Friends of Lafayette-Pointer Park

Chevy Chase, Washington DC

Be a part of your community

A community public park open to all — used every day by neighbors and visitors from across the area for pickup tennis and basketball, family picnics, after-school play, and gatherings by the childcare community. Volunteer-led, neighbor-funded, plant by plant since 1999.

The Lafayette-Pointer Park entrance sign with the stone Recreation Center behind
Nine acres · since 1999

Friends of Lafayette-Pointer Park, Inc. is a non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia to assist the DC Department of Parks and Recreation in the maintenance and improvement of Lafayette-Pointer Park grounds. The Park includes extensive gardens, a gazebo, playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, green spaces, and the Lafayette-Pointer Recreation Center. FOLP is a 501(c)(3) organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.

  • Lafayette-Pointer Recreation Center stone exterior with a flowering treeRec Center
  • The blue tennis courts at Lafayette-Pointer ParkTennis
  • The basketball court at Lafayette-Pointer ParkBasketball
  • Children's play structure at Lafayette-Pointer ParkPlaygrounds
  • The gazebo at Lafayette-Pointer ParkGazebo
  • The Water Daisy splash pad at Lafayette-Pointer ParkWater Daisy

Completed · summer 2026

The Bear Carving Is Complete!

We did it! Thanks to an outpouring of community support, FOLP reached its fundraising goal, and artist Paul Waclo completed the bear carving the week of June 8–12, 2026. One of Lafayette-Pointer Park's beloved 250-year-old oaks — damaged in a major windstorm last summer — has been transformed into a sculpture of a bear, the longtime mascot of Lafayette Elementary School.

FOLP and organizers worked with Lafayette Elementary School to arrange field trips so every class could visit Paul at work, and on Tuesday, June 9th the community gathered for a Honey Strawberry Shortcake and Lemonade party at the carving site to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who gave, volunteered, and came out to cheer the bear to life!

Read the full story for project history, artist details, and how the carving came together.

The finished “Be Kind” bear carving on the old oak stump, with families and a dog gathered at the bench beneath it
The storm-damaged 250-year-old oak stump before carving, with a “Donate to the Bear” sign
The bear’s shape beginning to emerge from the oak as the carving gets underway
Two children looking up at the nearly finished bear carving
From storm-damaged oak to finished carving, June 8–12, 2026. Artist Paul Waclo — see more at chainsawcarvingbypaul.com.

Ongoing support

Support the grounds and gardens

Friends of Lafayette-Pointer Park supports the ongoing care of the perennial beds and pollinator gardens, and picnic areas where neighbors gather. As an official park partner, FOLP works alongside DC Parks and Recreation. Over the past decade we have added benches and picnic tables, maintained hundreds of plants in the gardens including native plants and Spring bulbs, and supported community cleanups and gatherings.

We continue to raise money for an expanded planting program, bench replacements, and the steady work of caring for the park. Please support the effort and make a contribution today.

Help us reach our goal of 200 pledges this year. Membership gifts fund the planting calendar, the supplies, and the small-scale projects that keep the park feeling like the neighborhood's.

Donation amount

Venmo, PayPal, Credit Card, or mailed check. All gifts are tax-deductible.

$25$50$100$250$500
Donate

Or mail a check payable to FOLP to P.O. Box 6221, Washington, DC 20015.

Partners who help keep our park thriving

  • DC

    DC Parks and Recreation

  • ANC

    Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3/4G

  • HSA

    Lafayette Home School Association

  • W4

    Ward 4 Council

  • LTA

    Lafayette Tennis Association

In the park

What’s coming up

All events

Fall — date TBD

Annual Fund Drive Kickoff

Fall kickoff for our annual fund. Meet the board, hear what's planned for the year, and renew your membership. Date TBD — check back closer to fall.

Fall — date TBD

Fall Cleanup & Bulb Planting

Plant tulip and daffodil bulbs in the perennial beds, rake leaves, and prep the gardens for winter. Date TBD — we'll announce once the weather forecast firms up.

A path through Lafayette-Pointer Park with blooming azaleas

Contact us

Keep in touch.

E-mail: info@lafayettepointerpark.com
Follow on Instagram: @friendsofthefolp

Stay in the loop

Event invites and short updates. No spam.