7 minute read
Keeping Up
Get involved with Minnesota Recreation & Park Foundation! Let your membership work for you!
The Minnesota Recreation & Park Foundation (MRPF) is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Minnesota by supporting recreation and parks through education, networking opportunities, programming grants, student and professional continuing education scholarships, and providing support to the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. Our primary objective is to support the education, innovation, and training of all recreation professionals and students. Become a member of MRPF and enjoy these benefits: • Annual donation 501(c)(3) tax benefit • Reduced fees for MRPF sponsored trainings, programs & events • Access to Program
Initiative Grants • Access to Education
Grants • Student Scholarships • Professional Scholarships • Networking Events - member rates • Fundraising Events - member rates • Conference & Workshop/
Training Financial
Assistance
Visit www.mnrpf.org to learn more and to become a member.
THANK YOU 2021 MRPA CORPORATE MEMBERS!
ATE Recreation ateinstallations.com B32 Engineering Group b32eng.com Becker Arena Products, Inc. beckerarena.com Bituminous Roadways Inc. bitroads.com Bolton & Menk, Inc. bolton-menk.com CBS Squared cbssquared.com CivicRec civicplus.com Commercial Recreation Specialists, Inc. crs4rec.com Custom Builders Inc. custombuildersmn.com Custom Manufacturing Inc. custommfginc.com DF / Damon Farber Landscape Architects damonfarber.com Discount Playground Supply discountplaygroundsupply.com Finnegan Playground Adventures LLC fpacompany.com
NEW Flagship Recreation LLC flagshipplay.com GGLeagues ggleagues.com H+U Construction hu-construction.com Hansen Thorp Pellinen Olson Inc. htpo.com HGA hga.com Hiway Credit Union hiway.org Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. hkgi.com Horizon Commercial Pool Supply horizonpoolsupply.com ISG is-grp.com iZone Imaging izoneimaging.com Johnson Fitness johnsonfitness.com Kraus-Anderson krausanderson.com Landscape Structures playlsi.com LHB, Inc. lhbcorp.com McKinstry mckinstry.com Midwest Playscapes Inc midwestplayscapes.com Minnesota Twins twinsbaseball.com Minnesota Wisconsin Playground Inc. mnwiplay.com MOTI Sports motisports.com MSA Professional Services, Inc. msa-ps.com Musco Sports-Lighting musco.com Northland Recreation, LLC northlandrec.com Nystrom Publishing nystrompublishing.com Oertel Architects, Ltd. oertelarchitects.com Premier Polysteel premierpolysteel.com Push Pedal Pull Exercise Equipment pushpedalpull.com RJM Construction rjmconstruction.com RJ Thomas/Pilot Rock pilotrock.com Safety First Playground Surfacing LLC safetyfirstplayground.com Sport Court North sportcourtmn.com Sports Lighting Authority sportslightingauthority.com SRF Consulting Group Inc. srfconsulting.com St. Croix Recreation stcroixrec.com Stantec stantec.com Turman Artwork Company adamturman.com Ultimate Playgrounds ultimateplaygrounds.com USTA Northern northern.usta.com Webber Recreational Design webberrec.com WSB & Associates, Inc. wsbeng.com
NEW
David Pribbenow Retires after 23 years at Faribault Parks and Recreation
David Pribbenow recently retired from Faribault Parks and Recreation. “In my youth I was always in a ball program of some sort,” states Pribbenow. “During high school, I lived in a small town that did not have parks and recreation, but the neighboring town did. I got a job in their summer programs the summer of my senior year.” Pribbenow adds, “I attended Mankato State, now Minnesota State – Mankato, and received my recreation, parks, and leisure services degree. After college, I worked at Minneopa State Park for about ten years. During that time, I went back to school and worked on a master’s degree in sport management.” Pribbenow was hired as adult recreation supervisor for Faribault Parks and Recreation 23 years ago. “I have so many good memories with working with youth and adult sports that picking one or two would be impossible,” he states. “But I must say, hopefully not offending any other park and recreation department, I have had the best co-workers anyone could ask for. These 23 years just flew by. And they all made my job so much easier.” According to Pribbenow, he was fortunate to have a department that valued involvement in MRPA. “My supervisor Paul Peanasky always believed in attending workshops and serving on committees helped you to grow as a professional. I was involved in the Southern Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (SMRPA), the recreation sports committee (RSC), and the annual conference and awards of excellence committees. The staff at MRPA with Michelle, Deb and Bethani have been amazing to work with and their professionalism and their ability to connect to everyone is what makes them stand apart. Parks and recreation departments are lucky to have them. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. It is appreciated by all.”
