SFPC Blog

#9 Park Moment of 2009:

Jen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:16:23 -0500

For the last two years, we’ve been fortunate enough to have bus loads of volunteers roll into the Park in late winter. They’re teenagers and young adults who have elected to spend their spring break traveling the county with likeminded folks doing good stuff for others. When Students Today Leaders Forever descends upon the Park, it’s quite a sight to behold. We’ve had as many as 300 young people in matching t-shirts running around planting, picking, shoveling and singing. Oh, yeah. They sing. One of the most impressive things about STLF is that all the kids involved seemingly spend their time cooped on the buses learning intricate chants and songs that they perform for us, en masse. It is a treat for the eyes, ears and flower beds.

The blog is back! And now with more lists!

Jen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:13:12 -0500

Oh, hi there.

picture from icanhascheezburger.com

You haven’t been getting my blog posts? Really? They must have gotten lost in the mail. Now that we’ve cleared that up…

The Internet has a lot of adorable quirks, like its penchant for making cats famous and its insatiable bloodlust for pop stars. Each holiday season, the Internet gets around to its annual barrage of lists. The best and worst of the weirdest and most obscure—the Internet ranks and files them all for our merriment. You know who loves lists? Everyone. You know who loves unjustified blanket statements? I do.
Without further ado, I proudly present my list of Top 10 Park Moments of 2010, which like year-end Oscar buzz, will almost certainly prove to be misguided and negligible.

Top 10 Park Moments of 2009, which will be revealed periodically to build suspense.

10. New Recruits
New Staff and Bumper Crop of Baby Bison

Who said a buffalo can't ride a bike?

Jen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:13:50 -0500

Hey everyone! Everest here. I apologize for my blog hiatus; I have been so busy helping the Rangers set up for Starry Nights. I'm back on the web to let you know of another exciting event happening here. From living at the Park, my buffalo pals and I have learned all about ways to help protect our environment, like recycling! Our friends at Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop have developed a creative, inspiring, one might even say revolutionary recycling program that benefits the Memphis community. Revolutions takes used bicycles, deconstructs them, and uses the parts to build like-new bicycles. This holiday season, Shelby Farms Park is teaming up with YMCA and Revolutions to provide Mid-South kids with recycled bikes. The kids will get a tour of the bike shop and learn all about how it works. A few weeks later, they'll get to visit me at the Park and take their new bikes for a trail ride! If you'd like to help out, drop off your used bike anytime at the rack in front of the Visitor Center. You can also drop off donations at Revolutions, 1000 S. Cooper St., during the following hours: Sunday 2-5pm, Monday 6:30-8:30pm, and Thursday 6:30-8:30pm.

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

Jen — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:28:56 -0400

Hello, again, friends!

Everest here. Happy Buffalo Month of July! Hope you’re as excited as I am. And I hear y’all are helping us come up with names for all our new baby buffalo. Really appreciate it.
Since it is Buffalo month, I figured I should update you guys again on my goings on with St. Ann’s second grade class. Before I do that though, I wanted to remind everyone about why I’m writing, or perhaps inform our first-time readers. I am a buffalo, out here at Shelby Farms, and a few months back I was lucky enough to be adopted by the second grade classes at St. Ann Catholic School in Bartlett through the Shelby Farms Adopt-a-Buffalo program.
These journal entry posts tell the stories of my adventures to the homes of those second graders. Here’s an entry from March 30, when I got to go home with Madeline.

Hey Big Spender

Jen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:18:47 -0400

Could you spare $2 a month? Do you like free t-shirts? If you answered "yes" to these questions, you are a prime candidate for membership in the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy.

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

Jen — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:17:34 -0400

Hello again, friends!

Everest here. I thought I'd write in to update you all again on my goings on with St. Ann's second grade class. Before I do that though, I wanted to remind everyone about why I'm writing, or perhaps inform our first-time readers. I am a buffalo, out here at Shelby Farms Park, and a few months back I was lucky enough to be adopted by the second grade classes at St. Ann Catholic School in Bartlett through the Shelby Farms Adopt-a-Buffalo program.

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

Jen — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:41:06 -0400

Greetings, friends!

My name is Everest. I am a buffalo who lives at Shelby Farms Park, and I was lucky enough this past spring to become an adopted member of the family at St. Ann Catholic School in Bartlett through the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy's Adopt-a-Buffalo program. Three second grade classes there got together to become my adoptive parents, and I could not be happier to have become a part of their community. Plus, it's great to know that there's someone taking care of me out there, thinking about the future well-being of my herdmates and me.

Uphill Battle

Jen — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:06:16 -0400

I'm being ironic.

Like the wiener dog, my natural enemy is a steep incline.* Even when I was in fighting shape, there’s nothing I looked forward to less than a jaunt up a hill (besides perhaps 10 jaunts up a hill). Fortunately for me, Memphis isn’t terribly mountainous. But I’ve gotta say, there’s something magical about being on my bike and powering up a sharp hill that makes me feel really alive. It’s the duality of Jen.

Overcoming the odds is a beautiful thing, but I’ve had a lesson or two in patting myself on the back for defying my low center of gravity. Yesterday I was wandering through the lobby on my way to my regular 3pm coffee break, when I spotted a guy in a wheelchair gazing at the Master Plan map hanging on the wall. I asked him if he had any questions.

Guest Blog: Is Sandee Lost in Space?

Jen — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:16:52 -0400

Star Power

There is a well known voice on WYPL, reading the CA live on Saturdays, and also heard on BookTalk. You could hear those same confident, soothing tones by calling the Park on Monday afternoon!

Guest Blog: Sandee asks, "Just Happenstance?"

Jen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:18:27 -0400

Phil and Morris, Morris and Phil. Those names are synonymous for those of us at Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. You rarely see one without the other. They don't know quite how it happened. Happenstance, Morris says.

For the last few years, these two volunteers have worked every Thursday morning at the Visitor Center. Phil's started volunteering on Thursdays years ago, spending much of his time out in the Park before he bummed up his leg and started working at the Information Desk. Morris eased into Thursday from Tuesday several years ago they've been fishing, shooting, restaurant reviewing and volunteer buddies ever since.

SFPC Blog

#9 Park Moment of 2009:

The blog is back! And now with more lists!

picture from icanhascheezburger.com

Who said a buffalo can't ride a bike?

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

read more

Hey Big Spender

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

Guest Blog: Everest the Buffalo

Uphill Battle

Guest Blog: Is Sandee Lost in Space?

Guest Blog: Sandee asks, "Just Happenstance?"