2024 Annual Report - Public

Community Engagement & Programming 2024 Annual Report

Acknowledgements Department Mission The mission of Easton's Community Engagement & Programming Department is to positively impact the well-being of all Easton Residents through inclusive activities, engagement opportunities, and programming.

Our office liaises with both the Recreation Commission, and the Council on Aging to understand and meet community needs, develop policies, and achieve each board’s respective charge. We owe a great deal to our board members.

Their commitment and passion for improving our community cannot be overstated.

Council on Aging

Recreation Commission

Jim Benson, Chair Donna Welch, Vice Chair Jean Shearing Marjorie Goldstein-Fradin Christine Midura Matthew Soeldner Lynn Cleveland

Tana Babbitt, Chair Meredith Keach, CPC Liaison Michelle Durrance Jennifer Gilabert Melissa Hartz Sarah Morrison Jessica Clifford

To the Community A note from the Department With another year coming to a close, our team is excited to highlight the new offerings, the milestones, and the impact we have had on this community. The members of our department have enjoyed every minute of serving our residents, and look forward to what we can accomplish in years to come.

From reintroducing School Break Programming, to creating child care programs such as Kids Night Out, and after school sport programs, as well as offering dynamic fitness and social programs for aging adults, our office will continue to prioritize the constantly evolving needs of this town and it’s residents.

Offering programs that help families participate in activities that bring them joy, build healthy habits, and building relationships with their numbers is an easy job to love. Our team is grateful for the opportunity to bring so many of you together.

We have compiled this annual report to outline the work we love and do in serving you. The report includes data on our reach through programs, information on parks, the individuals that make up our staff, and echoes our office’s values and priorities.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this report, and hope to see you in our programs soon. Thank you and be well!

Table of Contents CE&P 2024 Summary

Page 5

Council On Aging Summary

Page 6

Recreation Commission Summary Page 7 Recreational Assets - Inventory

Page 8

Recreational Assets - Visitation

Page 9

Participation & Engagement

Page 10

Participation & Engagement

Page 11

Satisfaction Survey Summary

Page 12

Program Highlights- Our Why

Page 13

Program Highlights

Page 14

Staffing Summary

Page 15

Staffing Summary - Highlights

Page 16

How We Connect

Page 17

Sponsors

Page 18

Community Partners

Page 19

CE&P Summary 2024

The office of Community Engagement & Programming strives to provide programming and services that enhance the well-being of our residents.

Our quarterly program brochure, “Engaged in Easton” has reached nearly 25,000 residents this year, highlighting all that our office has to offer. The Council on Aging’s newsletter, “The Coordinator”, highlights programs specifically for older adults and had 1,200 copies distributed monthly to Easton residents. This year, we were able to expand the distribution of “The Coordinator” to new sites including Shovel Works Apartments, Avalon, Roche Brothers, and North Easton Savings Bank.

Easton’s new community program portal has been used by nearly four thousand residents and helped to facilitate registration for our activities. Our office's programming efforts continue to offer new and family friendly activities such as family fishing clinics, seasonal card making classes, and pumpkin decorating programs.

Longstanding traditions such as the Egg Hunt, Children’s Races, Middle School March Madness Tournament, and Touch a Truck events returned as community favorites, surpassed last year’s record-setting participation. Additionally, we were able to offer 34 new programs!

The Town Pool provided recreation for all ages during the summer months, seeing over a thousand visitors. This year we piloted our Open Swim initiative, which offered access at no charge, Monday through Thursday. We also provided the town’s first beach wheelchair, available to residents needing mobility assistance to utilize the pool.

Our sincere gratitude goes out to our colleagues in Easton Police, Fire, and our Department of Public Works for their continued support of our programs and facilities.

COA Summary 2024

The Council on Aging (COA) is comprised of seven resident representatives acting as advocates for Easton’s aging population. The group meets monthly to discuss initiatives related to aging, changes to benefits, and town programming.

Programs that continue to be offered at Frothingham hall include yoga, healthy eating, senior fitness, Swedish weaving, arts and crafts, cards and games, mahjong, and tai chi.

Thanks to the COA’s guidance, a series of new programs such as Friendly Feud, Memory Training, Scam Presentations, and Floral Arrangements have been introduced.

Visitation to Frothingham Hall for older adult programs totaled +10,000 residents across financial assistance, health education, counseling, and recreational activities, for a total of +29,000 hours of service.

