Mission...Playpark in SoWal!!

Hummm. I suppose so, I guess I should have paid more attention to what I was writing!

My vote is for Thursday, too. We can just go next door if there is a problem. Ann at Cerulean's is supportive of what we are doing and so it shouldn't be an issue. I talked to her about our plans Friday night. So, either way, we have a place to sit... that's all I need, even if it's the floor!

It seems like most people can make Thur. @ 12:00 better, so let's meet then-like you said- if it's too crazy, we can go next door. Who's in??

Thursday at 12. I won't call the Parks and Rec till after we meet on Thursday. SGB has some very good points that need to be discussed before we show up en masse!

I just talked with another one of the managers at the Market. She said that Cerulean's is where everyone usually has meetings, BUT she said if we feel comfortable coming to the Market and having it there, it's fine. Because it's the least busy time of the year, it's not a problem right now.

So, now after talking with 3 different managers, if no one knows about us being there on Thursday, I am going to fall on the floor laughing. If I do, someone grab the baby, PLEASE!!!!!!

I can come Thursday......lets get a park rollin!!!!!:clap_1: :clap_1:

Grayt job OM- They may not remember us before the meeting....but they will after !! See y'all there:clap_1:

You go gulls!!!!:clap_1:

I had requested a lot of materials from several companies, operating in Florida, for playground equipment, surfacing, and acessory items.
One of the companies is much more attentive than all the rest. The rep from that company suggested that the Kaboom method of organizing the funding has been very beneficial to a lot of groups like this. She's worked with them a lot and claims it's a great process and that we should seriously look into applying. Of course, we must aquire the land by our own means, but after that they are supposedly pretty helpful and the one day build-out events work out really well, so says the rep.

BuMp....
Don't forget the meeting tomorrow at 12:00!!
Put your lipstick on ladies, we may have a little press !

BuMp....
Don't forget the meeting tomorrow at 12:00!!
Put your lipstick on ladies, we may have a little press !

I am 50/50- will call one of y'all tomorrow when the schedule gels a bit....

OK you hottie playground chickies---

How did the meeting go today? Will somebody please post or send me a message in between feeding offspring and other domestic duties!!!!

If I could keep my 6 month old from typing, I could get a message completed!

It was... busy. Sunny456 told us it would be and it was REALLY crowded. BUT it was other moms!!!! And as Ckhagen said, "with more baby carriers than I've ever seen!" It showed us that there are a lot of us out there that need community and a place to go. It made it difficult to focus. Too much noise fries my brain... which is why 3 kids has me loopy most of the time... and why I couldn't concentrate very well in there.

(BTW, Cerulean's was DEAD when I passed by. We shoulda gone there for focus sake. Oops!)

SGB, ckhagen & supermom26.2 accomplished a lot over in the corner of our table! I got to know Beachmom well. We were interviewed by the Daily News.... Can you tell that the others can describe the details better than I can right now.

We also picked up some moms from the library story time that came over after that. They want FLYERS!!!! I also know there's parents at Butler that are interested and just want to know the details.

Another woman who's a grandmother with custody of her 2 grandkids had just called Cindy yesterday about a playground and she was interested in getting a petition up and going. I talked to her at length this evening. Very cool woman . She wasn't at the meeting and doesn't do the e-mail thing, so we'll have to keep her up-to-date by phone.

Okay, baby boy's pissed off at me right now, so I've gotta end this one!

ok...2 down, 1 more to go

OMG...!!...I have NEVER seen so many mommies and babies!!!

I knew there were a lot of us here...somewhere, but had no idea there were so many!!

As OM said, it was absolutely crazy at Watercolor Market today. Very hard to carry on a conversation, but lots of people now know what we are trying to do I think our next step is to try to meet with C. Meadows and see what we need to do. This is a grayt group of moms and I have really enjoyed meeting everyone.

I'm just in shock right now over the crowd that was there !!!

lol, I thought it started at 12:30... duh. That would be why I was late! I'm just now seeing the 12:00 thing. I need to start paying more attention.

Yeah, it was super-super crowded. I tried half a dozen times to start playgroups out here in the past couple years and it never worked. I'm convinced it must have been me because no one else seems to have that problem

So... when we get that mailing list going, I think we'll have quite a crowd jumping on the wagon. In the meantime, a meeting with Ms. Meadows is necessary. After that maybe we'll have a little more direction. After we get some direction, then we can get some flyers put together (I'm a graphic designer B.C. and I can do that if we so choose).

