OCEAN PINES—The Park Commission reviewed a proposed form that businesses
seeking to use the parks for commercial purposes would submit to the Mayor and
Town Council at its Nov. 6 meeting.

The draft “Park Use Application and Permit: Business Activity” form would
include contact information for the business, the proposed use for the facility
requested, date and time requested, and the number of people expected to attend
the event. If approved by the council, the forms would be submitted for events
in Dr. William Edward Henry Park on Flower Street and Stephen Decatur Memorial
Park on Tripoli Street.

Now that judges for the Stephen Decatur Park Mural Contest have been
chosen, the Parks Commission met Nov. 6 to discuss possible funding resources
for the beautification project. The commission will apply for grant funding and
sponsorships to pay for supplies, consulting fees and prizes associated with
the project. So far, the project has received a $250 anonymous donation and
donations from Baked Dessert Café and Gallery and Ayers Creek Adventures. Commission
members were encouraged to recruit additional local donors and sponsors.

The commission will propose grant applications for the Mary Humphreys
Foundation and Worcester County Arts Council to the mayor and town council at
the next meeting, Nov. 12, according to Deputy Administrator Mary Bohlen, the
town’s liaison to the commission. A grant of $2,300 would be requested from the
Humphreys Foundation and $500 would be requested from the Arts Council’s
mini-grant program, according to the proposed applications.

Commission
Member Loretta Brown-Briddell said the veteran’s organization, Walk Through the
Valley #0093, which recently received a charter from the National Association
for Black Veterans, Inc., agreed to sponsor a flowerbed in Henry Park.

Other
organizations and businesses that have sponsored flower beds in the parks or
town include Berlin First Baptist Church Youth Group, Calvin B. Taylor Bank,
the Church Mouse Thrift Shop, The Nest, Little Bodies Big Hearts, Stephen
Decatur High School National Honor Society, Stephen Decatur Middle School
students, Tex-Mex & Beyond and the Waystead Inn.

Commissioners discussed final details for upcoming Just Walk Berlin, a physical
fitness event on Nov. 9. The commission is co-sponsoring the event with the
Worcester County Health Department