May 2015 VRPS Presidents Newsletter

VRPS

The Virginia Recreation and Park Society The Virginia Recreation and Park Society is a private, non-profit professional organization, founded in 1953 and incorporated in 1956.

Its purpose 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, into one body.

President’s Newsletter Annual Conference

Bullseye!

May 2015

LTI 2016

VRPS Board

Save the Date!

Virginia Archery Academy

Learn, Transform & Inspire

Hard at work - for you!

November, 7 - 10, 2015 in Virginia Beach. Registration is now open! Keynote speaker has been announced, and plans are underway.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and USA Archery Virginia Department come together for this annual event, recently in Hopewell.

This dynamic, one of a kind training is one that you must register early to guarantee that you have a space! Come up for air, April 24 - 26 at LTI!

As part of our initiatives for enhanced and increased communication, check out the President’s notes from the April 2015 VRPS Board meeting.

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Cultivate

As our profession dramatically changes, it’s our duty to continually learn new methods of programming and operations, brainstorm new services we can offer to our citizens, and challenge our way of thinking. The educational sessions will engage you and provide you with the tools to make an immediate impact when you travel back to your community.

Connect

Being with like-minded individuals is inspirational and refreshing and the socials that are planned at Neptune’s Park will “enlighten you and make your spirit glow”. This year’s conference will foster learning in a variety of formats. With the proximity to Old Dominion University and Virginia Wesleyan College, future leaders in the field will be eager to connect with seasoned professionals to share information and discuss the latest trends.

Converge

Once a year we get the opportunity to meet as a united group of Virginia Parks and Recreation Professionals and set our direction towards greatness. Learning occurs in different ways and at the conference, we are offering many innovative ways to expand your network of friends, potential clients, and meet experts who will pass their knowledge to you. The exhibit hall is designed in a experiential format which is interactive and will foster new relationships between vendors and delegates. Each evening, the fun really gets going with spectacular activities on the east coast’s most famous oceanfront. page

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VRPS Highlights - Spring 2015 Athletics 501

Thank you to the host locations for the Athletics 501 series presented by Toro, Turf Equipment and Supply Company and Smith Turf and Irrigation: Salem, Chsapeake, Henrico and the City of Fairfax.

This educational series just finished it’s fifth year, with new presentations from Dale Getz, Certified Sports Field Manager and Sports Turf Sales Manager - US for the Toro Company, Jeff Clarke, The Toro Company and Mike Goatley, Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences of Virginia Tech.

Awards and Citations

This is your opportunity to honors exemplary members, volunteers, and agencies of the Parks and Recreation community for achievements during 2014. The Awards and Citations application process is now completely on-line! Watch your E-update for information on how to submit This year’s Awards and Citations Committee: Kimberly Baldini (Chair), Lakita Watson (Eastern), Matt Little, (Western), Amy Maltese (Northern), Judi Ann Hawkins-Shaver (Central), Jason Bookheimer (Southwest), Sandra Kellogg (Aquatics)

Professional Certification Committee

Under the leadership of Shannon Moore, the Professional Certification Committee is the state-wide oversight body for administration and promotion of the certification program for recreation, park resources, and leisure service personnel.

Most know the committee for reviewing educational sessions and certifying them for Continuing Education Units (CEU’s). This pricess is alon completely online now as well!

Recently Jane Jagodinski stepped down after many years of service. Congratulations to Arlana Fauntleroy, Recreation Administrator in James City County for her appointment to this committee!

vrps.com - keep your profile up to date

Change your email address? Earn a new certification? Have a special designation Make sure you log in to www.vrps.com and edit your profile. Here, you can update your password, make sure we have the most up to date professional information about you. This is where your confernce name badge comes from, so represnt yourself completely!

In the “Edit/View Information” section you can identify your Service Area and sign up for a Resource Group! What a great way to get involved!

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VRPS Highlights - Spring 2015 24-7 campaign

The 24/7 campaign is here to help schools become truly tobacco-free. 24/7 is led

by Y Street, Virginia’s largest youth-led movement.

Y Street is the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth’s award-winning teen volunteer initiative for high school students. Since 2004, more than 7,500 Virginia high school teens have been trained as youth activists and have united under the common cause of deglamorizing tobacco use and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Eastern Service Area - Summer Survival

Want to know the secrets of a successful summer camp? Need game ideas or different activities to use on that hot summer day?

Summer Survival offers a workshop that gives recreation leaders tools to survive the summer with topics including arts & crafts, fitness fun, customer service, leadership development, and more.

May 30, 2015 (8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) in Norfolk. Register now for only $25!

Ecotourism & Outdoor Recreation DCR Webinar Series

The VRPS/DCR webinar series are FREE to you, as a VRPS member! Please register in order to obtain webinar link.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. and Wednesday, June 17, 2015, 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.

If you need CEU’s, they are available as well for only $20.

VRPS membership at a glance!

Look at us

GROW!

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The 2015 Management Conference was the most successful, highest attended Management Conference in VRPS history! page

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Learn, Transform and Inspire Your LTI planning committee is committed to energize and refresh your spirit during the 2016 Leadership Training. We are preparing to take you places you have never been! The opportunity waits to Learn, Transform and Inspire.

