Summer 2015 VRPS Magazine

Virginia Virginia Parks & Recreation Summer2015 2015 SUMMER

jason pratt

Official OfOF the Virginia recreatiOn & Park SOciety OFFICIALPublicatiOn PUBLICATION THE VIRGINIA RECREATION &PARK SOCIETY

2 0 1 5

v r p s

annual conference

November 7 - 10, 2015 Hilton at 31st street

& virginia Beach convention center virginia BeacH, va

w w w. V r P S . c O m

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cultivate. connect. converge.

VRPS 2015 • VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

Ordering can’t really get much easier in Virginia.

Welcome to John Deere. What’ll it be today: A Gator™Utility Vehicle? A versatile mower? Would you like fex wing cutters with that? Whatever you’re in the mood for, streamlined purchasing and a range of fnancing options make it easy to get what you want and get on your way. Drive up to your John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/Local for a taste of what’s in store.

The object is simplicity.

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Virginia Recreation & Park Society n SUMMER 2015

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Official Publication of the Virginia Recreation & Park Society

Volume 67 Summer 2015

Virginia Recreation & Park Society 6372 Mechanicsville Turnpike Suite 109 Mechanicsville, VA 23111 Phone: 804-730-9447 Fax: 804-730-9455 vrps@vrps.com www.vrps.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James C. Stutts, CAE, CPRP Member Service Coordinator Nancy Turnage Administrative Assistant Lori Haislip Editor Amy-Jo Hendrix, CPRP Send Articles to:ahendrix@viennava.gov or AmyJo Hendrix, CPRP, Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation, 120 Cherry St. SE, Vienna, VA 22180 Virginia Parks and Recreation is published three times per year by the Virginia Recreation & Park Society, Inc. VRPS is a non-profit professional organization supported by membership dues and contributions. VRPS is affiliated with the National Recreation & Park Association.

Subscription Information. Members receive the magazine as part of their annual membership dues. The magazine is available by subscription for $25 per year. Requests for subscription should be directed to VRPS, 6372 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Suite 109, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.

Editorial Statement: Statements of fact and opinions are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers, members or staff of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society or the Foundation of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society.

Features & Department 4

Message from the President Making a Difference

5

2015 VRPS Board, Key Leaders and Staff

6

VRPS 2015 Calendar of Events

7

News from Roanoke County Parks, Recreation & Tourism Member Profile: Shawn Sorrells

8

News from Danville Parks & Recreation Member Profile: Jason Bookheimer

9

10

News from the City of Hopewell Partnership & Plants News from VRPS Sharpen Your Saw at the Beach

12 VRPS Annual Conference in a Nutshell 13 VRPS Annual Conference Application 14

15

News from Suffolk Parks & Recreation Blair Brothers - Responsible Corporate Partners News from the Reston Community Center RCC Seeks Volunteer Drivers for Reston Launch of NV Rides

MISSION The mission of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society is to unite all professionals, students, and interested lay persons engaged in the field of recreation, parks, and other leisure services in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

SUMMER 2015 n Virginia Recreation & Park Society

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Making a Difference...

Marcy Durrer, CPRP

President, Virginia Recreation & Park Society

I

With the support of the full Board of Directors and VRPS staff, we are working on an aggressive timeline to be able to present a draft roadmap for the future of VRPS at the annual conference in November.

’m sure you have noticed the temperature outside is rising, the kids have the “official” countdown to summer, and vacation plans are in the works. It must be true – summer is upon us! Summer camp staff are planning water days, confirming field trips and making sample crafts for the campers that will be invading shortly.

Lifeguards are already in their chairs keeping our pools and waterfronts safe.

Official PublicatiOn Of the Virginia recreatiOn & Park SOciety Bermuda grass is filling in and irrigation systems are working overtime.

Virginia

Parks & Recreation

jason pratt

If it wasn’t for the work you did months ago, the programs and facilities that serve our communities would not be successful and operational right now. The time that each of us takes in our jobs to plan, research, and strategize is critical to attaining success in our communities and serving our customers. That same thing applies to VRPS. With the support of the full Board of Directors and VRPS staff, we are working on an aggressive timeline 2 0 1 a5draft v roadmap r p s to be able to present annual conference for the future of VRPS at the annual November 7 - 10, 2015 conference in November.

