Note: During National Volunteer Week, we are shining a daily spotlight on just a few of our wonderful volunteers. Forest Park Forever’s Volunteer & Visitor Services programs are generously supported by the E. Reuben & Gladys Flora Grant Charitable Trust, Trio Foundation and the Saint Louis Service Bureau Foundation. In 2013, Forest Park benefited from 1,180 volunteers who provided 11,868 hours of service and stewardship.

Forest Park Forever would like to kick off National Volunteer Week by thanking our terrific Wonderland Tea Party Planning Committee for a fantastic “Royal Affair” yesterday afternoon.

The Wonderland Tea Party is an annual fun-filled, two-hour afternoon event that raises much-needed funds to care for Forest Park. At this year's event, more than 200 kids participated in various themed activities, including arts and crafts projects, a scavenger hunt, face painting, chess tutorials, playtime on the playground and much more.

Forest Park Forever's diverse Planning Committee, made up of more than 30 kids and nearly 20 adults, launched the Wonderland Tea Party in 2008. This event engages both the young and the young at heart with the goals of instilling Park stewardship in children. Through this event, they can understand how the Forest Park Forever member and donor community cares for special places like the Variety Wonderland Playground on the grounds of the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center.

The Dennis & Judith Jones Wonderland Variety playground is one of the best loved family areas of Forest Park. This fully accessible, all-inclusive playground has become an important stop for families and educators throughout the region. Featuring 29 pieces of equipment, the playground allows children to learn about diversity, disabilities and acceptance through playtime in the playground.

In the spirit of National Volunteer Week, Forest Park Forever salutes the Wonderland Tea Party Planning Committee — in particular Co-Chairs  Shonte Moore and Makenzie Roberts and Gen Frank and Gabby Schmiedeke — for donating more than 100 hours to make this event a success!