Citizens unite to build Amanda Price Memorial Park | News

Leaders of New Albany, MS have created a plan to build a memorial park to honor a beloved wife, mother and community servant killed in an attempted home invasion. Amanda Price, 31, speech pathologist for New Albany public schools and wife of football coach Ron Price, was shot and killed on December 5, 2011.

The accused gunman, 20 year old Craig Baker, lived in a trailer park within walking distance of the Price home. New Albany City Councilman Johnny Anderson has proposed buying the seven acre trailer park property and transforming it into the Amanda Price Memorial Park.

"The city had looked at possibly purchasing that property," Anderson said, "but once the city decided against a purchase, my wife and I talked about what we could do."

Instead of using taxpayer dollars to buy the trailer park which remains in operation, Anderson turned to the Create Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit agency, which will serve as the fiscal agent so contributors can make tax deductible gifts to make the memorial park a reality.

"We've just formed a steering committee and will be sending out pledge cards where donors can make a one time gift or pledge an amount to be paid over time," Anderson said.

Amanda Price's father, Rev. Bobby Cossey and husband, New Albany HS Football Coach Ron Price, serve on the eight member steering committee chaired by Councilman Anderson. The fund raising efforts are just getting started and Anderson estimates it'll take a minimum of $200,000 to $300,000 to buy the trailer park and begin the transformation.

"There's also an old motel on the property that's been there for years. We'd like to buy all seven acres," Anderson said.

Donors can now write a check and designate "Amanda Price Memorial Park" on the memo line and send it to CREATE Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 1053, Tupelo, MS 38802.

The CREATE Foundation serves as the Community Foundation for Northeast Mississippi and you can make a gift online and designate it for the Amanda Price Memorial Park by clicking here.