Hilton at 31st street

C3 VB @

& virginia Beach convention center virginia BeacH, va

Under the guidance of John Martin, CEO of SIR (Southeastern of w w w . V r PInstitute S.cOm Research), the Board has started work on long range planning for VRPS. This will involve developing goals, researching national trends, Virginia demographics, cultural trends, industry trends, and collecting member input.

After this work is completed, we will 4

Summer 2015

cultivate. connect. converge.

VRPS 2015 • VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

evaluate our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to cultivate.

VRPS 2015 develop strategicconnect. initiatives.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

C3 B @V

converge.

Whether you call it strategic planning, laying a foundation for the future or

Virginia Recreation & Park Society n SUMMER 2015

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cultivate. connect. converge.

VRPS 2015 • VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

a developing a roadmap, your VRPS Board has accepted the challenge to get it done! Along the way, we will be relying on each of you for feedback and input. Whether it is filling out a survey, giving feedback at a Service Area or Resource group meeting or offering your input in November, we want to hear from YOU! Please don’t be shy, ask why and how you can contribute.

As a member driven organization, VRPS and your elected board are first and foremost, here to represent our members. We take very seriously our commitment to evaluate the activities and operations, as well as plan for the future of the Society.

A few months ago, I sent you an email to share just a few of the things I have been working on with the VRPS staff and the rest of the board.

I received great feedback from many members who shared their thoughts with me. I hope that you appreciated that information, learned something from the Presidents newsletter and have been finding value in the weekly e-updates. Over the upcoming weeks and months, I look forward to sharing more information about the strategic work we are doing, outcomes from upcoming Board meetings, and exciting activities taking place around the state.

I hope that each of you have a safe, enjoyable and successful summer.

With all the effort that you put into planning, you deserve it!

804-365-4697 757-393-8481x4264 757-357-5951 804-864-7897 804-730-9447 804-365-4697 757-393-8481x4264 804-693-1270 757-­385­-1122 757-357-5951 804-541-2353 703-359-4624 x221 434-799-5200 804-966-8502 804-864-7897 804-730-9447

Central Ryan Peters Eastern Mark Furlo, CPRP, CPSI Northern Ryan Brookes Southwestern Western Claire Richardson, CPRP Aquatics Jimmy Lyon, AFO Cultural Diversity Athletics Seniors Aaron Clay Outdoors Therapeutic Recreation

Henrico Division of Rec & Parks Isle of Wight Co. Parks & Rec McLean Community Center

804-262-4924 x239 pet67@co.henrico.va.us 757-357-6703 mfurlo@isleofwightus.net 571-382-0238 ryan.brookes@fairfaxcounty.gov

Staunton Parks & Recreation Fauquier Co. Parks & Rec

540-433-9168 571-277-4360

richardsonca@ci.staunton.va.us jimmy-lyon@fauquiercounty.gov

Hopewell Community Center

804-541-2353

aclay@hopewellva.gov

Enterprise Group Chairs

Annual Conference Kathy Williams, CTRS

Shannon Moore, CPRP Foundation Greg Sager Awards & Citations Kim Baldini, CPRP LTI 2016 Kristen Hamill, CPRP

Matt Spruill, CPRP Management Conference 15’ Lakita Watson, CPRP Professional Education Shannon Moore, CPRP Virginia Senior Games Jeff Sykes

Kevin Myers Legislative Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE

Art Thatcher, CPRP, AFO, MPA

Virginia Beach Parks & Rec Virginia Beach Parks & Rec Hanover County Parks & Rec Arlington Co. Dept. of Parks & Re Newport News Parks Rec & Tourism Colonial Heights Rec & Parks Suffolk Parks & Rec Virginia Beach Parks & Rec Newport News Parks, Rec & Tourism Newport News Parks, Rec & Tourism Virginia Rec & Park Society GreenPlay LLC

757-474-8877 757-385-0420 804-365-4690 703­-228-­4742 757-926-1419 804-520-9392 757-514-7251 757-385-0420 757-591-4892 757-926-1414 804-730-9447 757-592-3103

kdwillia@vbgov.com smoore@vbgov.com rgsager@hanovercounty.gov kbaldini@arlingtonva.us khamill@nngov.com spruillm@colonialheightsva.gov lwatson@suffolkva.us smoore@vbgov.com jsykes@nngov.com kmyers@nngov.com jim@vrps.com art@greenplayllc.com

CEO Administrative Assistant Member Services Coor.

