The Reedtown Beautification Garden Club began sprucing up Reedtown Park during a community workday Sunday afternoon. Activities included planting flowers, placing solar lights along part of the walking trail, hanging a bird feeder and painting a mural on one wall of the pavilion.

The park is located at 814 Hamilton St., behind the Chucky Mullins Center and next to the old Reedtown School. 

Russellville Mayor David Grissom has expressed his enthusiasm for the project. Grissom said, “Reedtown Park is a true asset to our area. It’s wonderful to see what the club is doing to encourage everyone to come together to enjoy it and help make it even better.”

Club founder and leader Tammy West called the Sunday workday “the start of something wonderful.”

“I grew up coming to the park every day. I lived within walking distance,” she said. “I still live nearby, and now I come here with my kids. It’s a really special place.”

Anna Carol Porter, fellow club member and founder of Krewe de Guard, another local service club, said, “We planted echinacea, autumn angel, mums, boxwood bush, croton, Cyclamen, celosia and many seeds that will grow into plants that will attract birds and butterflies.”

Porter and West designed the mural, and Kamesha Tiggs painted it. Tiggs said she was excited to get to participate in that aspect of the project. At the end of the day, those who helped used acrylic paint to add their handprints to the design.

“Reedtown is a lovely area,” Tiggs said. “We just all need to care about it more. I hope we can continue working together to improve not only this area but all of our special areas in Russellville.”

Russellville Public Library Director, Ashley Cummins, said Reedtown Park is one of the best-kept secrets in the community.

“A lot of people don’t even know it’s here. The walking trail is beautiful,” she said. “A lot of us who grew up around here are really passionate to do what we can to make it even better and to let everyone know all it has to offer.”

Porter said the club wanted to thank all who donated to this project. “We hope everyone will stop by the park see all of it for themselves. In the future, I hope picnic tables can be added to the pavilion and other areas in the park, as well as more benches and a handrail for the stairs. We plan to add more solar lights when we can.”

West said the group will continue working to further beautify the park, as well as look for other projects in the community at large.

“We had such a good group that came together to make things happen today,” West said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”

Those interested in more information about the Reedtown Beautification Garden Club may contact West at 256-668-7649, tammywest284@gmail.com, by Facebook message or by looking up the group on Facebook and requesting to join.