BRANCHING OUT
W E L C O M E
Summer is in full swing, and our incredible team is thriving!
From packed pools and bustling camps to busy trails and lakes, the community is out enjoying everything we’ve worked so hard to prepare.
Behind every great experience is a dedicated staff making it all happen; cleaning, leading, fixing, planning, and creating spaces where memories are made. Whether you’re front and center or behind the scenes, your hard work does not go unnoticed.
This time of year is busy, but it’s also a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. The community is enjoying the benefits of a caring, dedicated staff, and we’re so proud of the work happening across every division.
Keep up the amazing work, and don’t forget to take a moment to look around and soak in the impact you're making this season.
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Shout out to Dan Brown!
“Dan is the behind-the-scenes hero of the Aquatics team. Pools break a lot, and Dan’s the one who keeps them running. Chlorine leaks, lights falling out, features not working? Dan’s fixed it. Probably more than once.
His clothes aren’t bleached for fashion; it’s just residue from the 738 chlorine leaks he’s tackled this month. Whether Parr is buried in mulch or a locker won’t budge, Dan shows up, tools in hand, maybe a little grumpy, but always ready. We appreciate him more than he knows!”
Thanks to Megan Varner!
“I want to give a shout out to Megan Varner for doing a great job of managing the Active Adult staff and Volunteers. We are all grateful to have her as our leader!”
Big Shout out to the Lake Parks Division!
“Special shoutout to the Lake Parks Division, who -along with support from Parks Maintenance- has done a tremendous job navigating and mitigating the impact of the recent Grapevine Lake flood event.
Despite the challenges, they’ve maintained excellent customer service for affected patrons, continued summer camp prep, stayed on top of new building projects, and handled a wide range of other responsibilities. Their proactive approach to protecting City assets not only prevents costly repairs and replacements, but also speeds up the process of reopening and restoring operations.
With so many moving parts and long, non-traditional hours, their time, talent, and dedication truly stand out. Please know your hard work is seen, valued, and deeply appreciated.”
Big Shoutout to Justin Jordan, Dan Brown and Emily Marecle!
“Dan and Emily spent hours power washing the LifeFloor at the Parr Park sprayground only to have it covered in mulch from the rain on May 1. We met out there that morning with trash cans to shovel the mulch into, make trips to the dumpster, and re-power wash. Justin Jordan drove by, saw what we were doing and stopped. He got out and helped for over an hour. He mentioned having to go to class and I kept telling him we had it and he could leave. He insisted on staying and helping and even blew off sidewalks near the playground. I wanted to make sure Justin knows how appreciated he is and how much it meant to us that he saw us and decided to put his work aside to help us out.”
Huge thank you to our Athletic Maintenance and Athletic Programs teams!
“For their incredible work in hosting the NCCAA Fastpitch College National Championship and the Travel Sports World Series These events brought in athletes and families from across the country, and thanks to your efforts, they experienced Grapevine at its very best From immaculately prepared fields to exceptional customer service, you delivered a championship level experience from start to finish Your professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence did not go unnoticed Thank you for representing our department and our city with pride!”
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CONGRATS ON YOUR PROMOTION, MARIAH WALLACE!
“I’m thrilled to share that Mariah Wallace has been promoted to Recreation Supervisor! Mariah brings energy, creativity, and dedication to everything she does, and this promotion is a well-earned recognition of her impact on our team and community. We’re excited to see how she continues to elevate the REC... but don’t worry, Mariah, we won’t make you carry the whole team on your back! �� Join me in congratulating her on this well-deserved achievement! - Jenn Kashner
APPRECIATION FROM PATRONS
“Hi! We were at Oak Grove Park this weekend for a tournament, just wanted to let you know it looks great. The concession employees were all so nice and professional. It was clean and well kept. Heard lots of compliments about how good the park was. Just wanted to give you shout out, well done!!! Hope you all are doing well. Take care!” Jerriann Farris – PHR-City of Grapevine, Human Resources Department
“Hello! We had a scheduled party Saturday 6/6 at 11:30am. I just wanted to let you know the whole staff and experience was amazing at the Dove sprayground/Cabana AB. All the workers there are so kind and professional. Thank you!”
D I V I S I O N
D I V I S I O N
S P O T L I G H T
S P O T L I G H T
A Note from Emily Marecle, Aquatics Supervisor:
The Aquatics team is a symphony of organized chaos (lovingly, of course). I manage operations, staffing, safety, and making sure no one’s doing cannonballs during lap swim. Shannon handles lifeguard ops, Kaylee runs swim lessons and concessions (aka: the kids and the snacks), and our leads John and Jaime keep things running smoothly.
We oversee everything water-related, training 200+ part-time staff, programming swim lessons, managing safety certifications, and making sure the concession stand doesn’t run out of pizza. We also respond to emergencies throughout The REC and help other divisions with CPR/First Aid/AED training.
On the daily: lifeguard rotations, swim lessons, phone calls, and unexpected pool “surprises.” Weekly? Payroll, scheduling, inspections, inventory. Monthly? Onboarding, reporting, and a lot of “random stuff.”
Our public sees lifeguards scanning, kids learning to swim, and snacks flowing. What they don’t see is the mentoring, cleaning, and culture-building that happens behind the scenes. We’re especially proud of the way our team guides high schoolers through their first job; teaching responsibility, communication, and even how to clean a bathroom with a good attitude.
Recent win? Onboarding and certifying over 50 new team members; try hiring teenagers sometime and you’ll understand the victory.
This summer we’re hosting a swim meet, participating in Guard Games, celebrating Christmas in July, and more.
Looking forward, we’re exploring a shift to StarGuard Elite to take our training to the next level. Because while fun is the goal, safety comes first. Always.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
06/01 Natasha Gale
06/02 Luke Wolfard
06/06 Stephanie Frank
06/15 Ava Schragin
06/18 Michael Warren
06/18 Daniel Brown
06/20 James Duvall
YEARS OF SERVICE
Thank you!
06/05/2023 Dawn Parry: 2 years
UPCOMING EVENTS:
06/20 Pop N Play: Parr Park
06/28 Happy to Help
07/07 Post-July 4th Cleanup Crusade
07/11 Pop N Play: Casey’s Clubhouse