Virginia Rec & Park Society Virginia Rec & Park Society Virginia Rec & Park Society

804-730-9447 804-730-9447 804-730-9447

jim@vrps.com lori@vrps.com nancy@vrps.com

Resource Group Chairs

Service Area Chairs

Board of Directors

Executive Board

Hanover County Parks & Rec Portsmouth Parks, Rec & Leisure Services Isle of Wight Parks & Rec VA Dept. of Health Virginia Rec & Park Society Hanover County Parks & Rec Portsmouth Parks, Rec & Leisure Services Gloucester Parks, Rec & Tourism Virginia Beach Parks & Rec Isle of Wight Parks & Rec Hopewell Rec & Parks Northern Virginia Reg. Park Authority Danville Parks, Rec. & Tourism New Kent Parks & Rec VA Department of Health Virginia Rec. & Park Society

VRPS Staff

2015 VRPS BOARDS KEY LEADERS & STAFF President Vice President Treasurer Lay Member Executive Director President Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Lay Member Executive Director

Marcy Durrer, CPRP Margaret Thorne LaTanya Turner Rita Miller Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE Marcy Durrer, CPRP Margaret Thorne Katey Legg, CPRP Michael Kalvort, CPRE LaTanya Turner Aaron Reidmiller, CPRP Blythe Russian Bill Sgrinia Kim Turner, CTRS Rita Miller Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE

Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE Lori Haislip Nancy Turnage

mgdurrer@hanovercounty.gov thornem@portsmouthva.gov lturner@isleofwight.net rita.miller@vdh.virginia.gov jim@vrps.com mgdurrer@hanovercounty.gov thornem@portsmouthva.gov klegg@gloucesterva.info mkalvort@vbgov.com lturner@isleofwight.net areidmiller@hopewellva.gov brussian@nvrpa.org sgrinia@ci.danville.va.us kcturner@newkent-va.us rita.miller@vdh.virginia.gov jim@vrps.com

BOARD LIAISONS SERVICE AREAS

Central Eastern Northern Southwestern Western RESOURCE GROUPS Aquatics

Athletics Cultural Diversity Outdoors Seniors Therapeutic Recreation

Aaron Reidmiller, CPRP Michael Kalvort, CPRE Blythe Russian; Kim Turner, CTRS Bill Sgrinia Katey Legg, CPRP Blythe Russian Marcy Durrer, CPRP; Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE Marcy Durrer, CPRP Aaron Reidmiller, CPRP

COMMITTEES LTI 2015

Annual Conference 2015 Annual Conference 2016 Management Conference 2015 Management Conference 2017 Virginia Senior Games 2015 Awards & Citations Foundation Legislation

Professional Education

Michael Kalvort, CPRE Michael Kalvort, CPRE Jim Stutts, CPRP, CAE Jim Stutts CPRP, CAE Kim Baldini, CPRP Jim Stutts CPRP, CAE Jim Stutts CPRP, CAE; Art Thatcher CPRP, AFO, MPA Marcy Durrer, CPRP

Revised 6/23/15 SUMMER 2015 n Virginia Recreation & Park Society

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VRPS SPRING 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1pm

