On December 10, 2021, the first signature on the list of incorporators for a new non-profit, Friends of Joyce Park, was Joyce. One week later, on December 17th, Joyce Marguerite Gibbons died. She was 90 years old. But, her generosity still lives on at 115 East Lincoln Street in Grand Ledge, MI, now known as Joyce Park. 

She had intended to build a house at that address. It was still an empty lot when the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2020. She allowed the T&SC to develop an outdoor classroom on a concrete pad at the back of the yard where two basketball hoops had once stood. Both that year, and in 2021, she had a garden plot in the center of the property, as a good diversion in the middle of the pandemic. 

When the fall festival in Grand Ledge was reduced to a single day because of Covid-19, she allowed our Michigan Living History Encounters (T&SC branch) to set up on the property in October 2021. 

Important Information Regarding "Odd Jobs" Opportunities

While the Friends of Joyce Park 501c3 non-profit organization is primarily a volunteer organization, and is not set up to hire employees, in the spring, summer, and fall, we do with some regularity have a need to employ "incidental labor" to help with work we do not have adequate volunteers to complete. We generally look to hire teenagers, retired persons, elderly, or the unemployed, seeking to pick up some extra cash doing odd jobs. These can include, preparing flower beds, planting flowers, plus general raking, shoveling, removing weeds, clipping dead flowers, help with mowing the grass, scraping and applying water sealer on our large wood benches, help with putting up tents and displays (for events when needed), help taking down tents and displays, plus getting them into proper storage containers and areas, etc. 

Additionally, the Teaching & Sharing Centers 501c3 public charity, which owns the park, also maintains a small amount of funds for "incidental labor" to help when it does not have adequate volunteers for its many operational tasks. In addition to similar work to the above list, there are indoor options like processing books, DVDs, and other materials into the libraries (requires basic computer skills). 

Payment is usually determined in advance according to the task or job, based on a $10 per hour formula. Occasionally, we simply hire hourly if we are not sure of the duration of a task. We pay in cash at the end of each assignment, task, or project. 

Parental approval is required for anyone under the age of 18 (legal adult status). If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please text (or phone) your name and contact information to 517 230-0611. 

Prior to her death, Joyce deeded the property to the Teaching & Sharing Centers 501c3 non-profit, and approved the establishment of the Friends of Joyce Park to help with the improvements, maintenance, and events at Joyce Park. The new non-profit officially came into being on January 1, 2022. 

At a meeting of the Teaching & Sharing Centers Board of Trustees on March 15, 2022, a motion was passed under the IAM program for the Friends of Joyce Park to become an Independent Affiliate, which makes their legal corporate address 417 South Bridge Street, Grand Ledge, Michigan 48837. 

If you are interested in becoming a member, or for more information about
the Friends of Joyce Park, please visit their website at:

www.fojp.org

The Teaching & Sharing Centers non-profit organization encourages contributions supporting the work of our Independent Affiliates (IAMs). In December 2022, the IRS approved the Friends of Joyce Park non-profit as a 501c3 public charity. You can make a tax deductible contribution directly to them by mail. If you utilize the T&SC online option to make a contribution, simply state in the remarks that your donation is for the Friends of Joyce Park non-profit. 

To make an online contribution click here.