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Apple Valley Names their new Splash Pad Bernstein Memorial Sprayground
Dedication of the Barry Bernstein Memorial Sprayground was held August 21, 2021. City dignitaries, co-workers, parks and recreation colleagues, family members, and friends of the Bernstein family gathered at the Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center to honor the memory of Barry and his positive impact through parks and recreation. Barry served as director of parks and recreation for the City of Apple Valley from 2012 until his unexpected passing in March 2020. Prior to Apple Valley, he served in the cities of Hastings and Lino Lakes. Barry left behind in his office a tag line for us all, “Do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.”
Owatonna Parks and Recreation Receives a 100 Hometowns Project Grant
Owatonna Parks and Recreation is thrilled to be one of 100 projects that are the cornerstone of 100 Hometowns, an initiative to celebrate Lowe’s centennial. Lowe’s received more than 2,200 submissions to the 100 Hometowns program, which invited people across the country to nominate their hometown projects in need. Owatonna Parks and Recreation is replacing their oldest play structure at Lake Kohlmier. The new playground is an inclusive, ADA-accessible structure that includes sensory and interaction features.
Randy Distad attended his last City Council meeting as Farmington’s parks and recreation director in April of 2021. City Administrator David McKnight read a resolution that would rename North Creek Park as Distad Park and Greenway. The City Council approved the resolution unanimously. Distad’s last day with the city was April 30, 2021 when he completed 18 years as parks and recreation director. Distad helped the Farmington parks and trails system expansion by making a goal and putting the plan in place. As the parks and recreation director, Distad made sure it came to fruition.
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The MRPA Annual Conference and Exhibit Hall was held October 12-15, 2021 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. MRPA is grateful for the outstanding work of the year’s Annual Conference Committee members. MRPA says thank you to all the delegates, volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors of the 84th Annual Conference. The conference included 327 delegates, 62 exhibit hall participants, and 29 students. MRPA appreciates the support of this year’s sponsors, whose contributions marked an all-time high. This year’s conference included the following new features: an opportunity for networks to meet; extended exhibit hall time; an annual conference app; and a livestream option that included session held in two rooms.
2021 MRPA Annual Conference Committee
The Annual Conference Committee chairs and their committees have organized an excellent education opportunity for all delegates. This conference would not be possible without their time and dedication.
Conference Co-Chairs Aimee Peterson John W. Stutzman Program Committee Heidi Weiler Meredith Lawrence Rachel Mikel Stephanie Schutta Sam Murphy Exhibit Hall Committee Steve Anderson Michelle Margo Brooke Burk Lana Huberty Catering & Networking Events Committee Kelsey Coy Kelly Distad Amber Moon Peterson Ali Lukin Logistics Committee JJ Williams Aaron Thelen Scott Berggren Patrick Menton
Digital Marketing Jenna Smith Volunteer Committee Angie Barstad Gina Robinette Kiley Rondeau Sponsorship Committee Nicole Gorman Nate Rosa
Virtual Support Jacob Andersen Jessica Christensen Buck Chris Morrow Greg Simmons Seth Shanley
THANK YOU!
MRPA Annual Conference 2021 Sponsors
MINNESOTA
RECREATION & PARKS
MAGAZINE
WOMEN IN LEISURE SERVICES
ZETA CHAPTER