2016 Annual Conference Meeting

Fri, July 3

Central Office Closed

Wed, July 15

2015 Annual Conference Early Registration Ends

August President’s Newsletter Submission Deadline

SA/RG Ballot Data Deadline to Central Office

10am

2015 AC

Thurs, July 16

10am

Board Meeting

Fri, July 17

10am

Foundation Board

Mon, July 20

10am

2016 LTI

Thurs, July 30

5pm

2014 Awards Application

Thurs, August 6 1pm

2016 Annual Conference Meeting

Fri, August 7

September Leesburg CPSI Early Registration Deadline

SRG Meeting - Conference

10am

Tues, August 11

MUSCO Webinar

Wed, August 12 10am

2015 Annual Conference

Thurs, August 13

MUSCO Webinar

Wed, August 26 10am

NSA Quarterly

Thurs, August 27 10am

CSA

11am

DCR Webinar-Water Trails Part 1

Thurs, Sept 3

1pm

2016 Annual Conference Meeting

Virginia

Parks & Recreation

Fri, Sept 4

September Leesburg CPSI Regular Registration Deadline

Mon, Sept 7

Central Office Closed

Wed, Sept 9

9:30am

DCR Webinar-Water Trails Part 2

10am

2015 Annual Conference

Official PublicatiOn Of the Virginia recreatiOn & Park SOciety

Tues, Sept 15

October President’s Newsletter Submission Deadline

Fri, Sept 18

SRG - Planning meeting for Fall

10am

Wed, Sept 23 – Fri, Sept 25 CPSI Leesburg

VRPS 2015 Annual Conference November 7 - 10, 2015 2 0 1 5

v r p s

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annual conference

Friday November 6 - Tuesday November 10

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Hilton at 31st street

& virginia Beach convention center virginia BeacH, va

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Summer 2015

jason pratt

SEPTEMBER 2015

AUGUST 2015

JULY 2015

Thurs, July 2

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cultivate. connect. converge.

VRPS 2015 • VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

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@VB

cultivate. connect. converge.

VRPS 2015 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

NEWS FROM ROANOKE COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION & TOURISM

S

hawn Sorrels has a passion for working outdoors, but so far this year he’s spent most of his time inside an old abandoned school building. Beginning in January, Shawn was tasked with the daunting project of auctioning and removing an estimated 20,000 surplus property items to prepare the building for future economic development o p p o r t u n i t i e s . Fo r nearly a decade the former school was the dumping ground for chairs, desks, audiovisual carts, shelving and other s u r p l u s i t e m s f ro m Roanoke County Public Schools.

to the department, resulting in his promotion in recent years to the role of Parks Administrator.

MEMBER PROFILE:

Shawn Sorrells

Place of work: Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Position: Parks Administrator Education: BS in Parks & Recreation with concentration in Outdoor

Education, Radford University Professional memberships: VRPS, NRPA, CPRP, CPSI Hometown: Buena Vista, VA Family: Wife and 2 kids Favorite experience on the job: Helping people.

Toughest part of the job: Knowing that I’m going to be stuck inside the

office. I like the flexibility of my title and job description in that

it’s 50/50 field and office. I wasn’t designed to work inside.

Favorite recreational activity: Spending time in the outdoors Favorite book: Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk If you could go anywhere where would it be: I would love to visit Spain

In a project that is expected to take over 1,000 man hours by the time it’s complete in August, Shawn has gone above and beyond in carrying out this unexpected job duty. He says his training as an outdoor recreation professional has prepared him to roll with the punches.

“You never know when a storm is going to pop up on the river, and it’s the same here. I come into my office and expect my job to go one way, but it changes and the rest of the day is blown. You have to learn to keep moving forward to get work done while being prepared that it might change.”

Until this project is complete, Shawn’s workweek includes tasks such as bundling groups of items for bulk sale,

photographing items and uploading them onto www.PublicSurplus.com, communicating with potential buyers, preparing paperwork for each sale, and meeting buyers on-site to haul away the goods. New auctions open and close every Tuesday.

Shawn Sorrels started with Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism as an intern at Camp Roanoke in 2006.

Shortly thereafter he was hired as a full-time parks maintenance worker.

Shawn’s wide skill set and positive attitude have made him a valuable asset

According to department director Doug Blount, Shawn is a great example of the new trend in today’s parks and recreation industry. “He’s a hybrid-type of recreation professional.

He gets to work in the world of recreation but also park maintenance. He has been able to be a productive cross over in being able to work with both disciplines within the field because of his understanding of both sides of the operation.”

Even when confronted with the unexpected challenge of this surplus property assignment, Shawn has been able to drawn on skills from both the parks and recreation sides of the field.

He has constantly been at least a week ahead of schedule throughout the project. While he looks forward to getting back to his typical job duties, Shawn gets satisfaction in knowing his efforts are making an impact.

“It’s good to feel like I’m doing something that’s important right now,” says Shawn. “There’s nothing I love more than seeing items go to people who can use them instead of being thrown out into a landfill. We’re returning the building to a usable space. When it’s over I’ll be focusing really hard on park and playground inspections, and get back into a normal routine.”

