ASC Greenway in Fort Mill wants to make new ‘Friends’

Spanning 112 feet and connecting the Diary Barn to Lake Haigler, the Anne Springs Close Greenway’s well-known swinging bridge is now a symbol of support for the horseback riding, educational programs and nature outings the preserve offers.

The Greenway launched its Friends of the Greenway Challenge: Bridge Club 112 in January, an effort to add 112 new donors to the Greenway – or one for every foot of the swinging bridge, by the end of this year, said Denise Cubbedge, spokesperson for the Greenway.

The Greenway’s membership fees and program sales do not completely cover the cost of running the more than 2,100-acre nature preserve, something annual donations from “Friends” – who get that designation by donating at least $500 a year, help offset, she said.

“Friends help bridge the gap between the funds we need to meet the needs of our operations,” she said.

Their support goes to summer camps, school field trips, maintaining lakes and controlling invasive species and more, according to the Greenway’s website.

Now, that idea is represented with each foot of the swinging bridge.

The Friends program dates back to 1995, when the nature preserve was first established and a group of friends decided to support it with annual donations, Cubbedge said.

Friends of the Greenway now receive many benefits, including family memberships, quarterly socials at the Greenway, hospitality tents at events, guest passes and parking passes, Cubbedge said. She said the Greenway wants to celebrate its Friends and help them experience what it has have to offer.

“The more we can get the Friends out on the Greenway and involved, the easier it is for us to grow Friends,” she said. “We want them to see firsthand what the Greenway is doing.”

Friends of the Greenway receive free admission to the Summer Concert Series, a night of music and food trucks every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. from June to August. Over the last year and half, the Greenway has grown from 47 households to more than 200 that are Friends of the Greenway, Cubbedge said.

Since it launched, Bridge Club 112 has added 24 new Friends of the Greenway. Last year’s campaign added 109 new Friends.

The Greenway continues to grow. The Mary Warner Mack Dog Park that opened nearly a year ago now has 465 members with close to 600 dogs, Cubbedge said.

She said Friends do more than support the Greenway financially, but also help ensure residents know what all they can find in their backyard.

“They are our biggest cheerleaders,” Cubbedge said.

To become a Friend of the Greenway, visit ascgreenway.org or text 41444. For more information on becoming a Friend, call 803-547-1034 or email DeniseCubbedge@ASCGreenway.org.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "ASC Greenway in Fort Mill wants to make new ‘Friends’."