Hampton Wildlife Fund pledges $100,000 towards Greenway expansion

May 05, 2022

Supporters and officials of the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund and the Lindsay Pettus Greenway gathered last week at the Greenway where officials announced a $100,000 pledge for trail expansion efforts.

"We see great alignment in the missions of both our organizations in promoting conservation of our region’s natural resources," said Ell Close, a veteran member of the Hampton Wildlife Fund Board of Directors.

The Hampton Wildlife Fund Fort Mill committee has sponsored an annual banquet and auction since 2004 to raise funds for projects that have positive impacts on the wildlife, ecosystems, and environmental needs of the region. The Fort Mill committee’s fundraising efforts have supported statewide initiatives as well as local projects including the Bruce Rush Pavilion and the Hampton Wildlife Fund Adventure Center at the Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Since its inception in 1981, the Hampton Wildlife Fund has funded projects and assisted the S.C. Department of Natural Resources with more than $4.2 million in contributions to environmental causes. Jim Goller, Wildlife Fund executive director, was on hand Thursday and said, "The Lindsay Pettus Greenway exemplifies the values of our organization and we are pleased to support their work with this gift. This project demonstrates that a trail system can exist within an urban environment while also protecting wildlife habitat and ecosystems."

"The Lindsay Pettus Greenway was established with an abiding commitment to conservation and environmental education," said Lauren Thomas, Lindsay Pettus Greenway board president. "The trail is a place to soak up nature and enjoy the healing benefits of spending time outdoors. Our objective is to impact our community’s health in multiple ways. Of course, we want people to walk, run, bike and be more physically active. But we also want them to do these things in a tranquil outdoor setting, because research confirms that our sense of well-being gets an extra boost when we spend time in nature. It is our hope that by spending time on the greenway, visitors will come to value our natural world more fully. We want to create conservationists."

The Hampton Wildlife Fund’s pledge will be used to expand and enhance the trail. The next construction priorities include constructing a trail connector to Forest Drive, building an underpass at Main Street between Independence and Constitution Parks, and extending the trail along Roddey Drive toward USC Lancaster and the YMCA. Beyond these priorities, the Lindsay Pettus Greenway has plans to connect to the MUSC hospital district and the Springdale Road Recreation Center, and to continue westward past Plantation Road and from there north along Cane Creek.

The Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund Inc. is a private, non-profit corporation that partners with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources for the promotion of education, research, management and the administration of game and fish laws, which will benefit conservation of wildlife, marine and other natural resources in South Carolina.

The Lindsay Pettus Greenway is a private, non-profit corporation whose mission is to solicit, receive, manage and disburse funds for the development, maintenance, and operations of the Lindsay Pettus Greenway and trail system in the City of Lancaster. For more information, visit www.LindsayPettusGreenway.org.