corner plays in the city.

“The passion and commitment our community members have when taking on a cause or project is tremendous," he said. "They make things happen, and their sense of ownership and caring comes through, creating a positive connection between city, organization and the community at large. I have tremendous gratitude for the efforts of Friends of Lost Corner in first bring the opportunity for this new park, and in their ongoing efforts to maintain and bring programming benefitting the entire community.”

Friends of Lost Corner also spearheads activities ranging from hosting park clean up days, invasive eradication, fundraising for park improvement projects, hosting recreation programs to supplement what the city offers, managing the community garden, advertising recreation programs and park services (website, electronic newsletters and social media and more. Its board is set up to provide support to the park with master gardeners, water quality experts, wildlife proponents, grant writers, educators, and historians.

Photo 1: from left to right are Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Director Michael Perry, Friends of Lost Corner board member Clarke Otten and Wayne Maddox, GRPA District 7 commissioner.

Photo 2: from left to right are Deb Strycula, manager of Recreation and Athletics, city of Sandy Springs; Clarke Otten, Friends of Lost Corner board member and his wife Mary Ann Otten; and Michael Perry, director of the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department.

Photo credits: city of Sandy Springs