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NEWS FROM CITY OF DANVILLE PARKS & RECREATION

MEMBER PROFILE:

Jason Bookheimer Place of work: City of Danville Parks and Recreation Position: Division Director of Community Recreation Education: Bachelors of Science- Parks and Recreation from Radford University with dual major of Outdoor Recreation and Recreation Management Professional memberships: VRPS, NRPA, NAA Hometown: Chesterfield, VA Favorite experience on the job: Getting to see people’s reactions to events and programs that we spend so much time and resources on, it reminds me of why I enjoy my job so much and why we spend countless hours in and out of the office providing services to meet community needs.

Toughest part of the job: Balancing the fine line of satisfying internal and external customer’s needs, it’s hard to please everyone.

Favorite recreational activity: Anything outdoors, but there is something special about fishing the Pamlico Sound.

Favorite book: Honestly, I am not much on sitting down and knocking out entire books, but my favorite movie is “The Sandlot” If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be: As long as I am with my daughter and dog, it doesn’t matter….but sand and salt water make a good mixture

Become a champion for VRPS! Visit www.vrps.com or call the VRPS Office at 804-730-9447 or email vrps@vrps.com for volunteer opportunities.

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NEWS FROM CITY OF HOPEWELL

Partnerships & Plants

T

he Hopewell Recreation and Parks Department recently partnered with the John Randolph Foundation and Rebuilding Together-Tri Cities to complete two volunteer-based park improvement projects. Both the 3 ½ Street Playground and Westwood Park were in need of a small makeover and students from Carter G. Woodson Middle School and Hopewell High School jumped at the opportunity to improve their community.

The students are all active members of the Youth Steering Committee organized by the John Randolph Foundation, a

community-based organization working to improve the overall health and quality of life for the citizens of Hopewell. The Youth Steering Committee is designed to provide a platform for interested students to affect positive change in the community through a variety of activities and service projects.

Park staff prepared the soil beds and refurbished the signage. All landscaping materials were provided by Rebuilding Together: Tri-Cities, a community-based organized that oversees a variety of service projects that include landscaping and home repairs. The student volunteers worked hard to plant shrubs, fertilize, and mulch the new signage in the parks. The newly installed shrubbery and signage have received a great deal of positive feedback from the community.

The Recreation and Parks Department and the students look forward to future beautification projects at a variety of parks in the City of Hopewell.

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NEWS FROM VRPS

2015 VRPS Annual Conference

Sharpen Your Saw……

At The Beach Stephen Covey continually talks about the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Habit number seven is “Sharpening Your Saw.” This means everyone should continually improve, preserve, and enhance the greatest resource you have…yourself. This November, we invite you to sharpen your saw in the City of Virginia Beach at the 2015 VRPS Annual Conference. The finishing touches are being made, which will ensure that you will have the opportunity to enjoy over fifty educational sessions, network with parks and recreation professionals, engage in social activities, and enjoy one of the nation’s premier boardwalks and family attractions. Registration is ongoing, but hurry, early bird registration ends on July 15th. Now is a great opportunity to expend remaining funds in your training budget or to save money on the conference once next year’s training allocation becomes available.

A conference should motivate, engage, challenge, and push you to become a greater professional. This year’s conference has been built to accomplish all these things while connecting, cultivating, and converging recreation and parks professionals throughout the commonwealth. Tom O’Rourke, Executive Director of the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, will give Sunday’s opening session and keynote, which will inspire you to be a better you. Everyone’s favorite speaker, Lori Hoffner, returns to VRPS for another great slate of classes, including, “Remember Who You Are: Understanding the Power You Have to Make a Difference.” In addition, Chris Nunes, CPRE, Parks and Recreation Director for the City of the Woodlands, Texas, will present classes which will enable your programs and organization to improve the bottom line. One of his classes will be his award winning “Expense Management, Reduce Cost, but Not Quality.”

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Bobbi Nance, CPRP, will join us from Illinois and will educate on how data can link results to success and how by utilizing data, real change can be achieved. She will also be presenting “Dealing with the Difficult, Demotivated and Duds”, a humorous look at leadership. Bobbi has taught all around the country and continually ranks in the highest percentile for national speakers.

