Seminole County’s Leisure Services Department has a proud tradition of providing its residents quality amenities such as 18 parks (many with facilities for baseball/softball, soccer, volleyball and tennis, plus several boat/canoe ramps), environmentally sensitive wilderness areas, and miles of walking/biking trails. The residents consider these amenities an important part of their healthy lifestyle; as evident by the fact that the residents stepped up to the plate by approving four (4) referendums within the past four (4) decades, a portion of which provided funding for these amenities.

The Leisure Services Department has a volunteer Commissioner appointed Advisory Board. In 2011, members of the Advisory Board concluded that, in order to continually enhance the County’s parks and recreation system, alternative sources of funding would be necessary. Research was undertaken to identify how other counties throughout the nation addressed this challenge. The conclusion was to establish a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that would work collaboratively with the Leisure Services Department. In March 2013 The Friends of Seminole County Parks and Preservation Foundation, Inc. (aka PARC’S FOUNDATION) was approved by the State of Florida. Subsequently, in August 2014, the FOUNDATION received its Federal Tax Exemption status.

The acronym for PARC’S is appropriately; People, Activities, Recreation, Conservation, Seminole.