It’s summertime and that means picnics in the park. Many Santa Clarita residents pack up food, the kids, a couple of blankets and head over the shady area of William S. Hart Regional Park to enjoy a little family time.

Besides the picnics and the games, a special attraction at Hart Park is the Hart Mansion and Museum. If you are interested in local history and Western art, the Hart Mansion is a good place to start.

Friends of Hart Park are looking for a few good men, women and young adults who would like to volunteer a couple of hours on the weekend at the Hart Park Gift Shop.

If you are in need of volunteer hours for school or just have some free time on the weekend and would like to get involved with the community, this is a great location.

The Gift Shop operates Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Gift shop manager Becki Basham

William S. Hart Regional Park is located just off Newhall Avenue. The park is part of the 265-acre ranch donated to the public by silent cowboy movie star William S. Hart.

Thousands of visitors enjoy the many amenities at the park which include a barnyard zoo, picnic grounds, hiking and equestrian trails and tours of the Hart residence and museum.

The Gift Store is stocked with a wide variety of merchandise including Western theme books, music, movies, jewelry, purses, home decorations, artwork, toys and other items including a limited amount of snacks and cold drinks.

The Friends The Friends of Hart Park and Museum are people in your community who volunteer their time and talents to support the museum facilities.

For many years, funds raised by the Friends have been used to help maintain the mansion, help with the animals in the park, and clean/restore numerous art treasures.

If you would like to volunteer your time and meet people in the community, please contact Gift Store Manager Becki Basham at 661-259-6520.

Becki can also be reached at rbasham@aol.com.