Make sure you come to the beach on Saturday, November 7 th, as there are four interactive and imaginative preconference institutes. They include the Aquatic Facilitator Operator Certification Course (AFO) and “Project Learning Tree, a Park Educators Best Friend” presented by the Virginia Department of Forestry. If climbing, team building and adventure is your thing, join us for “Teaming Up” held at the Virginia Aquarium’s new interactive high-ropes course, The Adventure Park. Finally, take an interactive tour around Hampton Roads and see some of the areas’ newest, most technological and trend setting venues, facilities and programs. Each of these institutes are sure to fill up quickly. Do not lose your space, register today!

As parks and recreation professionals, everyone spends an extraordinary amount of time providing events and activities for their participants and communities. Isn’t it time you took three or four days out of your hectic schedule and spent it on developing yourself and in improving all the services you offer to your community? We hope to see you this coming November as we network, share, learn, and collaboratively focus on improving our parks and recreation profession. Please join us as we Cultivate, Connect and Converge at the 31st Street Hilton in Virginia Beach this November 7-10.

For more information, please click this link http://www.vrps.com/EducationEvents/AnnualConference/2015AnnualConference.aspx or call the VRPS office at 804-730-9447.

Michael J. Kalvort, CPRE is the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Virginia Beach and serves on the State Board, the 2015 Conference Committee, the Leadership Training Institute Committee, and as the Eastern Service Area Liaison.

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2015 VRPS Annual Conference At- A-Glance Friday, Nov. 6 & Saturday, Nov. 7 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Aquatic Facilities Operator Course (pre-institute)

Saturday, Nov. 7 10:00 am – 5:00 pm 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Project Learning Tree (pre-institute) Teaming Up – Team Building at the Adventure Park (pre-institute) Behind The Scenes Facility Tour (pre-institute)

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Registration

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Welcome Social

Sunday, Nov. 8

At the Hilton

7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Registration

8:30 am – 9:45 am

Educational Session

10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Opening Session – Keynote speaker- Tom O’Rourke and Annual Business Meeting

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

Lunch on your own

1:15 pm – 5:30 pm

Educational Sessions

5:40 pm – 6:15 pm

Service Area Meetings/Reception

6:15 pm

Dinner on your own

8:00 pm – 11:30 pm

Social

Monday, Nov. 9

All activities at the Convention Center

7:00 am – 4:00 pm

Registration

8:00 am – 12:15 pm

Educational Sessions

11:00 am – 12:00 noon

Director’s Forum

12:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Exhibit Hall Adventure (Lunch/ Silent Auction/ Entertainment/ Door Prizes, etc.)

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Cocktail Hour

7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Dinner and Awards

9:30 pm – until

On your own entertainment

Tuesday, Nov. 10

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At the Hilton

7:30 am – 11:00 am

Registration

8:00 am – 8:30 am

Resource Group Meetings

8:30 am – 12:45 pm

Educational Sessions

Virginia Recreation & Park Society n SUMMER 2015

Registration Information

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

November 8 - 10, 2015 Virginia Beach

New for 2015 All registrations must be completed online at www.vrps.com CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES

* Register before 7/15/2015 and SAVE $25 per person!*

Full Delegate Price Includes: All Educational Sessions, Saturday Welcome Social, Exhibit Hall Luncheon, Sunday Social and Awards Banquet Dinner.

REGISTRATION DATES

VRPS MEMBER

NON-MEMBER

Early Registration (before July 15, 2015)

$375

$450

Regular Registration (by September 30, 2015)

$400

$475

Late Registration (on October 1, 2015 and later)

$425

$500

STUDENT REGISTRATION FEES Student is anyone currently enrolled as a full time or part time student and not simultaneously employed as a full time professional.

VRPS MEMBER

NON-MEMBER

By 9/30

10/1 & after

By 9/30

10/1 & after

$200

$225

$225

$250

SUNDAY 11/8 (Educational Sessions, Opening Session and Keynote Speaker)

$35

$45

$60

$70

MONDAY 11/9 (Educational Sessions, Exhibit Hall and Exhibit Hall Luncheon)

$60

$70

$85

$95

TUESDAY 11/10 (Educational Sessions)

$20

$30

$45

$55

FULL CONFERENCE FEE Includes: All Educational Sessions, Exhibit Hall Luncheon and Awards Banquet Dinner.

