Speaking Personally: Bailey Legacy Park

   If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Every small town in America would be better if everyone had a Wendell Bailey. There is no one who has done more for this city, and he has done it with flair. He is synonymous with Willow Springs. 

 

   In 2019, Wendell asked me to do something crazy. He wanted me to buy Howell County News and keep it alive. I had no experience running a newspaper, but Wendell had an inspiring vision. In his vision, Willow Springs is a town with a newspaper. Through his support, my family has a place in this community. Thanks to his vision, this town does still have a newspaper. 

 

     Wendell Bailey is a visionary, one-in-seven-billion character to whom I personally owe very much of my happiness today. Like many people whose lives he has improved, I have been anxious this year to acknowledge Wendell’s life and legacy. I think it would be silly to wait to do it posthumously. 

 

    Wendell is here now, and I hope to give him back a tribute that fits his impact. That is why I am donating a city lot on Main Street to serve as Bailey Legacy Park, a pocket playground featuring a mural dedicated to Wendell’s incredible life and contributions to Willow Springs. The park is the starting point of a walking tour that will take pedestrians up and down our downtown streets. The path of the tour will be marked with a floral mural on the sidewalks and will showcase iconic Willow Springs landmarks such as Smuck Plaza, the Sass House, the Opera House, the Ferguson Building, and the Star Theatre. I hope to give people a reason to spend time (and money) in our downtown sector. 

 

     Community fundraising efforts are going on now. One of our earliest top-tier donors is West Plains Bank and Trust Co. They generously donated $500. Almost all of the artwork and supplies are being donated to this humble effort to acknowledge Willow Springs’ favorite son, but there are still a few cash needs to make it a reality. Because I am partnering with the Willow Springs Community Foundation, all donations are 100% tax deductible. 

 

     In my small way, it’s time for me to have a vision for Willow Springs. In my vision, this community honors one of our most unforgettable citizens with a project that teaches visitors to love Willow Springs like he does. The park should give kids and families something to do. The tour should preserve local history and promote existing businesses. The mural will tell a story of a talented and ambitious man who rubbed elbows with presidents but never lost his hometown pride.