My guess is that you may have heard about Saturday's "Polar Bear Plunge," a fundraiser for Special Olympics held at Stephens Lake Park on February 14. This was the second year for this event in Columbia and it is highly popular. You can read more about it in the Missourian.
There were 285 participants in this year's Plunge. In addition to the many others who came to watch, this made for a big crowd at the park!
Fortunately, Park Ranger Rosanna Arens wasn't the only one trying to direct the crowd. If you've been to Stephens Lake Park, you may know that parking is sometimes challenging with lots scattered about and some not big enough for the number of visitors.
On Saturday, Rosanna had the help of several Park Patrol volunteers: Tom Masters, Rick Eyler, Mark Lee, Mary Newby and Jean Haislip. They assisted in directing traffic and answer questions.
The main role of Park Patrol volunteers is to serve as ambassadors in our trail and parks. They are asked to keep a look out for suspicious activity and maintenance issues and report what they see to staff. They are also asked to have a cell phone with them in case they need to call for emergency services.
Many thanks to our Park Patrol volunteers for their help on Saturday and for the work they do year round to support our parks!
