Friends of the Parks in Fayette County, Inc

About Friends of the Parks – Fayette County

Friends of the Parks is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to enhancing Fayette County’s park systems through environmental restoration, public art, and educational programming in history, art, and culture. What began in the 1990s with Sandy Shafer rallying volunteers to build the Imagination Playground at Jacobson Park has grown into a community-powered movement for greener, more vibrant public spaces in Lexington.

Since those early days, our volunteers have secured grants, accepted donations, and contributed more than $300,000 worth of projects across local parks. Every initiative we undertake is fueled by community passion, donated time, and grassroots fundraising.

In 2025 alone, we’ve:

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  Planted nearly 250 trees to improve water quality and habitat.

  
  


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  Removed hundreds of pounds of litter from parklands.

  
  


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  Cleared nearly 2 acres of invasive plant species, replacing them with native vegetation.

  
  


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  Begun the installation of public murals and permanent art, weaving cultural identity into our green spaces.

  
  

Through environmental action and creative collaboration, we’re building parks that are not only beautiful and sustainable, but also celebrate Lexington’s rich history and diverse culture.

Every tree planted, every brushstroke painted, and every bag of litter removed is thanks to people like you.

Join us in transforming our parks—one project at a time.