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SATURDAY: Green Valley Park’s Annual TubeFest Fundraiser Returns to the High Country, Aug. 26.

GREEN VALLEY–Green Valley Park’s Annual TubeFest Fundraiser will return to Big Hill Road on the New River, Saturday, August 26th, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Park is located at 3746 Big Hill Road, between the Green Valley School and Todd. Participants should meet at the Park’s lower parking lot near the new canoe ramp for a brief shuttle ride upstream. They will then float down the scenic New River for about an hour in (what else?) tubes. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. The cost of the fundraiser is $10 per tube per ride per person and includes the shuttle.

Come dressed to get wet and wear water shoes or sandals. A hot dog lunch, snacks, and soft drinks will be available for purchase at the Park as well as individual local apples from Coffey’s Orchard at Coffey Grounds and Moretz’s Mountain Orchard. Since the Green Valley Park is an alcohol-free zone, please respect our family-friendly policies. Remember not to dump trash in the New River—especially not bottles. Trash and recycling containers will be available at the Park.

Walk or play at the Park, which offers a soccer field, paved walking loop, walking trails, picnic shelter, restrooms, bandstand, and a children’s playground–or splash in the New River. (Participants are asked to return their tubes before swimming.)

The Green Valley Park is open to the public and is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization run by a board of directors from the local community. All are volunteers. In fact, the Park has no paid employees. A young landscaper has a contract to cut the grass, and a housekeeping couple are contracted to clean the restrooms by the picnic shelter. The Park currently receives some money from Watauga County toward operating costs and has received public and private grants and many donations over the years. Groups using the picnic shelter should book ahead to reserve the space by contacting Board Member Dan Norris at dan@dannorrisinsurance.com or 828-264-6866. To assure equal access for the general public, the Park licenses only two outfitters a year to use the canoe ramp commercially. High Mountain Expeditions and RiverGirl Fishing Co. are donating the use of their tubes and personnel for TubeFest. The Park’s directors deeply appreciate support received from all friends of the Park, all the donations and grants, and the support from Watauga County.

For further information about the Park or about TubeFest see our website: www.greenvalleypark.org.