CREATIVITY OUTDOORS Resiliency is a team effort for parks staff
By ASHLEY REZACHEK ashley.rezachek@apgsomn.com
2020
was the year of cancellations, closed doors and empty schedules as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe. Despite all of the uncertainty, Owatonna Parks and Recreation Department staff made every effort to offer fun opportunities for residents to enjoy. “If we could choose a theme for our 2020, I would say it probably would be creativeness
and resilience,” said Jessica Abrahams, administrative technician at Owatonna Parks and Recreation. While the crew wasn’t able to offer sports such as soccer and baseball near the beginning of the pandemic, they still found ways to continue with other activities. That often meant implementing new safety protocols or modifying events to accommodate social distancing or simply hosting events virtually. “I feel like we did a really great job of coming up with creative ways to keep people engaged
and active just between April and May last year, when we were ordered to stay at home,” Abrahams said. The team offered a number of online and self-guided activities, encouraging people to get out and experience Owatonna parks and trails. Among the activities hosted include a virtual Easter egg hunt, where staff posted a picture of hidden Easter eggs in an Owatonna park on Facebook. Those who could identify the park and visited the location were rewarded with an Easter egg decorating kit.
ABOVE: Owatonna Parks and Recreation staff banded together to offer programs to residents despite many other organizations canceling their events. Top row left to right: Dani Licht, Mary Jo Knudson, Jenna Tuma and Jessica Abrahams. Bottom row left to right: Tim Truelson, Dani Bakken, Nikki Callahan and Eric Anderson. Not pictured: Jesse Wilker, Aaron Fitzloff. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Abrahams) Page 22 | Profiles 2021
