After three months of outstanding volunteer leadership by George Cates, the Overton Park Conservancy is ready to hire an Executive Director. It will take a unique person to fill this exciting and challenging job. Are you that person?
Click here to view the job description and application requirements.
Volunteers are the heart and soul of an organization! Overton Park’s success depends on a dedicated group of volunteers who create momentum and inspire others to take action for our park.
The Overton Park Conservancy Volunteer Program offers the opportunity to be a park advocate, give back to the community, have fun, and make new friends with like-minded people.
There are many opportunities to make a difference in our park. To see where you best fit in, check out our volunteer job descriptions.
If you would like to become a Park Volunteer, please let us know by applying online below.
Volunteer ApplicationQuestions about Overton Park volunteer opportunities? please contact Susan Green, Director of Events & Volunteers at sgreen@overtonpark.org or (901) 214-5450.
Sec. 12-84-2 – Injuring or picking flowers and plants.
It is unlawful for any person to cut, break or in any way injure or deface any tree, plant or grass or pick any flowers, leaves or nuts, wild or cultivated, in any park.
(Ord. 4763, 4-25-00; Code 1985 § 23-67)
Ironically, saw blades are saving Overton Park forest. Thanks to the Commercial Appeal for today’s front-page article about our aggressive privet removal project. We plan to continue the war on privet with our excellent contractor, Echo Systems, for the next three weeks as weather permits. We can’t risk damaging native plants in the growing season, but privet removal will resume again in late fall of 2012.
In Overton Park’s 111 year history we seem to have lost sight of a few very important rules and regulations that help keep our park safe for all. The Overton Park Conservancy wants to do what we can to help usher in a new, safer era of the park and we feel it’s our responsibility to regularly highlight official park rules and regulations from Chapter 12-84 of Memphis’ Code of Ordinances.
Make no mistake, these rules will be enforced vigorously.*
Sec. 12-84-19 – Instruction in operating automobiles, and other vehicles and trick riding prohibited.
Instruction in operating automobiles, bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles, velocipedes or other such vehicles of propulsion, and all trick or fancy riding on the same, is prohibited in the parks and parkways at all times.
(Ord. 4763, 4-25-00; Code 1985 ß 23-84)
*The Overton Park Conservancy does not have the power of enforcement. We hope you all enjoy these as much as we do.
So far, the OPC’s fundraising efforts have inspired pledges totaling $3,200,000 from generous private donors and organizations such as the Plough Foundation, Hyde Family Foundations, and the law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson.
The City of Memphis will provide $150,000 annually for park operations, plus a total of $416,000 for capital improvements in the first five years.
Our five-year capital budget for critical improvements to Overton Park is $6 million. It’s an ambitious goal, but we are confident we can reach it with your help!
Our new Board of Directors is a diverse group of people with one thing in common: They are all passionate about Overton Park.
“One of the personal benefits that I get as interim executive director of the OPC is the privilege of working with these fine Memphians, getting to know many of them better and sharing their passion for the restoration and improvement of Overton Park,” said George Cates.
Ronne’ Adkins – PhD candidate, U of M
Belinda Anderson – Citizen
Andy Andrews – St. Mary’s Cathedral
Ekundayo Bandele – Hattiloo Theater
Eric Barnes – The Daily News
Cindy Buchanan – Memphis Park Services
George Cates – MAA, Retired
Lucia Gilliland – Citizen
Greg Jardine – 1st Horizon/1st Tennessee
Dr. John Kilzer – St. John’s Methodist Church
B. Lee Mallory – Mallory Alexander Int’l Logistics
Margaret McLean – Citizen
Mike Palazola – Palazola Produce Co.
Elliot Perry – Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation
Marcela Pinilla – Performer, Singer, Songwriter
Ray Pohlman – AutoZone
William R. Reed, Jr. – Suntrust Bank, Retired
Dr. Mary Relling – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Diane Rudner – Plough Foundation
Stan Sawyer – Banks, Finley, White & Co., CPA
Gail Schledwitz – Citizen
Gary Shorb (Chairman) – Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
Ann Stokes – Citizen
Lauren Taylor – Hyde Family Foundations
Jason Wexler – Henry Turley Co.
Melanie White – UT Health Science Center
Denise Wood – FedEx
Non-Voting Board Members
Sam Blair – Lick Creek Stormwater Coalition
James Jalenak – Memphis Zoo
Dr. Ron Jones – Memphis College of Art
Martha Kelly – Park Friends
Cameron Kitchin – Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Barry Lichterman – Levitt Shell
Amy Stewart-Banbury – Citizens to Preserve Overton Park
Big thanks to the Boy Scouts of America (Chickasaw Council #558) who worked hard to remove thickets of privet from our future dog park site near Rainbow Lake. Privet is a non-native invasive shrub that competes with native plant species.
“The Scouts chose to help with the restoration of Overton Park as our service project to earn service hours towards their Community Service Merit badges,” said James Moore, Field Director and Administrator for the Scout Reach program. “We look forward to working with the OPC on any future projects where our young men can have fun and learn by doing.”
Six months ago, the citizens of Memphis were invited to “Speak Up” for Overton Park by taking a survey created by a volunteer working group. You were asked to tell us how you really feel about Overton Park, and that’s exactly what you did.
With nearly 1,700 responses, the Speak Up survey created a strong community vision for Overton Park.
You said you want a clean, safe park. You want restrooms. You want better playgrounds and a fenced dog park. You want to protect and enhance the Old Forest and the Greensward. You want more community events at the park, and more bicycle/pedestrian links to your neighborhoods.
We asked if you would support non-profit conservancy management of Overton Park, and 68% of you gave unqualified support for that idea. Only 1% of you said no.
Based on these survey results, our working group went to Mayor AC Wharton and the Memphis City Council with a proposal for non-profit management of the park. The Overton Park Conservancy management agreement was approved unanimously by the City Council on December 6, 2011.
Our goal is to help Overton Park become the best park it can be. To make that happen, we need your continued input and support. Please follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our email newsletter.
