The Friends of Hayes Park, Inc. is a group of public-spirited neighbors dedicated to maintaining Hayes Park, a green gem located at the corner of Warren Avenue and West Canton Street in Boston’s South End. Organized in 1987 to redesign what was then a derelict, concrete-paved lot, the Friends now have a membership numbering more than 250 families. Each year, members donate an extraordinary 1,400 hours to keep the park beautiful.

Since renovating the park in 1992, the Friends, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, has been a “Park Partner” with the Boston Parks Department. The funds needed to maintain the park are all provided by the Friends. In addition, the Friends host free community events, that draw visitors from all across the city — including an annual May Day, Summer Picnic, Harvestfest, and Christmas Caroling — and support local partners, organizing such events as canned goods collections for a local food pantry, and for the last 18 years, sponsoring a South End Little League Baseball team, the Hayes Park Yankees.

The group’s annual Auction will take place Sunday, October 25, beginning at 4:00 pm at the Boston Ballet Building,  19 Clarendon Street in Boston.  Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and may be purchased on line at www.hayespark.org.  An enticing sample of auction items can be found on their home page, so we encourage you to support this fine organization.