Springtime is on its way, and, in anticipation of warm weather, the Town of Wesson has planned an Easter “Play-It-Up” in the park.

Municipal clerk Angela Hester chairs the Play-It-Up program — an open-air initiative designed to bring local families together. She said, over the past several months, the town’s seasonal gatherings have been a success and drawn people from across the region to downtown Wesson.

“It has been really amazing to see the community come together the way it has. I would never have expected Play-It-Up to be as successful as it has been,” she said.

Well over 1,000 visitors attended the town’s Halloween event in October, and she expects to see a similarly large crowd at the upcoming Easter extravaganza.

Among other things, Play-It-Up provides area children with a wholesome outlet for fun and exercise. Hester believes it is also responsible for a recent boon in civic-mindedness.

“If you don’t know anyone, you can get to know your neighbors at the park. I think a lot of kids have gotten the chance to meet other kids at our Play-It-Up events,” she said.

The program began last September, and, since then, Wesson has hosted public activities every two months in its municipal park. Hester posts relevant Play-It-Up updates on Facebook, and she encourages locals to visit the town’s page for event details.

“These gatherings are the result of a lot of community involvement, not just in Wesson, but all of the surrounding area,” Hester said.

The Easter celebration is set for March 24, and, like all Play-It-Up events, it will be staffed by volunteers and financed through local donations.

“We’ve got to have some funds coming in to keep it going,” Hester said.

Monetary contributions are welcome anytime at the Wesson Town Hall on Spring Street, and donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 297. Hester said checks should be written to The Town of Wesson with “Play-It-Up” clearly marked on the memo line.

Donations made to Play-It-Up are tax deductible and volunteers can also earn community service hours at any of the town’s upcoming Play-It-Up events. Contact Hester at 601-643-5221 for more information.

To help cut costs, she and her team are also collecting treats and spring-themed decorations for the Easter egg hunt. Any unopened bags of candy or plastic eggs would be greatly appreciated.

“We volunteer a lot of our personal time and resources, but it takes a lot of community involvement for things like this to be successful,” she said.