Nonprofit founder receives board support to place purple ribbons in parks for domestic violence awareness

Summary

During public comment, Megan Tomlinson requested permission to place purple ribbons on trees in Anderson parks for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The board agreed to allow ribbons in high-traffic parks, instructed coordination with maintenance staff, and clarified that permission for telephone poles is handled separately.

Megan Tomlinson, who said she recently founded the nonprofit Silver Lining of Hope after the 2024 death of her mother, asked the Anderson City Parks Board on Oct. 7 for permission to place purple ribbons around trees in city parks for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Tomlinson said the display, called "Paint the Town Purple," would run through October and that volunteers would remove the ribbons afterward. She said the intent was to raise awareness and provide visible reminders that people experiencing domestic violence are not alone.

Board members asked that the ribbons be concentrated at high-volume parks rather than placed in all city parks. Chair and staff members said organizers should coordinate directly with maintenance superintendent Tom Tackett via the Geter Center; Board members also clarified that permission to place ribbons on city telephone poles would need to be approved separately by David Eakes (city/public-works contact), not the parks board.

Tomlinson provided contact details and said she would work with staff to select park locations. The board indicated consensus support and asked staff to monitor removal after October.