Jr. Chamber, City plan to build park

A playground is generally a child’s first immersion to the outside world. It’s a place of first friendships, first bumpy bruises and first laughs. And in about three years, children living near Gibbons Street in Manning will get to experience this, when a park will be built on the site of an old baseball field.

Every year the Junior Chamber does a community project to benefit the county. This year they decided to start making plans to build a park.

“We knew that the City had been wanting to build a public park in that area, and we decided to help out,” said David W. Epperson, immediate past president of the Junior Chamber.

There were two parcels of land, one owned by the Junior Chamber and the other a former baseball league. The first step, according to Epperson, was to turn over the two parcels, totaling three-acres, to the City of Manning.

“Together, with local attorney, Billy Coffey we were able to track down the deeds, and receive the signatures of those who had belonged to that baseball league,” he said.

The next step was creating an outline for the project and raising the funds to get it done, according to Epperson.

“We’re trying to put together a plan. We’ve discussed different vendors and are submitting ideas right now,” he said.

Epperson said that they are proposing to include basic park items such as a swing set, slides, a green space, and a picnic shelter.

“We want an area for the kids to run around and play kickball or something like that,” he said.

The Junior Chamber has set a goal to raise at least $50,000 over the next three years. A golf tournament will be held at Shannon Greens on August 7 to raise funds for the park. It will be a three-man captain’s choice. The entry fee is $150 per team and will include cart, range fees, tee gift and lunch. There will be substantial cash prizes as well as closest to pin and long drive prizes. Corporate and hole sponsors are needed.

For more information or to sign up, contact Tournament Host, Glenn Wells at 803-435-8752.

Some of the other fundraisers that the Junior Chamber is planning for the future will include a cornhole tournament this fall, the annual Oyster Roast and a cornhole tournament in late February.