Friends of Murphys Point Park

Please mark your calendars for Sunday, April 27, 2025 when we will meet at the Lally Homestead, Murphys Point Provincial Park, for our 30^th Annual General Meeting!

We have two activities planned for that day, and you are welcome to take part in one or both of them. At 10 a.m., starting from the Lally Homestead Parking Lot, we are hosting our Spring 2025 Lanark County Adopt-a-Road Event for the second year. For this, volunteers help to pick up litter and recyclables along the stretch of County Road 21 (Lally Road) that passes through the Park – from just before the main entrance through to the Group Camping area. This involves about 7 kilometres of walking and takes about two hours. Volunteers will receive a light lunch at the Homestead when we finish. A waiver is needed for this activity. Please let us know if you will be taking part, and see links to the waiver and more details at https://friendsofmurphyspoint.ca/2025/04/05/please-join-us-for-the-spring-2025-adopt-a-road-event/

At 12:30 p.m. in the Homestead, the Annual General Meeting will begin! This short (approximately half an hour) business meeting summarizes last year’s activities and includes the election of directors. Paid-up members have a vote at the AGM. If you haven’t had a chance to renew (or would like to join), memberships are only $10. They can be renewed by sending an e-transfer to friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca (please indicate your name and contact information in the e-mail). Donated amounts over the $10 membership fee will receive a tax receipt. Please encourage a friend to become a Friend or consider making a donation.

If you want to learn more about a director position, please e-mail us and we can fill you in. It’s a great way to get involved with special projects and to connect with others who love the park.

The AGM package has been sent to members and copies will be available at the meeting. We hope you’ll join us on April 27 for one or both events!

Hello Friends (and Park Neighbours)!

Spring has sprung, which means it’s time for the Spring edition of the Lanark County Adopt-a-Road program with the Friends of Murphys Point Park! This is a great way to help keep Murphys Point and the neighbourhood beautiful, and we are seeking volunteers to help pick up litter and recyclables along the stretch of County Road 21 (Lally Road) that passes through the Park – from just before the main entrance through to the Group Camping area.

The event is slated to take place on Sunday, April 27 starting at 10 a.m. from the Lally Homestead Parking Lot. We do each side of the road, which is about 7 kilometres of walking in total, and it usually takes about two hours.

Park staff will be on hand to assist, and safety equipment will be available. Volunteers must sign a waiver for the County in order to participate. Please note, if you participated with us last year, you don’t need to sign the waiver again – it remains valid for the duration of the program. Here is a link to the waiver: https://www.lanarkcounty.ca/en/roads-trails-and-transit/resources/Documents/Indemnity-Requirements.pdf

For your reference prior to signing the waiver, please have a look at:

• County agreement information (https://www.lanarkcounty.ca/en/roads-trails-and-transit/resources/Documents/Adopt-A-Road-Agreement-Form-Fillable.pdf)
• Terms and Conditions (https://www.lanarkcounty.ca/en/roads-trails-and-transit/resources/Documents/Adopt-A-Road-Terms-and-Conditions.pdf)

If you would like to help, please complete and return the waiver to us at friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca by 4 p.m. on April 24 so that we can forward it to the County. Volunteers will receive safety instructions prior to the pick up, including information about ticks. Sturdy shoes/boots and long socks that you can tuck your pants into are recommended. Equipment will be provided.

A light lunch will be served at the Lally Homestead for volunteers following the pick-up. We are also hosting our Annual General Meeting that day at the Homestead at 12:30 p.m. It is a brief meeting (usually about half an hour) and we hope you will join us to hear about Friends’ activities! (If you can’t participate in Adopt-a-Road but would like to attend the AGM, please join us at 12:30 p.m. More info will be posted about the AGM soon!)

We hope to see you on April 27!

Are you good with numbers? Have a bit of time to support a good cause?

The Friends of Murphys Point Park are looking for a volunteer to take on the role of Treasurer. If you have – or someone you know has – the interest and the skills to help fulfill this role, we would love to hear from you or them.

The Friends of Murphys Point Park is a small, registered incorporated not-for-profit charity that has been in operation since 1995. Our mandate is to encourage and support interpretive, educational, recreational, scientific, and historical initiatives related to the natural, cultural and historic resources of Murphys Point Provincial Park, which is located in Tay Valley Township about 20 minutes south of Perth. In order to carry out our work the members derive income from fundraisers, membership fees, donations, merchandise sales and grants.

The Treasurer holds an Executive position on the Board of Directors of the Friends. Duties of the position include:

• Recording revenues and expenditures using QuickBooks (supplied by the Friends) and reporting to the Board (meetings are held approximately every two months)
• Managing accounts payable and receivable by cheque or e-transfer, including bank deposits (the Treasurer is one of three signing authorities with the Board)
• Compiling relevant documents to facilitate a review engagement by the Friends’ accountant (currently underway for the 2024 fiscal year)
• Completing the annual Charitable Return for CRA, which is due in June each year
• Assisting with developing the annual budget (already underway for 2025)
• Assisting with paperwork (WSIB) and payroll (with the help of another volunteer with payroll experience) for two or three summer students hired by the Friends
• Issuing receipts for charitable donations

Our budget is not huge and the tasks are not onerous to someone familiar with bookkeeping procedures, and Board members and other volunteers can provide guidance. Our previous Treasurer, who passed away suddenly, left our records in very good order.

If you know of anyone with an interest in the Park or the Friends and who may have the skills to fill this position, please e-mail friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca for more information or to discuss in greater detail.

Please spread the word, and thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have.