Issue 15_Branching Out_Summer 2026

Issue 15 | June 2026 celebrating g rowth, teamw ork, and all the good stuff in between.

A Grapevine Parks & Recreation Employee Newsletter

Membership Appreciation Day was Out of this World!

In This Issue…

5

12

16

Welcome 2 MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION

Summer is here and Grapevine Parks & Rec is buzzing with activity! Across the department, teams have been hard at work preparing for one of our busiest and most exciting seasons of the year.

5

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

6

BRIGHT MOMENTS

From successful community events to the opening of our pools and the launch of summer camps, the energy and enthusiasm of our staff have been on full display. Behind the scenes, teams have dedicated countless hours to seasonal training, facility preparations, and program planning to ensure a safe, fun, and memorable summer for our community.

DAY

8 DIVISION FEATURE 10 HIGH FIVES & KIND WORDS

12 MILESTONES

THAT MATTER

16 TEAMWORK & TRIUMPHS

In this issue, you’ll read about one of our most popular annual events, Membership Appreciation Day, and how staff from across the department came together to create a meaningful experience for our members. You’ll also learn more about our Aquatics Division and the essential role they play in keeping our community safe, active, and connected throughout the summer season.

As camps get underway, outdoor adventures begin, and families flock to our parks, trails, and aquatic facilities, we’re reminded that none of it happens without the teamwork, dedication, and passion of our employees. Thank you for everything you do to create exceptional experiences for the residents and visitors we serve!

Membership Appreciation Day was more than just a celebration of our members; it was a reflection of the exceptional work our staff does every day to create an outstanding experience at The REC. Led by the Community Events team, Membership Appreciation Day is an annual event that provides an opportunity to celebrate our members, gather valuable feedback, and strengthen connections with the community that makes The REC such a vibrant destination. Throughout the event, staff from multiple divisions collaborated to create a welcoming experience, ensuring members felt appreciated and valued while sharing insights that will help shape future improvements.

One of the most encouraging takeaways from the event was the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from members. Satisfaction levels remain exceptionally high, with members consistently praising the friendliness of staff, the quality of customer service, facility cleanliness, and the overall experience they receive when visiting The REC. These strengths continue to be the foundation of our success and are a direct result of the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by staff every day.

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The feedback also highlighted an exciting challenge: demand for our services continues to grow. Members expressed interest in expanded aquatics access, additional fitness class offerings, more workout space and equipment, and enhanced wellness amenities.

These comments are not a reflection of shortcomings, but rather evidence that our programs and facilities are highly valued and heavily utilized by the community.

This continued growth underscores the important role The REC plays in supporting health, wellness, and quality of life for residents.

The success of Membership Appreciation Day would not have been possible without the teamwork and collaboration of staff across the department. From event planning and setup to member engagement and daily operations, employees worked together to create a welcoming atmosphere while collecting meaningful feedback that will help guide future improvements.

Membership Appreciation Day served as a reminder that the true strength of The REC is not only its facilities and programs but the dedicated staff who make every member experience a positive one!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

-Helen Keller

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Phuong Le

Skilled Trades Technician I Meet Phuong Le, our Skilled Trades Technician with the Park Maintenance team! Phuong brings a strong work ethic and a passion for keeping our parks looking their best. He finds the most satisfaction in knowing his work makes a difference for the community and takes pride in maintaining beautiful park spaces for everyone to enjoy. Phuong is a skilled handyman and enjoys tackling repairs and projects! If you’ve been to Meadowmere Soccer, you’ve seen some of Phuong’s handywork with the new fence!

Fun Fact: Phuong’s favorite dish is Beef Pho and he never gets tired of watching the Transformers movie!

Megan Varner Active Adult Supervisor

Meet Megan Varner, Active Adult Supervisor! A Hurst native who grew up in the Hurst/Colleyville area, Megan originally attended college on a basketball scholarship with plans to become a P.E. teacher like her mom. Instead, she found her home with Grapevine Parks & Recreation, starting as a REC camp counselor before working at the CAC, the Senior Activity Center, and eventually The REC. What Megan enjoys most about her role is the relationships she’s built with the Active Adults, many of whom she considers family. When she’s not at work, you’ll likely find her camping, enjoying the outdoors, or planning her next adventure!

Fun Fact: Megan is a world traveler! Megan has traveled to Australia, Norway, and Spain!

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BRIGHT MOMENTS

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This quarter has been filled with meaningful community engagement, ball games, camps, volunteerism, and preparation for a busy summer season. In April, more than 100 volunteers participated in the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off, collecting over 1,300 pounds of litter throughout Grapevine. Later that month, more than 500 attendees joined us at the Earth Day Celebration at the Botanical Gardens, sponsored

by Kubota Tractor Corporation. The event featured 23 environmental education vendors, handson activities, giveaways, and a special raptor presentation from the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center.

