JEFFERSONVILLE — A Spring Fling Dance on Saturday, April 26 at Mullally's Bar on Main Street in Jeffersonville is just one of the exciting things happening in the village these days.

The others are a new park, called the Backyard Project, and a Sullivan Renaissance grant to help pay for part of it.

Jeffersonville's volunteer group the JEMS (Jeffersonville Enhances More of Sullivan) welcome all to their fund-raising Spring Fling Dance, which will run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Admission is $15 for singles and $25 for couples. DJ Jim will be in charge of music, and light refreshments and a cash bar will round out the evening.

“JEMS is very busy doing many fundraisers,” explains Sue Bodenstein, the group's president. “We're working to rejuvenate Jeff back to where it once was — a safe and happy place again. We already have just under 50 members who are active.”

Best known for their flower projects around Jeff, JEMS will soon mount small decorative American flags and are also helping to clean up storefronts.

“We're trying to promote the town to get some business back,” Bodenstein said.

The group is also working with the village on a vibrant new park, called the Backyard Project, situated on what is colloquially termed “the island.”

Accessible from Route 52, and from Swiss Hill Road, by means of a bridge, the one-acre park will feature gardens, a nature path, concession space and an area for educational seminars and story telling.

The piece of property was up for tax foreclosure, “and the area wasn't resaleable property, so we decided to develop it for public use,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Bill Thony. “We're looking to have car shows there, flea markets, and bring in speakers to give educational talks. Village Historian Bill Cutler is working on doing things there this summer.”

A $5,500 grant from Sullivan Renaissance will pay for the park's flowers, signs, fences, trees and shrubs and pavers for walking on, said Village Clerk Colleen Freitas.

Already village employees have removed a house trailer from the property, re-graded the land and constructed an egress to Lovett Lane, which can be used by the fire department in case of flooding by the nearby East Branch of Callicoon Creek.

“We are making the park itself flood-friendly,” noted Thony.

Sullivan West Central School District students and JEMS volunteers have joined with village staff in raking leaves, cutting brush, and ridding the area of litter.

The other day, senior year student Cody Franskevicz loaded brush onto a pick-up truck along with Zach Freitas, son of Colleen.

“This is the epitome of community service,” said Cody. “We're actually doing something that people will use and enjoy. A park is something everybody driving by or coming off Swiss Hill will see.”