DAILY REGISTRATION FEES Includes education sessions, exhibit hall entry and items listed for the day only. Meals & social tickets MUST be purchased separately.

Register online before 7/15/2015 and SAVE $10!

VRPS MEMBER

NON-MEMBER

By 9/30

10/1 & after

By 9/30

10/1 & after

SUNDAY (Includes Education sessions, Opening Session/Keynote)

$150

$160

$225

$235

MONDAY (Includes Education Sessions, Exhibit hall and Luncheon)

$175

$185

$250

$260

TUESDAY ( Includes Education Sessions)

$95

$105

$170

$180

ADDITIONAL TICKETS

PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTES REGISTRATION DEADLINE OCTOBER 15TH

VRPS Member

Non-Member

VDOF: Project Learning Tree Saturday, November 7th 10am – 5pm

$35

$60

Teaming Up at The Adventure Park Saturday, November 7th 12 - 5pm

$125

$150

Behind the Scenes Facilities Tour Saturday, November 7th 12 - 5pm

$20

$45

AFO Certification Course Fri. & Sat. Nov. 6th & 7th 8am-5pm

2 day w/text book $300 2 day course $200 Exam Only $125

Saturday Social $25 Sunday Evening Social $25 Exhibit Hall Lunch $50 Awards Banquet $55 Director’s Forum $25 *Must be purchased before 10/3/2015

CEU’S (FOR ONE OR ALL DAYS) Regular Registration By 9/30/2015 Registration On or After 10/1/2015

$15 $20

1.0 CEU opportunities available

On-line registration is preferred, if you need an invoice please contact the office: VRPS (Virginia Recreation and Park Society) 6732 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Suite 109, Mechanicsville, VA 23111 Phone: 804-730-9447 Fax: 804:730-9455 Email: vrps@vrps.com

Cancellation policy: If received in writing before 10/7/2015 , VRPS will refund your registration fee less a $50 administrative charge. Cancellations not received in writing will not be eligible for a refund.

Substitutions are accepted.

Special Accommodations

If you require special accommodations, including dietary, to participate in the Annual Conference. Please indicate on your registration and register by October 1, 2015.

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Virginia Recreation & Park Society n SUMMER 2015

NEWS FROM CITY OF SUFFOLK PARKS & RECREATION

BLAIR BROTHERS

Responsible Corporate Partner

T

he City of Suffolk is fortunate to have generous and quality companies such as Blair Brothers.

Not only is Blair Brothers a top notch paving company, they also generously agreed to be the presenting sponsor for the 2015 Virginia Recreation and Parks Society’s Management Conference hosted by the City of Suffolk.

The company has been in existence since 1968 and there are currently two generations of the family working in all phases of the company. They provide asphalt production, grading and excavation, milling, pavement texturing, and asphalt installation. They recently completed a trail project at the City of Suffolk’s Lake Meade Park and have been awarded the contract for a second trail project that will connect the City’s northern end to the quaint village of Driver.

Lake Meade Park Trail: This trail, approximately 2 miles in length and eight (8) feet wide (no motor vehicles), meanders through beautiful Lake Meade Park while preserving its natural integrity. It is located in the main stream of the Downtown Suffolk business district. Constructed sub surface is crushed concrete and a walking surface of smooth stone dust; this too is a fully an ADA accessible walking and biking path that flows through and around amenities such as tennis courts, a skate park, playground, picnic pavilion, dog park and an asphalt circular walking trail (around

the playground) so parents can be active while keeping a close eye on their loved ones. Eco –Counters will also be installed at two locations of this trail in order to accurately measure patron usage on a daily basis.

Lake Meade Park Trail was funded through a grant from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Suffolk Parks and Recreation capital budget, and the Obici Healthcare Foundation. Total cost is $309,347.

Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail: The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail Phase IV (2.3 miles) is one segment of an eleven and a half mile trail. Phase IV “Driver to Shoulders Hill Road” begins at the Village of Driver and heads in an easterly direction to Shoulders Hill Road. The 2.3 mile trail will be fully ADA accessible and will consist of a 10 foot wide fully paved asphalt path with a 2 foot shoulder on each side. Intended use is for walkers and cyclists of all ages; motor vehicles are prohibited. There are no significant challenges on this

particular phase of the project and the community is excited to see a multi-use trail providing another opportunity for healthy and active living for Suffolk residents.

