A group of five dedicated volunteers on Padre Island is working to enhance the beauty of their coastal community through various beautification projects, from installing new flag poles to planning murals in communal areas. The Island Pride group, founded last August by Marguerita Willett and four other island neighbors, has been focusing on improving public spaces across Padre Island.
"It's a great community and beautiful community. We just want to take it to that next level because when you have a vibrant and thriving community, businesses will want to be here and stay here, residents will want to come and stay here, visitors will want to come and visit," Willett said.
The volunteer group, which also includes members Debbie Wall, Cassie Rhomfeld, Marilyn Litt, and Gloria Cornett, chose their name to reflect their mission.
"We came up with our name because first, we're on the island, and then just to take pride in our island, make it pretty, clean it up, keep it as pristine and vibrant as we can," Willett said.
Wall emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining the island's appearance.
"It takes all of us to keep the community, you know, tidy and clean, and you know, I think we forget sometimes, you know, because we live on a beach and we kinda let those things go," Wall said.
Island Pride has completed several projects, including placing American flags around the island, contacting Corpus Christi city officials and TxDOT officials about road issues, and cleaning up communal areas. The members of Island Pride also encourage island neighbors to use the 'My CC 311' app to report any potholes, overgrown weeds, or other issues to the City of Corpus Christi.
"We worked in conjunction with the POA on getting the palm trees trimmed. It was one of those things where there was a lot of people involved and we were able to offer a helping hand in helping streamline the process by mapping out where there was a need," Island Pride member Cassie Rohmfeld said.
The group does not work alone. They collaborate closely with the American Legion Islander Post 229, the Padre Island Rotary Club, the Padre Isles Property Owners Association, and the Whitecap NPI development to decorate and brighten up the island for different holidays.
"That's exactly what Island Pride's about. Involving not only our community, but the organizations within our community that also do so much wonderful things throughout the year," Wall said.
The volunteers credit their success to the support of fellow island neighbors.
"Our mantra is 'it takes an island,' because it truly takes an island," Willett said.
Wall added, "It takes an island. I mean, this is a group of just five ladies, and we're already making a difference."
The Island Pride group's next project is getting a mural painted by a local artist on the blank wall in the triangle communal area at the Park Road 22 and Aquarius intersection. They want this mural, which will be seen right when drivers cross over the JFK Causeway to get onto the island, to welcome visitors and residents to their slice of paradise. To learn more information about Padre Island Pride and upcoming projects, visit their Facebook page.
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