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By Mallory Arnold Photos courtesy of Mark Hopkins
“Someone once said, ‘Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in,” Hopkins says.
It’s Not All a Walk in the Park Mark Hopkins’ work and passion behind the Westerville Parks Foundation
www.westervillemagazine.com
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hen you’re walking through one of Westerville’s beautiful parks, you might not think about the hard work that goes into maintaining them, from the fundraising to organizing community support. However, that’s the exact purpose of the Westerville Parks Foundation (WPF), and supporting the Westerville Parks and Recreation Department is what Mark Hopkins, president and board of governors of the WPF, loves to do. Hopkins grew up in Whitehall, then spent his 20s in Santa Monica, California, never giving much thought to returning home. But when he finally did, he fell in love with the “city within a park” in his family’s new home, in a house right beside the Dairy Queen on State Street. “Even though it’s incredible, we learned that Westerville is more than its parks and rec department,” Hopkins says. “It’s the history, the diversity, the small college town feel, the old and young, the location, and the commitment of Westervillians to support the best schools, library and other services.” Hopkins initially served on the Westerville Parks and Recreation advisory panel, and over the years fell in love with everything the organization represented. “Being part of something so vitally important to Westerville, getting to see the amazing and visionary plans early and to see firsthand the incredible work being done
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