Friends of Stark Parks
Friends of Stark Parks (FSP) is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to promoting the development and use of Stark County Park District parks, trails, facilities, educational programs, and events in Stark County, Ohio.
FSP raises funds through memberships, donations, grants and several annual fundraisers. The FSP Board meets monthly to discuss responsible spending of the monies raised through these events. Join the Friends of Stark Parks Facebook Group and be a part of the conversation.

With Your Support
Money raised from FSP supports a variety of supplemental projects in Stark Parks including:
- Water Trail on the Tuscarawas River
- A park-wide bench program
- The planting of trees in various parks
- Support of the Stark Exploring program
- Support of the Dark Sky Initiative
- An established Endowment Fund for the Joseph J. and Helen M. Sommer Wildlife Conservation Center at Sippo Lake Park
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Recent Posts
Join Stark Parks and the Quail Hollow Volunteer Association for this holiday delight at Quail Hollow Park with decorated trees, lights, and festive music. Stop inside the beautifully decorated Stewart… More
Stark Parks celebrated volunteer accomplishments in 2023 at the annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner at the Exploration Gateway at Sippo Lake Park earlier this month. Through September, over 14,000 volunteer hours… More
A new Stark Parks logo is being debuted to better reflect the park mission and create more consistency throughout the organization. The last true redesign occurred over 25 years ago when… More
Stark Library Perry-Sippo Branch and Stark Parks partner on Dec. 2, 2023 from 5 to 8 p.m. to welcome guests of honor, Mr. & Mrs. Claus to kick-off a season… More
Hike your way through the changing colors of Stark Parks as you check off your 2023 Stark Exploring passport. The annual Stark Exploring challenge runs from September 1st to December… More
Beginning in March 2023, Stark Parks crews will begin preparing areas at Tam O'Shanter Park for parking lot and driveway updates including removing and relocating trees and vegetation. Construction will… More
Think there's not much to see on the trail? Think again and look around! Enhance your park experience by learning how to identify trees no matter the season. The IdentiTree… More
Make the most of the shortest day of the year and ring in the winter season with a Winter Hike-a-Thon! On December 21, 2023, choose Stark Parks for your… More
Geocaching is a great way to explore Stark Parks year-round! Find the hidden caches at different park locations and collect 12 out of 15 code words to win a unique… More
Humble Beginnings (1960s and 1970s) The year was 1967. Although Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources had been established 18 years before in 1949, it was three years before the establishment… More