Please join Friends of the Parks of Allen County as it celebrates its 16th year with a member mixer and kickoff for the annual Great Tree Canopy Comeback! The event will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, August 9, at the Memorial Park Pavilion, 2301 Maumee Ave.

Board member Tom Cain, a retired city planner and landscape architect, will share the legacy of this inspirational park. Friends President Heidi Koeneman and Vice President Ed Welling will discuss the work getting under way by the city parks department’s Memorial Park Task Force.

Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits will provide free box dinners for all who register by Wednesday, August 2. To register, go to fotpannualmeeting.eventbrite.com.

Please come prepared to donate/volunteer for the Great Tree Canopy Comeback and renew your annual Friends of the Parks membership. You may also renew online at www.yeaparks.com/membership.

It is the mission of the Friends of the Parks to promote the stewardship and celebration of the scenic, historic, and recreational resources of the parks and public spaces in Fort Wayne and Allen County.