By Tracy Holcomb

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Little Park in the center of Pope, and local residents have banded together to give the area a good sprucing in preparation for the holiday season.

Several women spent two weekends cutting back overgrown trees and bushes, and others pitched in to haul away limbs and debris. Imogene Williford donated a new flag for the flagpole, and Ricky Brown put it up and repaired the light fixture that lights the flag.

The Pope’s Women’s Club established the Little Park in 1998 and the area has been used often since then by various groups and organizations.

Whosoever Church has held its Fall Festival there, and will sponsor the Pope Christmas Parade this year. The parade is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. and will follow a route from Pope School to the old Methodist Church.

After the parade, Santa will be at the gazebo in the park for pictures with children. Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided.

Mayor Jamie Howell, along with aldermen Dan Jenkins, Michael Boyette, Jessie Flowers, Justin Pope, and Ann Rikard expressed the board’s appreciation for the improvement to the park and it’s overall benefit to Pope.