It can be built if they come.

Construction on the Bethel Park project is ready to beginMonday, but it is going to take all the volunteers who earlierexpressed interest in the project to pitch in and help next week,city officials said.

“We’re trying to do a five-day blitz because we have the crewfrom the company for five days,” said Recreation and Parks DirectorTerry Reid. “We’d love to have anyone that can come, and if you canonly come for an hour, come for an hour.”

Reid said Mississippi Development Authority officials had toldhim the city would need 60 volunteers in order to receive a grantrequired to build the park. He said by the end of a support rallyin June, 190 people had filled out volunteer forms.

MDA Development Specialist Brenda Lacey said early in theproject that one major consideration in the MDA’s choosing to fundthe construction of the new Bethel Park is the fact that there wasso much community support at the town meeting held last year. Inaddition, she said, there is a need for a park in Ward Three.

Reid said the volunteer forms don’t sew up the money for thecity.

Signatures of volunteers have to be turned in, as the city’smatch in the grant is in working hours.

The $100,000 project requires a manpower match. Reid said thecity needs to supply roughly $30,000 in in-kind services, suchvolunteer work, and material donations.

“There’s something for everybody, but we still really need somestrong backs,” he said. “It’s going to be something that willbenefit the community, and people don’t realize working on this howmuch better it will make you feel.”

The work doesn’t just count toward warm fuzzy inner feelings,either. Reid pointed out that the volunteer work pays off,especially for groups that require public service hours.

“Anybody needing public service hours, whether it’s MississippiScholars, National Honor Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters -anybody,” he said. “And the group doesn’t necessarily have to befrom the city, even though it’s a city project. County schools canget involved, too.”

There have been several groups that have volunteered to help,Reid said, but individuals are still much more than welcome.

“The Co-Lin football team has committed to help on Wednesday,and some folks from Wal-Mart on Monday, and Home Depot is sendingsome people,” said Reid, adding that groups like Faith PresbyterianChurch and American Red Cross are providing refreshments atdifferent times throughout the week.

And not only will Bethel Park’s completion signify the end of aproject that has been developing for more than a year, but alsoanother step in Brookhaven’s effort to create more green space anda variety of recreational locations throughout the city.

“With this completion there will be city parks for three partsof the city,” he said

Volunteers are welcome throughout the week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Reid said anyone with questions is welcome to call the RecreationDepartment for more information.

“Please come,” he said. “We need your help. I have to have namesto make the grant.”