Applications for Adopt-A-Park are now being accepted

SIKESTON — Sikeston Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteers to help keep local parks attractive and now taking applications for the 2024 Adopt-A-Park program.

According to Abbi Lindsey, Sikeston Parks and Recreation coordinator, the Adopt-A-Park initiative is ideal for everyone to participate.

“Our Adopt-A-Park program is a great way for anybody — from an individual to a civic group to a large or small business — to get involved with our efforts to keep Sikeston looking beautiful,” Lindsey said. 

According to Lindsey, adopting a park is free, and the Sikeston Parks and Recreation Department will give all necessary cleaning supplies to volunteers.

Lindsey said interested adopters must complete out a brief application, and then, following adoption approval, the adopter must pledge how frequently they would want to volunteer in a park on a monthly basis.

“Each time work is done, they’ll send a work order back to us to let us know what all they’ve accomplished,” Lindsey said. “But they will also tell us what they’ve noticed that our staff may need to look into.”

According to Lindsey, adopters will also have a sign placed in their area indicating who has adopted it.

“After fulfilling a three-month obligation of what you’d like to pledge, a sign will be put up in the designated area to show off who is helping maintain that specific area,” Lindsey said. 

Parks available to adopt are: Armory Park, Central Park, Clayton Park, Dudley Park, Mary Lou Montgomery Park, R.S. Matthews Park/C.P. Wing Lake, Recreation Complex (multiple areas), Roberta Rowe/West End Park and Rotary Park. 

Volunteers are responsible for garbage and litter pickup, fluffing playground wood chips, tidying pavilion areas, sweeping hard surfaces and reporting vandalism, dangerous conditions and necessary repairs.

“Adopters can do as little or as much as they’d like; we’re mostly focused on finding assistance with trash pickup,” Lindsey said. “We would never expect an adopter to do any strenuous manual labor that a contractor would do.”

Lindsey said adopters should let them know when they intend on visiting the park, and Parks and Recreation will schedule a time for them to pick up the necessary supplies.

“Like most places, we are short on staff,” Lindsey said. “This program allows our department to make partnerships with others that share a passion for our public spaces by adding in a bit of help, as frequently as someone is willing to volunteer.”

Lindsey said any local individual or group, such as families, businesses, or other groups, can adopt any of the available parks. Some parks are large enough that numerous volunteers may adopt them. 

Lindsey said applications are always accepted and there is no deadline. 

“As long as there’s a park adoption vacancy, someone can sign up any time,” Lindsey said. 

For additional information about Adopt-A-Park or to apply,  email alindsey@sikeston.org.