Our Community Events team also hosted several successful events this quarter, including Brews & Paws at Hop & Sting Brewery, where six puppies found forever homes and $1,735 was raised to support Grapevine Animal Services despite rainy weather. In May, the team welcomed families to one of Grapevine’s most beloved traditions, the Mother-Daughter Tea Party, creating special memories for attendees through an elegant afternoon of fun and connection.

Giving back remained a priority as GPARD employees participated in the second GPARD Gives Back volunteer event at Graceful Buys, helping organize donations and support store operations. Staff also took part in the annual postMemorial Day Litter Ends With Us park cleanup, helping keep our parks and public spaces beautiful for residents and visitors.

Throughout the quarter, staff found meaningful ways to connect across divisions and with the community! Ana and Susan visited Club AllAccess as Secret Readers to celebrate the Easter season, while Arianna and Claire shared updates and insights with the Senior Advisory Board.

Behind the scenes, the Aquatics team spent May preparing for summer operations, training and certifying more than 100 part-time employees through the StarGuard ELITE lifeguard program to ensure a safe and successful pool season ahead.

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DIVISION FEATURE

What is

Aquatics

Up to?

Emily

Shannon

On hot summer afternoons, families are racing down water slides at Dove Waterpark, children are learning to swim for the first time, lap swimmers are getting in their daily exercise, and lifeguards are scanning the water with focused attention. To guests, it looks effortless. What they don’t see is the team of professionals working behind the scenes to make every aquatic experience safe, welcoming, and memorable.

The Aquatics Division is led by a small but mighty year-round team: Emily Marecle, Shannon Paterson, Ava Schragin, and Dan Brown. Together, they oversee operations at The REC of Grapevine, Dove Waterpark, and Pleasant Glade Pool while managing nearly 200 part-time employees during the busy summer season.

Their team includes pool managers, lifeguards, swim instructors, and cashiers who serve thousands of residents and visitors each year.

Keeping aquatics running smoothly requires far more than watching the water. On any given day, the team manages staff schedules, conducting water chemistry checks, rotating lifeguards, inspecting facilities, coordinating programs, assisting guests, and ensuring every safety standard is met. Behind every calm pool deck is an enormous amount of planning, training, troubleshooting, and communication.

Ava

One of the division’s greatest accomplishments isn’t measured in attendance numbers, it’s measured in people. Every year, Aquatics hires, trains, and mentors a large seasonal workforce, many of them working their very first job. Through certifications, leadership development, weekly training, and daily coaching, the team teaches responsibility, professionalism, communication, and confidence.

The division has also focused heavily on strengthening staff development and operational consistency through the implementation of StarGuard ELITE training standards.

Dan

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This year, the team is preparing for its first external audit, which evaluates lifeguard training, safety practices, documentation, and operational procedures against industry best practices. Their commitment to continuous improvement ensures Grapevine’s aquatic facilities remain among the safest and most well-managed in the region.

Aquatics also plays an important role in supporting the department as a whole. Team members assist with special events, provide first aid and emergency response support, collaborate on community programming, and lend a hand wherever needed during the off-season. Dan, whose expertise keeps pools, spray grounds, pumps, and water systems operating safely and efficiently, is essential to the success of every aquatic facility.

Their vision is simple but powerful: to provide safe, inclusive, and engaging aquatic experiences that promote health, wellness, recreation, and community connection.

Whether it’s a child passing a swim lesson, a family making summer memories at the pool, hosting water-based events, or a lifeguard gaining valuable life skills, the Aquatics Division creates experiences that extend far beyond the water. Their dedication to safety, service and staff development help make Grapevine Parks & Recreation exceptional, not just during the summer months, but all year long!

HIGH FIVES & KIND WORDS “I’m writing to brag on the REC staff. From

“A big thank you to Ava and Shannon

event, everyone was over-the-top helpful and

time to teach our participants about the

professional. You guys are doing wonderful

importance of swim safety. With summer

things there!

approaching and upcoming visits to local

First, the person I met with, who coordinates

pools, this was such a valuable and timely

the initial reservation to the execution of our

for visiting Club All-Access and taking the

rentals, was so kind as to come meet me at the

lesson!

REC to discuss our rental and give me a tour.

Another shout out goes to Ana and Susan

She followed through on what she said she

for joining us as secret readers in class.

would do and made the planning process that

Our participants loved the surprise, and it

much smoother!

made the experience even more special.

And then, the evening of our event, the young

We truly love having such dedicated and

lady and man who were working the host

caring coworkers who take the time to

booth and then stayed inside the REC were

visit, connect, and get more involved

incredible! They answered every question,

with our participants. Your support and

even if it sounded silly to me, with grace and

enthusiasm make a meaningful impact!

a smile. The lifeguards were great, and they

-Rachel V

even helped us close the aquatic area a little early upon my request. All of our chaperones felt comfortable working with every staff member who was there, as they made them feel welcomed and important. If this were the City of Hurst, I would write them all COINs! So please, make sure they are given recognition for their AWESOME customer service!

