“Life should feel good, should be fun,” said Suzy Beeson, a Mansfield resident and volunteer for Friends of the Mansfield Parks (FOMP). Beeson is a local substitute teacher of K-6 who spends her free time volunteering through the FOMP. Beeson says she enjoys engaging local residents in the Fun in the Parks Program, a project of Downtown Mansfield, Inc.
One of the many free activities offered is a YMCA fitness class that takes place at South Park Mansfield on Brinkerhoff Avenue. The classes are led by Alex Pritchard, a personal trainer and fitness instructor at the Mansfield YMCA. Pritchard graduated from Lexington High School has been with the YMCA for approximately three years.
He offers a variety of fitness classes and working with all age groups. Pritchard also works individually with clients as a private personal trainer. “I would like to see a lot of people come,” said Pritchard, “It’s free what’s better than that,” said Pritchard.
The parks’ summer programming was the vision of Dalton Derr of Creek Clay Creations, Mansfield in collaboration with the FOMP. The goal of the Fun in the Parks program was to bring people to the parks for family-friendly activities. Derr approached James Tweet, Pritchard’s employer at the YMCA, with the idea. “It was a natural choice to be involved,” Pritchard said. “As a free program, come and take advantage of it.”
“This is really important,” Beeson said. “There are 33 designated parks in Mansfield.” According to Beeson, the FOMP mission of Advocacy, Beautification and Conservation hopes to bring individuals together to adopt a park, help keep them up and to create an awareness of all they have to offer.
“Our goal is to have as many people as possible come enjoy the park, get the kids involved,” Pritchard said. “It could get bigger.”
The Fun in the Parks Program offers a variety of free events and activities throughout the summer.
FOMP is an entirely volunteer-based program and open to men, women and children of all ages. Rain or shine, the Y-fitness classes will continue through the summer until August 5. There are two classes a day on Mondays and Wednesday with the first class beginning at 9 a.m. and the second class at 10:30 a.m. To register for a class, Beeson advises arriving one half hour before class begins or by calling 419-522-0099.