LTI provides participants with the high impact tools and essential insights necessary to become a truly exceptional leader. Held only once every two years, this training is unlike anything you have ever experienced!

LTI is designed to “take you to the next level, step out of your boundaries and refresh your spirit.� Walk away with leadership traits your community will notice! Join us for team building and networking activities guaranteed to motivate!

Come up for air at Wintergreen Resort! April 24-26, 2016

Contact your LTI Committee Members: Kristen Hamill (Co-Chair), Matt Spruill (Co-Chair), Amy Woodson, (Treasurer), Kat Fish (Secretary), Michael Kalvort, Derek Stanley, Nancy Ellis, Brian Gannon, Terry Caldwell

Complete Park and Playground Solutions For all your park and playground needs, choose Cunningham Recreation. We can offer our customers quality park and playground products, custom design capabilities and excellent service.

800.438.2780 cunninghamrec.com

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ILLUMINATING GENERATIONS You’re not just buying lights. You’re buying an affordable system that reduces energy and maintenance costs year after year. That means while decreasing wasted energy, you’ll save money and help protect the environment for his future.

To learn more visit: www.musco.com/generations Local area representatives: Steve Wiley 800/825-6030 (toll free) 804/836-6785 (mobile) steve.wiley@musco.com

Joe Forche 800/825-6030 (toll free) 804/385-8950 (mobile) joe.forche@musco.com

For Your Budget For The Environment ©2014 Musco Sports Lighting, LLC · ADVA14-1

James K. Cole Scholarship Deadline - June 1, 2015

This scholarship was developed in memory of James K. Cole, a Parks and Recreation Professional from the City of Virginia Beach, who was dedicated to the profession. As a memorial to his life’s work, an academic scholarship was established in his name.

Scholarship preference will be given to those individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the profession through membership in VRPS and the Foundation of VRPS. Purpose: the scholarship is designed to assist junior, senior and graduate students majoring in the Leisure Service field demonstrating a need for financial assistance.

Award: $1500 towards the cost of undergraduate or graduate education.

Eligibility Requirements: • • • • • •

Must have a current grade point average of at least 3.0 Must be have achieved sophomore or junior status at time of application or be a graduate student Must be pursuing a major in the Leisure Service Field Must be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time of application Must, through follow-up documentation, demonstrate financial need Criteria for Selection: 1. Past course work in leisure service field 2. Financial need 3. Volunteerism and professional involvement 4. Quality of reference

The on-line scholarship application must be submitted by COB June 1, 2015. page

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VRPS Board of Directors

President’s notes - April 16 VRPS meeting While there is an open invitation to all VRPS meetings, we often only welcome a couple of members to the Board meetings. This meeting, the Board was excited to see the following members in attendance: Marlie Smith (City of Richmond), Ryan Peters (Henrico County), Brian Fuller (York County), Paul Wilmoth (Chesterfield County), Kathy McQuain (Rockingham County), Tom Hoy (Winchester County), Steve Buschor (City of Roanoke), and Greg Sager (Hanover County). I think it is great to see members wanting to get more involved in their professional organization and find it invigorating to see a renewed interest in volunteerism and engagement!

The annual Investment Policy Review was conducted by Verus Financial Partners, a full-service financial planning firm who has donated their services to VRPS for nearly 15 years.

And finally, the Board invited some of our conference exhibitors to lunch to get their ideas feedback and input about the annual conference exhibit hall experience. It was great talking with Musco Lighting, Virginia Playground Services, and Cunningham and Associates and hearing their thoughts.

Some great information was shared about recent and upcoming conferences and events: - - - - - -

2015 Annual Conference, November 7 – 10 in Virginia Beach  Exhibit hall booths are progressing well / Education schedule is nearly complete  Keynote speaker (Tom O’Roarke ) will be on Sunday morning (9:30AM) 2016 Annual Conference, September 10 - 13 in Roanoke  Roanoke Valley directors met for a kick off / Monthly meetings to start in May 2015 Management Conference was the most successful in history  130 registrants / Suffolk has offered to host again in 2017  There was some discussion about considering other areas of the state for 2019 Virginia Senior Games, May 13 – 16 in Newport News  Exclusively on-line registration this year, new but going really well!

LTI 2016, April 24 – 26 at Wintergreen  Planning is ahead of schedule and registration is open Also just completed another successful CPSI course  Thanks to Newport News for hosting

As if there isn’t enough to talk about, here are some other things going in with VRPS right now: - - - - - - - -

Legislative report to come out soon and policy will be ready for July BOD meeting Summer Magazine deadline is May 15 Foundation leading the silent auction tradition at the Annual Conference, with a goal of raising $6,000 Nominations and Elections Committee Chair named – Congratulations to Kim Baldini Webinar series are a great member benefit and we intend to get more on the calendar for this year Great map functions on the VRPS site: member agencies, theme park ticket sales locations, and more coming soon! Thanks to Nancy for pursuing and developing this useful functionality!