This project is being funded through several sources to include federal funding through the Transportation Enhancement Act, city bond funds and Suffolk Parks and Recreation’s capital budget. Cost for Phase IV is $1,349,733. Once completed this phase of the trail will allow for connectivity from the northern end of the city into the historic village of Driver.

Helen Gabriel, Assistant Director with Suffolk Parks and Recreation had this to say about the company, “They (Blair Brothers) have a sincere caring for the community in which they live, work and play; it makes my job much easier working with a company that embraces our philosophy. It’s cool to know that the same group of people that provide the construction will also be active users and will take true ownership with a caring attitude.” Most Departments across the Commonwealth have relationships with contractors, retailers, or other businesses in their respective community. These relationships are important to our individual Departments and sometimes difficult to maintain while following procurement laws and purchasing policies. Being straight forward and responsive makes a huge difference and goes a long way towards building these relationships.

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NEWS FROM THE RESTON COMMUNITY CENTER

RCC Seeks Volunteer Drivers for Reston Launch of NV Rides

R

CC is proud to announce the launch of NV Rides Reston, a transportation program that offers reliable, personalized transportation to Reston adults 55 years and older who cannot drive. This program provides door-to-door rides to help get older adults to important engagements, ranging from social and enrichment activities to medical appointments.

NVRides services are provided exclusively by volunteer drivers, free of charge, to anyone age 55 or older who resides in Reston Community Center’s Tax District boundaries. The map is available on our website at http://goo.gl/W4TYRH. There are no income-level requirements.

“I am thrilled to see RCC address the critical need of affordable and accessible transportation for the growing population of older adults in Reston,” said Beverly Cosham, Chairman of RCC Board of Governors. “The RCC Board and staff team have been studying this program for many months and we are very happy to bring this volunteer driver approach to Reston.”

NV Rides Reston is part of a network of service providers who coordinate volunteer driver transportation programs throughout Fairfax County. The development and administration of NV Rides is a unique partnership between Fairfax County, the Jewish Council for

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NV Rides Reston will connect local volunteer drivers with older adults and be part of the community’s caring infrastructure that allows people who can’t drive to continue to safely and independently live in their own homes and neighborhoods as they age. the Aging, and the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. The program partners use cloud-based software, “RideScheduler,” to assist staff in posting and assigning rides. This userfriendly system allows drivers to accept a ride with a click of a button; it also generates route maps and sends drivers reminders of upcoming appointments.

“In order for this program to be successful in our community, we hope that a large number of community members will apply to become volunteer drivers,” said Eileen Boone, RCC Director of Leisure & Learning. All volunteer driver applicants will undergo a thorough DMV and background check paid for by NV

Virginia Recreation & Park Society n SUMMER 2015

Rides Reston. Once volunteer drivers have been approved, they will learn how to use the easy-to-use webappointments that best suit their personal schedule – no minimum number of rides required. Volunteer drivers will also receive a mileage report for their annual tax filings. Interested volunteer drivers can apply immediately by going to www.restoncommunitycenter.com/ nv-rides-reston/become-a-driver.

NV Rides Reston will connect local volunteer drivers with older adults and be part of the community’s caring infrastructure that allows people who can’t drive to continue to safely and independently live in their own homes and neighborhoods as they age. RCC hopes that this transportation program will enhance their quality of life by providing them access to support services and social programs. It simultaneously helps the friends and families of our non-driving older neighbors by reducing the stress of worrying about getting to essential services and Reston Community Center programs.

For more detailed information about this, please contact Karen Brutsché, RCC 55+ Program Director and NV Rides Reston Coordinator, at 703-390-6198 or Karen.Brutsche@fairfaxcounty.gov, or visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com/ nv-rides-reston.

NEW IN 2015!

TWO GREAT PARKS FOR THE

PRICE OF ONE!

Park and Recreation Days $35 June 26 – August 2

For additional information contact: The Virginia Recreation & Park Society 804-730-9447 • www.vrps.com Cedar Fair L.P. KD15-341

Richmond, Virginia • kingsdominion.com SUMMER 2015 n Virginia Recreation & Park Society

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