Welcome to the Friends of Purtis Creek website.

 We hope you enjoy your visit here and will consider joining us at the park!

Mission: The Friends of Purtis Creek is a 501© 3 organization dedicated to the benefit and improvement of Purtis Creek State Park.

 Our goal is to better the park through improvement projects and event hosting. In order to accomplish this we raise funds through a variety of programs and team with the park management to best use these funds in the park. All members and officers in the Friends group are volunteers with no paid positions present.

Membership: Membership rates

While there is an initial membership rate to join, we as a group decided long ago that participation is more important than the nominal fee to join. Therefore we instituted a policy whereby after paying the initial membership fee, members that attend meetings on a regular basis and volunteer to help at one or more events, will automatically be renewed each year they participate, without paying renewal fees. This encourages our members to be active in the decision making process and group activities. Our standing meetings are held on the second Saturday of every other month, starting in January, at 4:30pm in the park. Special meetings are called as needed.

Events:

The Friend of Purtis Creek host three events each year—An Easter Egg Hunt, A Halloween in the Park event and our biggest event the annual Kids Fish and Playday, held on the first Saturday in June every year.

Easter Egg Hunt:

Our Easter Egg hunt is usually held on the Saturday prior to Easter Sunday.

We provide eggs for three age groups and there is no park admittance fee during this event.

Fish and Playday:

Our playday is held from 8am-noon on the first Saturday in June each year. There is no charge for park admittance or fishing during this event.

Each of the first 500 children attending this event will receive a free rod and reel. In addition we provide a lunch at the noon hour. Trophies are awarded in various activities in three age groups and prizes are handed out randomly throughout the event. We try to provide a small amount of bait for the kids as well as assistance with the fishing and games. Games at the event include a casting contest, paddle boat or canoe racing, archery, and possibly face painting, fish painting, rock climbing and a bounce house.

Halloween: 

Our Halloween event is also usually on the Saturday prior to Halloween. Trick or treat in the park with decorations and games. This is also a fund raising event and the only fee at the event is for the hayride across the park.