Activate Selma uses grant to upgrade pocket parks

Submitted by Activate Selma

SELMA — Activate Selma has upgraded the two pocket parks in downtown Selma as part of a grant from the Johnston County Community Foundation (JCCF). This grant is made possible through a recommendation from this local board, an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation.

“We are so pleased to be awarded this grant from the JCCF. Downtown Selma is the ‘living room’ of our town, and we want our residents, visitors and guests to feel at home when they visit our two pocket parks,” said the organization’s president, Kim Wooten. “We are excited to continue the parks’ transformation and this grant has made that process possible.”

Wooten said the parks are better suited to receive visitors now that they have been updated with UV resistant plants and a bright blue double umbrella at Art Out Loud Park.

At Vick Park, new, brighter umbrellas have been added to the three picnic tables in order to give shade and attract visitors to the space.

Surveys were conducted to gather public input on the project.

“It’s important to know what the public wanted, since they are the ones visiting and using the parks,” said Melissa Dooley, grant writer for Activate Selma. “Activate Selma volunteers finished the work for this grant. We couldn’t be happier to have received it from the JCCF.”

More about Activate Selma: Activate Selma is a non-profit organization comprised of residents, volunteers, and business owners promoting Selma and all the town has to offer. The group gathers every Wednesday at 9 a.m. at varying locations throughout Selma in order to spark creative problem-solving.

Their motto is, “We don’t complain, we take action.” www.activateselmanc.com

More about the Johnston County Community Foundation: The Johnston County Community Foundation (JCCF) was founded in 1991 and is led by a local volunteer advisory board that helps build community assets by creating permanent endowments, making grants and leveraging leadership and partnerships –all for the benefit of Johnston County.

The JCCF board advises the community grantmaking fund, the Cara Lee Powell Priest Endowment Fund and the Lorraine Cooper Endowment Fund. The competitive grants program is held annually. Contributions can be made online at nccommunityfoundation.org.