Recently Kye met with Ms. Deborah Carroll, Board President of Friends of the Fordyce, to brainstorm new ways to get youth excited about becoming involved in our country’s oldest National Park!? For hundreds of years, Hot Springs National Park has been a destination for health, rest and gathering. Thousands of people from all over the World have visited our National Park and the City of Hot Springs has naturally built up around it.
The Friends of the Fordyce is a non-profit organization that was established in 1987 for the preservation of the historic bathhouses and the rehabilitation of the landscaped grounds.? As Kye and Ms. Carroll toured beautiful and historical bathhouse row and surrounding areas, she invited Kye to envision some interesting projects to get more youth interested and active in Hot Springs National Park.? They took time and discussed a list of projects and events that KYE-YAC felt would be of interest to the youth in our community as well as those that visit Hot Springs National Park with their families.? Some of KYE-YAC’s ideas included obstacle courses, ropes courses, archeological studies, native american history and much more!
Ms. Carroll remarked, “A unique aspect of Hot Springs National Park is that there is not a gate where you have to pay admission to be able to come and enjoy our Park. Because of the location, it is interwoven with the City of Hot Springs; you are able to visit the beauty of the Park without an additional cost.”? She also added, ?If there have been interesting attractions you have enjoyed at other National Parks, please share them with Kye Masino, to help with his visions for the youth that visit Hot Springs National Park.?
Kye and his board are looking forward to offering more ideas and working on them for the kids that live and visit here.? KYE-YAC wants more youth to enjoy the Park,? to learn the true history of Hot Springs and they want to help attract more youth to this magical part of the country we call home!