Thank you again, and I will definitely recommend this spot to next year’s 6th Grade

”

Chair!

-Citizen, Vanessa Patchen, 6th Grade Chair 10 Branching Out | Summer 2026

”

“Huge shoutout to Joseph for kicking off

another successful Flex in the City Challenge!

He has communicated well with participants, offered select free classes to support participants and our instructors, and has secured several great partnerships for prizes!

”

-Mariah

“Shoutout to Rachel C. for always going above and beyond completing late notices for our

part-time staff. Her consistency and emailing me has really made tracking these forms so much easier! Love the energy she brings to our team and her genuine care for the Active

”

Adults!

-Ana

“Thank you Ana and Lindsay for planning “May

“Welcome to the team, Ishmam! You’ve done

way to show appreciation to our members, and

rolling with personal training. We’re glad to

it took a lot of prep to make it successful! Great

have you!

job!

-Joseph

We Thank you Mondays!” It has been a great

”

-Mariah

a great job at coming in and getting the ball

”

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Congratulations to Claire who received Dual Marketing certifications; Professional Certified Marketer and Certified Digital Marketing Professional.

City Council proclaimed April as Volunteer Appreciation Month at the April 7 City Council meeting!

Welcome Ryan, our new Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator who joined The REC team in June!

Congratulations to Ava and her fiancé, Josh, on their engagement! Josh proposed during a trip to Punta Cana in April, making for a memorable and exciting start to their next chapter together!

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Congratulations to Morgan, Katelyn, and Taylor on earning their Director CampSafe Certification!

Additionally, Taylor and Katelyn completed HSI CPR, AED, and First Aid Instructor certifications, expanding their skills and helping ensure safe, high-quality programs for our community!

Celebrating milestones and life events.

Congratulations to Mariah on graduating from Leadership Grapevine! Through this Grapevine Chamber program, participants gain a deeper understanding of the community, local government, and the leadership roles that help shape Grapevine’s future!

Welcome Ray, our new Active Adult Coordinator who joined The REC team in June!

Congratulations to Luke W. on achieving Certified Arborist status! Luke has completed all certification requirements for this great achievement!

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Congratulations to Lindsay on graduating from the University of North Texas in May with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management! We’re excited to celebrate this accomplishment and all of the hard work that went into earning her degree. Go Mean Green!

Welcome Ishmam, our new Fitness Coordinator who joined The REC team in June!

Following the their successful session at the TRAPS (Texas Recreation & Parks Society) State Conference in February, Mariah and Ana were asked to host a virtual presentation in April on How to Make a Successful Camp Season.

Awesome job ladies!

Congratulations to Maddie, who was promoted to Membership Coordinator with The REC team in June!

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Welcome Nicholas, our new Irrigation Tech II who joined the Park Maintenance team in May!

Celebrating Years of Service Clay Price - 13 years Matthew McGiboney - 11 years Michael Warren - 9 years Emily Marecle - 9 years Luke Clutterbuck - 6 years Taylor Johnson - 5 years Michael Jordan - 3 years Arianna Such - 1 year

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Congratulations to the Mobley Family on the birth of Ellie Mae, born June 25!

Congratulations to Andrew who received his Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification through the National Recreation and Parks Association!

Teamwork & Triumphs NCCAA Softball World Series is a Home Run at Oak Grove

Oak Grove Softball Complex was once again in the spotlight as Grapevine hosted the NCCAA Softball World Series, and thanks to the dedication and teamwork of staff across multiple divisions, the tournament was a tremendous success.

logistics, and ongoing communication with NCCAA representatives throughout the tournament.

Behind every game played and every positive experience enjoyed by athletes, coaches, and spectators was an incredible amount of preparation and coordination. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, Athletics and Field Maintenance staff worked diligently to ensure the facility was ready to host a championship-caliber event.

During the week, staff worked behind the scenes to maintain the complex, provide onsite staffing, support game-streaming connections, and deliver social media coverage that helped share the excitement of the championship with fans near and far. And, of course, everyone gained a little extra experience monitoring weather forecasts as conditions continually evolved throughout the tournament!

From reworking the softball fields to better withstand heavy rainfall to completing facility upgrades and improvements, every detail was carefully considered.

Teams arriving at Oak Grove were welcomed by a clean, well-maintained facility, quality signage and banners, and a hospitality experience that showcased the best of Grapevine.

The result was a first-class event that earned countless compliments from visiting teams, coaches, and spectators. Their feedback reflected what we already know, Grapevine Parks and Rec is committed to excellence, and our staff consistently goes above and beyond to create exceptional experiences.

The event’s success was also made possible through strong partnerships and community support.

Hospitality staff coordinated food and beverage donations, including support from Rock & Brews, while also managing event setup, rental equipment

The NCCAA Softball World Series was a true team effort, and the pride, professionalism, and dedication displayed by everyone involved played a vital role in making the event another memorable success for Grapevine!

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