Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee will join a group of volunteers giving back at the Pickett CCC State Park Thursday.
Park Manager Camron Martin said the park applied for and received a $10,000 grant for the project, which will help the park add new equipment. Martin said inviting community members to volunteer alongside the First Lady was a great way to engage the public with a volunteer service opportunity.
“The program really focuses on the needs of distressed counties and encourages Tennesseans to serve their communities,” Martin said. “So really, that was really, it’s all about getting people to come together and do a project within the park that’s going to benefit the park for years and decades to come.
Lee and the volunteers will be volunteering in the park Thursday from 8:30 am to 1 pm. Volunteers may assist with several other projects, including trail and vegetation maintenance. Lunch, refreshments, and tools will be provided.
Martin said the Tennessee State Parks website includes details of the projects. When volunteers arrive, they will get an overview of the day, as well as proper tools and safety equipment. Martin said one of the projects will be the installation of a colorblind viewer at the Mesa Top overlook at Pogue Creek.
“It’s a stationary observation viewer found at parks like scenic overlooks that are retrofitted with a special lens to assist people with red and green color blindness,” Martin said. “And the special lens helps viewers experience a broad range of the color spectrum and more vibrant hues. So, that right there is going to be a really important part of this project.”
Another major project to be completed Thursday is a changing of the park’s storybook trail. Martin said it will be replaced with more park-specific signage geared toward young readers. The new signs will include information about plants and animals native to Pickett CCC.
Martin said this work is an important investment, as state parks are continuing to grow. Martin said the parks do not belong to the state, but to the people.
“It’s really important that we take care of our natural and cultural resources,” Martin said. “And use our tax dollars wisely and make sure these state parks that Tennessee has, which are beautiful state parks, are able to be used for decades and centuries to come.”
The Tennessee Serves initiative was started in 2019. Pickett CCC State Park is one of two where the First Lady will work on a community service project.
