ATLANTA - Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites has formally approved the Friends of Don Carter State Park Chapter, according to a Monday afternoon press statement.<br />
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The approval makes the Carter Park Friends Chapter the newest in the state.<br />
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"We are thrilled that the state board accepted and approved our application," said Chapter President Will Hicks. "Our job now is to help raise awareness of the park in our community and work with Ranger Will Wagner at the park to help in any way we can."<br />
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Hicks said they turned in four initial projects as part of the application.<br />
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"Some of them are as simple as simply beautifying some of the areas around the park. Others are more complex, such as adding a pioneer campground, which would be available for large groups to use or a bath house up next to one of the hiking areas."<br />
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The first public meeting of the chapter will be held at the park at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 2 in Shelter 4 at the day-use area of the park. Entrance fees to the park for anyone arriving after 3:00 p.m. that day will be waived. The rain date is Tuesday, October 7. The initial meeting will serve to explain the purpose of the Friends chapter and discuss the ways that volunteers can help.<br />
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Hicks said he became involved because of the uniqueness of the park.<br />
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"We are blessed to have Don Carter's vision in this and to have an asset such as this park this close to town. Nobody else in the state can claim that," Hicks said.<br />
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Friends of Don Carter State Park is a non-profit that will support the park through volunteer and fund raising efforts. A website is currently under development and Hicks said the chapter can be contacted through its Facebook page. <br />
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Don Carter State Park is Georgia's newest and the first state park on Lake Lanier.
