Swenson Park brings neigborhood together

Betty Archer Allen/Gulf Breeze News Fran Fletcher, president of the Santa Rosa shores Woman's Club gets her blood levels checked at the Swenson Park picnic Aug. 25 by James Chalmers, Operation Supervisor for Lifeguard Ambulance Service.

Santa Rosa Shores Homeowners Association, Santa Rosa Shores Women's Club and Coast Community Church sponsored a big community summer picnic held in Swenson Park on Saturday Aug. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It was an ole' fashioned picnic that brought the community together to meet one another and have a good time. Coast Community Church provided scrumptious hot dogs and sides. Margaret Cunningham was master of ceremonies and she has been the moving force in the development of the park. She is a member of both the Santa Rosa Shores Homeowners Association and the Santa Rosa Shores Women's Club.

But she says, "I'm just the general community flunky who got some kids together to sell the home owners association on the idea of developing the park."

County Commissioner John Broxson was present to welcome the group and cut the ribbon for the new playground equipment: a fire truck and the yellow bird spring toy for children to ride.

Cunningham

Broxson said, "The success of this park is the result of a lot of hard work and corporation and it is probably the most used park in the area."

Santa Rosa County Sheriff Wendell Hall greeted the group and assured them that his department was ready to offer any assistance needed to keep the park area safe.

Paramedics from Lifeguard Transportation Ambulance were there to check heart rates, blood pressures, blood sugars and blood oxygenation levels. Midway Fire District representatives Lt. Ernie Johnson, BC Brewer and Frederick Gajewski were also present and the kids young and old enjoyed receiving fire hats and examining the fire truck.

The development of Swenson Park, located in Santa Rosa Shores, is one of the projects that the woman's club and home owners association have worked on together to make a reality. The park has something for all age groups: basket ball hoops, a climbing wall, open spaces, a gazebo to just to sit and have coffee and watch the birds, a workout area and now the new recreation equipment.

Betty Archer Allen/Gulf Breeze News Sheriff Wendell Hall, second from left, and County Commissioner John Broxson, second from right, commence a ribbon cutting ceremony with community residents at Swenson Park Aug. 25.

Three outings a year are planned for the park; a Christmas party, Easter celebration, and a summer picnic.

The Santa Rosa Shores Homeowners Association meets monthly and quarterly at the Community Life Center and the Santa Rosa Woman's Club meets once a month, usually in a members home. If you need more information call Margaret Cunningham at 850-932-2914.