Annual Audit will be presented at the July BOD meeting We celebrated some of the successes of 2014  Promotion of Nancy Turnage to Member Service Coordinator / Welcomed Lori Haislip  New contracted CPA who provides QuickBooks training and efficiencies, as well as assists monthly with reporting.  35% increase in membership / Benefits survey and benchmarking project complete  LTI exceeded revenue goals by 49% / Successful Annual Conference  Online programs – webinars, Awards and Citations applications, Scholarship applications

Board members shared exciting updates from around the state: - - -

Southwestern Service Area – Bill Sgrinia, liaison  There have recently been 2 group meetings, where they have planned 4 workshops and meetings Western Service Area – Katey Legg, liaison  Great work being done to plan upcoming trainings  Best wishes to Spencer Eavers has taken a job outside the profession Eastern Service Area – Michael Kalvort, liaison  Many upcoming events - Summer Survival Camp Workshop, CPRP Boot Camp  ESA has many active members on numerous State Committees including LTI and the State Conference Committee

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Central Service Area – Aaron Reidmiller, liaison  Special thanks to Jason Bullock for taking on track and field initiative Northern Service Area – Blythe Russian, Kim Turner – liaisons  NSA Management workshop coming up and planning for CAPRA workshop  Kathleen Fish recently appointed to fill Board vacancy for Communications Senior Resource Group – Aaron Reidmiller, liaison  They are a great resource for events and programs and have the ability to go beyond traditional recreation and parks agencies  Planning underway for their October conference Aquatics Resource Group – Blythe Russian, liaison  Final stages of national speaker for session  They have been conducting roundtables, updating bylaws and alternating meetings and conference calls Rita Miller, Lay Trustee shared information on the 24/7 tobacco free school grounds program

Virginia Archery Academy

The Virginia Archery Academy is an archery training program that is offered once a year by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and USA Archery.

The program is designed to educate and prepare recreational professionals and physical education teachers to instruct basic and intermediate archery programs.

The academy provides training on how to use a crossbow, recurve bow and compound bow with an emphasis on safe shooting and proper technique.

This year the academy was hosted by Hopewell Recreation and Parks at the Hopewell Community Center. Aaron Reidmiller, Director of Hopewell Recreation and Parks, was excited at the opportunity to host this type of training in the city. “It’s always great to bring a new sport or activity to a locality and make it accessible to those that are interested,” said Reidmiller. Aaron Clay (Senior Resource Group Chair) and Brad Flynn, both staff members with Hopewell Recreation and Parks, completed the training and will now be able to instruct classes for the Department. Neither one had any previous archery experience before completing the training.

Participants from as far away as Harpers Ferry, West Virginia attended the academy for the opportunity to learn how to successfully and safely teach archery in their respective localities. Karen Holson, Outdoor Education Supervisor with VDGIF, said she enjoys seeing so many participants from across the state come together to learn about archery.

Each department with two or more staff members successfully completing the Academy was awarded a free set of archery equipment provided by USA Archery. After completing the academy, staff have the ability to teach the general public as well as the ability to certify other staff members to teach basic archery classes. The Virginia Archery Academy will be offered again in 2016 and will be advertised to all VRPS members.

Photos and article submitted by Aaron Reidmiller

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VRPS membership at a glance!

Look at us GROW!

Are you ready to bring it to

The Beach??

The Annual Conference Committee is in high gear planning for the 2015 Conference, November 7 – 10th in Virginia Beach. Registration will be fully on-line this year and is currently open…..don’t forget the early registration deadline is July 15th and scholarship applications are also available. Registration is currently available on line. Take advantage of early registration fees until July 15th. If you are in need of assistance to attend the conference scholarship applications are available.

The conference sessions kick off on Sunday, November 8th at 8:30 am with the Opening Session and Keynote Address scheduled at 10:00 am so be sure to arrive early on Saturday and take advantage of our Pre-Conference Institutes and “Game On” social in Neptune’s Park adjacent to the hotel.

Pre-Conference Institutes include: u The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium Teaming Up! u Behind the Scenes Facility Tours - Virginia Beach and Beyond u Virginia Department of Forestry - Project Learning Tree: A Park Educator’s Best Friend u u Aquatic Facility Operator Certification Course (AFO) u

Keynote Speaker We are pleased to announce that Tom O’Rourke will be our Keynote Speaker.

Tom is the Executive Director of Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, in Charleston South Carolina. He is an active member of NRPA serving on the Education, Training, and Professional Development Committee, the Revenue Task Force, Revenue and Management School Board of Regents and the Executive Development Program Board at Clemson University. As a past member of the NRPA National Forum Committee he is strong advocate for the profession and we look forward to him sharing his perspective on the future of parks and recreation.

Educational Session Highlights u

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure u Leading Staff u Ensuring Relevance u Creating A Culture of Cooperation u Conflict Resolution u Psychology of Urban Play u Successful Projects

Lodging Lodging is provided by our host hotel the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront 3001 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 - 757-213-3000 http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/virginia/hilton-virginia-beach-oceanfront-ORFVHHF/index.html page

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