The Friends of Harmon Field will hold its fifth annual meeting on Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Harmon Field cabin.
The event will kick off with a covered dish dinner followed by the annual meeting. The agenda will include a presentation by Ann Cornay on a proposed project to construct a year-round indoor swimming facility for Polk County that would be open to the public. The facility could be used by Polk County schools for physical education and swimming team competitions and by St. Luke’s Hospital for water exercise programs for fitness and rehabilitation.
The Friends of Harmon Field Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, held its first meeting in January 2007. The organization was formed to provide volunteers and help raise funds for programs and capital improvements at Harmon Field. Membership is open to anyone interested in helping keep Harmon Field a high-quality recreational facility for our region.
Harmon Field’s operations and maintenance are funded by a special property tax district that includes the Town of Tryon and much of Tryon Township. No other annual dedicated funding is provided by Polk County or any other local governments in the area for the park’s operations. The Friends of Harmon Field organization provides an opportunity for Harmon Field users from all over the service region that includes Columbus, Landrum and much of Polk County and upstate Spartanburg County, to participate in raising funds for capital projects and programming at Harmon Field that are not covered by tax district revenues.
Friends of Harmon Field accomplishments to date include organizing and running the Harmon Field 80th birthday celebration in October 2007, annual Harmon Field Heritage Days every March, annual putt-putt golf concession at the Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival every June, and the annual Tour de Leaves bicycle ride every October. The Friends of Harmon Field organization has formed partnerships with other local organizations such as the Thermal Belt Rotary Club, Thermal Belt Amateur Radio Club, local Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops, the 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Blue Ridge Hunter & Jumper Association and many others to make these events successful.
Friends of Harmon Field has also provided funding and volunteers for landscaping improvements at Harmon Field’s main gate and around the park buildings and funding for special training for Harmon Field staff in tree maintenance as well as other projects.
All are welcome to attend both the dinner and the meeting on June 21, even if they are not currently Friends of Harmon Field members. Attendees will have the opportunity to join the organization at the event, if desired.
For more information, contact president Lorna Dever at 828-894-3370.
– article submitted
by Meg Rogers