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  “Built it and they will come” it is said, and such was certainly the case on Saturday, June 28^th, when the long awaited opening of Memory Park became a reality.

   More than 500 people walked the pathways of the new park, adjacent to the Chares B Stewart Library in Montgomery. During the day, while Mike McDougal cooked hot dogs served up by a host of Rotarians and other volunteers, children scurried about, exploring every inch of the park. From the face painting – courtesy of the National Charity League in Montgomery – to the balloon animals to the moonwalks, to feeding the fish in the pond, the children had much to keep them busy.

     Under a too small tent Diane Whiteley, Lorrie Parker and Cheyenne, Pat Davis and other volunteers from the Conroe Art League had a steady stream of children lined up to dip their hands in colorful paints to create unique tiles which will form the panels of the Children’s Wall to be built in Phase Two of the park. Daltile donated not only the 200 tiles for opening day, but promised hundreds more to continue the project over the course of the next year. (Please contact me if your school or group would like to be involved). Diane’s friend Melanie Small definitely deserves a medal for her beautiful photographs of all 196 of the kiddos with their tiles. What a feat!
 

     After 5 p.m. the tables were draped with champagne colored linens and local chefs took center stage as another 250 invited guests came to christen the park. This group included donors, dignitaries and supporters, all entertained by The Dry Creek Band as they munched on delicious appetizers from Walden Yacht Club, Bentwater Country Club, Debby’s Prime Steaks and Piano Bar, Kirby’s, Taverna, The Italian Grille, Quiznos of Conroe and Majkszars Meat Market. Gary Parker surprised us with a clip of the documentary that he is preparing on the park, which brought many of us to tears. The thank you's went on for months. The day was a success beyond our wildest dreams. Nurseryman Jason Blackwell, who has worked along side Peter and Chris Wakefield since the groundbreaking in March of 2007, summed up the day so well – “We’ve spent months looking out over this park, seeing our crews and volunteers working to build it, but today, seeing the park filled with families, this puts it all in perspective, this makes it real.” We couldn’t agree more Jason!