The hall’s monthly programming newsletter for older adults, “The Coordinator”, has continued to be distributed thanks to the hard work of our staff and volunteers. The newsletter continues to provide entertainment, encouragement, and vital information about transportation and financial services offered by our department to seniors. 1,300 editions of this newsletter go out on a monthly basis to Easton residents.

Since 2018, the COA has advised town staff on aspects of our AARP-sponsored Age-Friendly Action Plan. This group continues to provide invaluable perspective and influence the direction of this initiative.

Transportation has been a focus for Easton residents this year. Through 2024 we provided 3,600 rides, as well as trip-based programs to The Mass Arts Center, Patriots Training Camp, Patriots Hall of Fame, Fuller Craft Museum, and to a tour of the Patriots Lighthouse.Each year our volunteers for Massachusetts “Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone “(SHINE) assist residents with insurance needs and open enrollment. This year our volunteers helped over 210 seniors save money on their medical coverage.

We are grateful to the many groups, facilitators, instructors, and volunteers who have dedicated their time to enhancing the opportunities we provide our older residents A special thank-you to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Easton Lions Club, Old Colony Elder Services, the Bristol County Sheriff’s Dept., the Bristol County District Attorney’s office, the Easton Police and Fire Departments, and the Easton Food Pantry, in addition to so many others.

Recreation Summary 2024

The Recreation Commission is a 7-member board that meets monthly to help guide and further develop the office and its programming. The Commission also serves as a core volunteer group for department programs and initiatives.

A few programs that returned in 2024 included T-ball, Track and Field, Pickleball programs, Adult Basketball, Youth and Adult Field Hockey, and Ultimate Frisbee. Additionally, traditions such as the Egg Hunt, Children’s Races, and our Fall Pumpkin decorating program took place around town, offering fun and accessible events. Across the 142 unique programs offered throughout the year, this department provided opportunities to 2,555 residents.

The guidance of this commission has led to the implementation of 34 new programs such as our Mock Stock Market program, Kids Running Club, Kids Night Out, and Family Scavenger Hunts at the Town Pool.

The Town Pool opened July 1st, 2024, for the summer season. We offered swim lessons for ages 3 and up, open swim and senior, individual and family memberships. Touch-A-Truck events were scheduled throughout the summer thanks to our colleagues in Police, Fire, and the Department of Public Works. This year, with the help of partners in our town’s Shared Mission Group, our team was pleased to introduce our first beach wheelchair at the town pool, enhancing the accessibility of this facility.

Additionally, this group has provided advisement to the town on several public initiatives. These include planning to restore Swift’s Park, assisting with Easton’s Outdoor Space & Recreation Plan update, and submitting CPC applications for Splash Pad Feasibility Studies, as well as studies for treating New Pond of invasive species.

Engaged in Easton, entering its third year as a publication, has been read +5,300 times, and generated +25,000 impressions from residents. We also established our own social media pages, which have +250 followers on both Facebook and Instagram. Rec desk, our community program portal, has increased its membership to +3,800 users.

Recreational Assets Park & Fields Inventory

In addition to the people running our programs, recreational spaces are pivotal to running our department. Our team is responsible for operating, programming, and facilitating rentals for town-owned recreation assets. These spaces include parks, fields, our pool, and Frothingham Hall.

FACILITIES:

COMMUNITY CENTER

5,680sqft PARK SPACE

+32 acres

ALI’S, UNIONVILLE, TORIE’S, PETERSON, KEACH, POOL

Playgrounds

3

Multi-use fields

2

Basketball

2

Softball

2

TBall

2

Bocce Court

1

Pickleball

6

Tennis

2

Pool

1

Community Center

1

Recreational Assets Visitation Numbers - Frothingham Hall 2019- 10,272

2020 - 2,493

2021 - 3,291

2022 - 7,365

2023 - 10,002

2024 -10,356

Participation & Engagement Council on Aging & Day Programs - 2024

2022 2023 2024 7,365

10,000

10,356

0

3

5

7

12

16

31

40

45

19,361.17

27,986.50

30,741

840

1,000

1,300

Visits

Destination programs

Weekly Fitness Programs

Social Activities & Special Events

Hours of service

Monthly Brochures

Participation & Engagement Recreation - 2024

2022 2023 2024 Participants

Unique Programs

Rec Desk Members

1,100

2,300

2,555

25

90

142

0

2,500

3,860

4

15

34

0

20

24

0

10,000

26,297

Programs >$5/day

Educational Programs

Brochures Impressions

Program Satisfaction Survey Summary

Our department prides itself on providing high quality experiences. To see how we are doing, we distribute questionnaires following all programs in each quarter. Questions asked participants about their perceptions of the program quality, facility quality, value of the program, and the quality of the instructor. Surveys were conducted using a 5-point Likert scale.

