The San Saba Garden Club enthusiastically hosted an Appreciation Day event on Tuesday, October 1, at 4 p.m. at Mill Pond Park Falls for Mr. Farrel Whitley who served as Mill Pond Park Superintendent from 2001 to 2018. A large crowd of friends, co-workers, and family joined Farrel and his wife, Michele, at the unveiling of an honorary plaque located just west of the Park Falls.
San Saba City Manager Scott Edmonson welcomed more than 120 attendees to the celebration and commended Farrel on his vision for the park and his 17 years of remarkable achievements.
Debbie Shahan, San Saba Garden Club President, acknowledged the presence of Farrel and Michele’s children, grandchil-dren, and great-grandchildren, and began the program.
Susan Kissko, who initiated the project of honoring Farrel at a Garden Club meeting last year, gave some opening remarks, followed by Jan Beaver, past San Saba City Secretary during Farrel’s employment. Beaver shared some special memories of times Farrel came up with ingenious ideas for improving desolate areas of the park and reclaiming surrounding spaces. With the help of city funds and grants, those ideas became realities.
Mr. Whitley then told some humorous stories, kindly calling out several people in the crowd who had worked alongside him in his employment at the City of San Saba. Following Whitley’s remarks, Second and Wallace St. Church of Christ minister, Justin Bell, offered a prayer of thanksgiving.
Kissko and Beaver finally unveiled the standing honorary plaque, which read: “In Recognition of the Dedication and Service of Farrel Whitley, Mill Pond Park Superintendent 2001-2018: On January 2, 2001, Farrel Whitley was named Mill Park Pond Superintendent. He spent the next 17 years designing, supervising, and working to make his pioneering vision for Mill Pond Park a reality.
Farrel’s contributions to Mill Pond Park are too numerous to list, but among the most significant are:
• Designing and constructing the Park’s extensive retaining walls
• Building a beach for parkgoers’ enjoyment
• Planting and maintain flowerbeds
• Reclaiming overgrown land for park expansion
• Repairing the historic mill wheel
• Bringing the San Saba Garden Club up to ADA’s accessibility standards
• Making the park an annual Christmas Wonderland with decorations and lights choreographed to music Today, the City of San Saba proudly boasts having one of the most beautiful small parks in the State of Texas. Hosting thousands of visitors annually, Mill Pond Park embodies one man’s dreams, dedication, and perseverance—those of Farrel Whitley.
Dedicated with profound gratitude by: San Saba Garden Club City of San Saba Genesis 2:15: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it.”
Following the ceremony, the Garden Club hosted a reception on the clubhouse lawn, with food, drink, and visiting. SSGC thanks everyone who came and participated at the lovely fall event.
You can find more photos of the event later this week on our website www.sansabanews.com.