Also... everyone needs to put together lists of the things they would most like to get out of this playground! That is number one priority for everyone right now. We can take all the lists and consolidate them later.

I nominate Morgan Sports Complex playground for the next meeting

It was a little chaotic to say the least.
SGB is setting up appt with Cindy Meadows. We are trying to get before the parks and rec meeting. Everyone needs to do a top 10 list of what we want to be in the park so we know what size of land space will accomodate. Don't be shy. Maybe the field trips need to start right now to see what other playgrounds have in person and test them out!

I hope that Heather and her photographer were able to get pictures of the crowds of moms and babies and not just us! I really felt like we were at a baby convention! The growth of South Walton sure was evident at the Watercolor Market!

Heather, I know you are lurking - thank you for coming out and listening to our collective efforts on how to start a park! A lot of us are meeting each other for the first time. I'm sure by the time we have this park built, not only will we have a great place to go to, but there will be many friendships established by the seed of an idea as it grows into a community park!
Thanks again!

Yeah, it was super-super crowded. I tried half a dozen times to start playgroups out here in the past couple years and it never worked. I'm convinced it must have been me because no one else seems to have that problem

So... when we get that mailing list going, I think we'll have quite a crowd jumping on the wagon. In the meantime, a meeting with Ms. Meadows is necessary. After that maybe we'll have a little more direction. After we get some direction, then we can get some flyers put together (I'm a graphic designer B.C. and I can do that if we so choose).

Also... everyone needs to put together lists of the things they would most like to get out of this playground! That is number one priority for everyone right now. We can take all the lists and consolidate them later.

I nominate Morgan Sports Complex playground for the next meeting

Yeah, but you also need a PLAYGROUND to have a playgroup, unless you have it at homes OR you end up in WaterColor Market, just like that group has done. It definitely demonstrated the need for a playground for all of us. The decibel level in that place was nutty. Can you imagine how it would be in a year or so with the exact same mommies with toddlers (instead of babies!) running around there? Chaos would reign.

JDarg, maybe we can have one of those drink carts that others were proposing on the original thread (about what we want in South Walton) at the park so we can have Happy Hour and playdates at the same time! I'd need a coffee cart, too!:roll:

Heather, I know you are lurking - thank you for coming out and listening to our collective efforts on how to start a park! A lot of us are meeting each other for the first time. I'm sure by the time we have this park built, not only will we have a great place to go to, but there will be many friendships established by the seed of an idea as it grows into a community park!
Thanks again!

Yes, I feel very blessed to have met each and every one of you. SoWal rocks as a great place to meet wonderful friends in Internet Land and then to be able to meet them in person and enjoy them just as much!

I haven't made it to either meeting yet, but I can't wait to meet you all. I have a 2yr. old and a 6 mos. old as well as 3 in school.

My sister-in-law was active in the development of a really cool playground on Signal Mtn., TN called the Pumpkin Patch. They had the children come up with the ideas and then worked with a playground designer to design it. The community members then built the structure over several weekends with a lot of donated materials, etc.

Have you guys already discusses this method? I believe this is what was done for the playground at Baytowne.

WOW! You are busy

We have discussed many ways to go, but I think we really need to know where the county stands on this and what plans they may have before we can get to that point. I do think it would be grayt if it could be something that brings the community together. There are so many of us that LIVE here, but we are all so spread out.

Come anyway! I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old, so we can conmiserate!:shock: I am bowing to you, as 3 keep me hopping right now.

I haven't made it to either meeting yet, but I can't wait to meet you all. I have a 2yr. old and a 6 mos. old as well as 3 in school.

My sister-in-law was active in the development of a really cool playground on Signal Mtn., TN called the Pumpkin Patch. They had the children come up with the ideas and then worked with a playground designer to design it. The community members then built the structure over several weekends with a lot of donated materials, etc.

Have you guys already discusses this method? I believe this is what was done for the playground at Baytowne.

We made the paper!!

Grayt article in the "Daily News" today about our efforts. It also says the they (THANKS Cindy Meadows!!!:clap_1: )will be installing some temporary play equipment within the next 30 days:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: As I understand it, there is a plan in place with funds designated to a building and developing a recreational facility, it's just a matter of land. They are trying to buy more land by Helen McCall, but that is not a done deal. Otherwise, we need a St. Joe or someone else to donate some land...

That's great news! We have a meeting set up with Cindy Meadows on the 21st. That's the earliest she had available. If everyone could post what they would like to see in the park/playground, I will compile the list to give to Cindy.