SCORES Program Quality

4.62/5

Program Communication

4.59/5

Quality of the Instructor

4.65/5

Facility Quality

4.65/5

Program Value - Experience vs Cost

4.81/5

Department Priorities Why these priorities?

At the heart of our department’s mission is a commitment to creating a vibrant, inclusive community through innovative programming and equitable access. By introducing diverse and dynamic new programs, we aim to redefine recreation, offering opportunities that enrich lives, foster personal growth, and strengthen community bonds. Recognizing the importance of empowering the women of all ages in our community, we prioritize tailored programs to address their lower participation rates, as research underscores the transformative benefits of recreation on health and well-being. Equally, our focus on "Recquity" ensures that all residents, regardless of background or ability, feel welcomed and valued. By removing barriers and emphasizing shared humanity, we promise to provide accessible, affordable, and meaningful opportunities that celebrate the passions and connections that unite us all.

New Programs Women in Programs Rec-Quity & Inclusion

Program Highlights Department Priorities

New Programs

Senior Cardio Dance Balance Yoga Friendly Feud Bootcamp Fitness Mock Investing & Financial Literacy Technology 101 Floral Arrangement Crafts Dementia Support

Kids Night Out Animal Interactions Noon Years Eve Summer Olympics Kids Running Club DrumFit for Kids Family Scavenger Hunts

Women in Programs Girls Youth Field Hockey Girls March Madness - 6th, 7th, 8th Women’s Field Hockey Co-ed TBall, Ultimate, & Floor Hockey Women’s Pickup Basketball Ladies Pickleball - Leagues & Tournaments

Rec-Quity & Inclusion ADA Beach Wheelchair InclYOUsion Sports Shared Mission Group Coffee Talks & Social Hours Intergenerational & Family Programs New Program Scholarship Providers $5/day priority

Staffing Summary Recreation & COA - 2024

RECREATION Professional Staff:

3

Seasonal:

18

Hourly:

11

Volunteers:

52

Contracted Organizations

7

COA & DAY PROGRAMS Professional Staff:

3

Seasonal:

0

Hourly:

11

Volunteers:

28

130 TOTAL:

PROGRAMMERS

Staff Summary Staffing Highlights

Professional Development: Joe Pitti: Massachusetts Recreation & Parks Assoc.

Conference Attendee & Regional Rep. Certified Lifeguard Manager FEMA Emergency Response Certified Youth Sports Administrator Certified Parks & Recreation Professional

Jeff Page: Massachusetts Recreation & Parks Assoc. Conference Attendee Certified Youth Sports Administrator Reframing Aging - Programming & AgeFriendly Communities Training Record Retention Training Social Media Best Practices Training PCI Compliance Training Microsoft Office Suite Training

Shea Matta: Massachusetts Recreation & Parks Assoc.

Conference Attendee MRPA Inclusion Committee Member ADA in Recreation Training American Red Cross CPR/FA/AED training SafeServ Certified Microsoft Office Suite Training

Volunteer & Hourly Staff:

Preseason coaches/facilitator meetings Program-specific coaching plans Diffusing outbursts & Emergency Response Inclusive communication and requesting modifications

How We Connect Check out these ways to keep in touch!

Instagram & Facebook Quarterly Brochure - Engaged in Easton Monthly Senior Brochure - The Coordinator Our Program Portal - Rec Desk The Town Crier Stop by Frothingham Hall!

To Our Sponsors Thank you!

This year, we want to publish a special thank you to our inaugural sponsors. These businesses have helped our team create an even better Easton.

Local sponsorships not only help provide safe, engaging, and accessible programs. They allow residents to learn, grow, and build healthy habits.

Each dollar that a sponsor contributes goes beyond buying uniforms, renovating parks, and offering inclusive programs. Local sponsorships show that businesses care, and are invested in building a thriving community. Our appreciation for the support of these local businesses cannot be overstated. They are truly committed to this town and it’s residents.

Platinum

Platinum

508-205-5510 Contact@EliaBusiness.com

Silver

Home Team

Bronze

Home Team

To Our

Community Partners Thank you!

The groups and organizations below have been essential collaborators, and have helped our department achieve our mission each and every day. Through these partnerships we have been able to expand the reach and impact of recreational initiatives, ensuring our services, and empowering individuals and families to lead healthier, more active lifestyles. We are beyond grateful for your contributions, your committment to our community, your friendship

See you in