Back in 2017, inaturalist.org member Kimberlie Sasan stopped by the Fred Jones Nature Sanctuary in Taft on her way back to North Texas after a Texas Master Naturalist Conference (when they were still held in-person).
Sasan said at the time on her blog, “The place was incredibly overgrown and looked uncared for. At the front was a structure with picnic tables underneath, but it was in bad disrepair.
“The flora was mostly new to me, so I spent as long as I wanted just wandering around, often trudging through grass growing chest high.”
The nine-acre sanctuary has a view of downtown Corpus Christi across Nueces Bay and is home to numerous wildlife and plant species.
With dwindling donations and then the pandemic on top of that, what many birders and nature seekers have called ‘a hidden gem’ located in San Patricio County has become tarnished over the years.
But that hasn’t stopped a group of volunteers from stepping in to give it a good polish.
The nature sanctuary near Taft got a makeover from a group of about 30 Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV) employees and their family members who spent two days beginning on March 20. They transformed the covered picnic area and clearing overgrown brush while adding colorful flowers and repainting the entry sign.
The group also went above and beyond and put up new support beams along with fresh coats of paint on the pavilion and picnic tables during their second day at the sanctuary.
“The transformation is remarkable,” GCGV Process Technician and volunteer organizer Leslie Lamon said. “This is the second time we’ve been able to help here. It’s just about 10 miles from our site, and volunteers and their families are happy to give up some time on a Saturday to help make an impact in our community.”
GCGV has participated in several community engagement efforts since selecting Gregory as the location for its ExxonMobil-Sabic petrochemical manufacturing facility. Volunteer teams have put in a parking lot at a little league park in Taft, helped judge elementary school science fairs and completed several beach cleanups.
“It’s inspiring to see our team so enthusiastic about supporting our community,” GCGV Site Manager Paul Fritsch said. “Even with COVID and site start-up activities ramping up, we’ve had volunteer activities regularly. It’s just one example of how we strive to be good stewards of the community and a good neighbor.”
COVID-19 safety measures were in place, with volunteers wearing masks and maintaining social distance unless working in family units.
The GCGV petrochemical facility is currently under construction in Gregory and is on track for start of operations in late 2021. For more updates and volunteer efforts visit www.facebook.com/GulfCoastGV.
•pgonzales@mysoutex.com•
