GOVERNOR JAY NIXON IN SULLIVAN. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon visited Meramec State Park on Saturday to learn more about the park and speak with officials on the upcoming Youth Parks program. Pictured, from left to right: Brian Wilcox, State Park naturalist; Georganne Nixon, wife of Governor Nixon; Jay Nixon, Missouri governor; and Dan Wedemeyer, park superintendent, discuss the history of the park

By James B. Bartle
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon embarked on a two-day tour of eight Missouri Park Systems on Friday and Saturday, which included stops at Onondaga Cave State Park, Leasburg, and Meramec State Park, Sullivan.
Governor Nixon was touring the parks as part of the upcoming Missouri State Parks Youth Corps projects.
Meramec State Park was one of the former sites for the CCC Camps in which the Missouri State Youth Corps projects were designed.
Nixon arrived shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday and was greeted by Parks Superintendent Dan Wedemeyer and Park Naturalist Brian Wilcox. The two spoke to the governor regarding the park’s history and then embarked on a tour of the park Visitors Center and a tour of the grounds of the park.
Nixon stated that he was impressed with the ability of the Meramec State Park to sustain its tourist numbers, which average between 300,000 and 500,000 a year.
Wedemeyer stated, “It was exciting and nice to see the Governor taking an interest in our state parks. We’re all fighting for budget dollars and it’s nice to see he has an interest in fighting for our parks system.”
Gov. Nixon began his tour of Missouri parks on Friday in Cape Girardeau in an effort to encourage young Missourians to apply online for the State Parks Youth Corps Summer Jobs program.
In an official statement from the Governor, Missourians 17 to 24 will gain valuable work experience this summer and help to enhance the state system of parks by being part of the Missouri State Parks Youth Corps, a jobs program launched by Governor Nixon.
Governor Nixon went to Meramec State Park to tour and explain how the program will benefit Missouri’s 85 state parks and historic sites and explain that young people can apply online for the 1,000 federally funded positions that will be available between May 1 and Sept. 30.
“Missouri parks are a legacy for us to pass on, and good stewardship of those parks will ensure their preservation for future generations,” Governor Nixon said. “The young people participating in the State Parks Youth Corps will enjoy the benefits of being outdoors, gain experience that can help them with future employment, and learn to be good stewards of the land.”
“And as I said in the State of the State address in January, they’ll also be outdoor ambassadors to show how Missouri’s State Parks are enjoyable and affordable places to visit.”
The projects at parks and historic sites around the state will include: building and repairing trails; performing maintenance and landscaping; documenting and recording animal species at state parks; collecting statistical and survey data at state historic sites; and assisting with the planning and implementation of outdoor programs, including the 2010 Katy Trail State Park bicycle ride.
Young people who want to be a part of the State Parks Youth Corps can apply online at mo.gov. Participants will be paid $7.25 per hour and be eligible to work for 240 hours. Parks staff and counselors from the state’s 14 local Workforce Investment Boards will recruit and select applicants for the positions.
The Missouri State Parks Youth Corps is a partnership between the Missouri Division of Workforce Development and the Missouri Division of State Parks. Funding for the program is made possible by the federal Workforce Investment Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).