MRPA Magazine Spring 2017

MINNESOTA Official Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Recreation and Parks Volume 12, Issue 2 • Spring 2017

Telling Your Story What Motivates the Members of Your Team?

Wearing Many Hats

MRPA Awards Ceremony www.mnrpa.org

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MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks

Publisher Minnesota Recreation and Park Association 200 Charles Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432 www.mnrpa.org Tel: 763.571.1305 Editorial Staff Michelle J. Snider Bethani Gerhard Editorial Board Patty Anderson, Maple Grove Jan Ficken, Brooklyn Park Jennifer Fink, Ramsey County Lori Hokenson, New Brighton Tonya Love, Elk River Advertising & Design Pernsteiner Creative Group, pernsteiner.com MRPA Board of Directors 2017 President: Patty Anderson, Maple Grove President-Elect: Boe Carlson, Three Rivers Park District Past President: Mary Jo Knudson, Owatonna Secretary: Michelle Margo, Brooklyn Park Treasurer: Dale McCamish, Rochester RSC Chair: Jerry Ruegemer, Chanhassen East Metro: Garrett Beck, Burnsville East Metro: Andy Soltvedt, Anoka County East Metro: Jared Flewellen, Eagan Northeast Region: Jamie Cassidy, Becker Northwest Region: Dolf Moon, Hutchinson Southern Region: Kim Underwood, Austin West Metro: Jamie Polley, Shakopee West Metro: Kelly Mertes, Brooklyn Center West Metro: Sonya Rippe, Plymouth This magazine is the official quarterly publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary to members as part of their MRPA membership. The editorial board encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication.

Articles of approximately 500-700 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity.

Contact Michelle Snider, MRPA, at 763.571.1305 x100 if interested in submitting an article for a future issue.

Deadlines for Articles and Advertising Summer 2017 issue................................May 13 Fall 2017 issue......................................... July 30 Winter 2018 issue....................... December 10 Spring 2018 Issue............................... March 10

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

By Patty Anderson, MRPA President

The year 2017 is off to a great start for MRPA. The Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon gave us time to pause from our hectic schedules to celebrate with our professional peers. If you missed the meeting, the award winners are highlighted in this magazine edition. Many of the award recipients referenced how honored and humbled they were to be recognized by their peers. While true, each attendee also received something that day as well. We received the gift of rejuvenation and a reminder of why we chose this profession. What a privilege it is to work with so many passionate professionals who are truly committed to improving the quality of life in Minnesota. The annual meeting is one of my favorite events to attend.

Another great start to the year is the Board’s approval of new core values.

Establishing the core values was a task started in 2016 with then President Mary Jo Kundson. After gathering the Board’s ideas and gaining input from members, the multitude of options were narrowed down. After a little more refinement at the beginning of this year, the MRPA core values of Leadership, Engagement, Stewardship, Integrity, Wellness, and Inclusion, were approved.

These core values will be the guiding principles to define the culture of MRPA and will serve to motivate active membership engagement. The Board is committed to bringing these core values to life and the colorful graphic designed by Andy Soltvedt is a perfect first step. The Board will also use these core values as we move forward with updating the strategic plan, one of our priorities for this year.

The current strategic plan has guided Board and staff actions since 2011. The new core values will serve as a spring board to update and establish the next set of actionable goals. The other priorities for the year include an update to our membership structure and beginning to explore the use of technology resources to increase our connectivity.

As 2017 gets into full swing, I wish to offer my sincere thanks to each member who generously shares their time and talents. The success of MRPA is because of you and the committed MRPA staff. Michelle, Deb, Troy, and Bethani are amazing.

Stepping into the presidency role has given me the opportunity for a behind-thescenes look at the constant juggling act they do each week. From supporting the section and committee efforts, planning and coordinating professional trainings, and hosting tournaments for teams from across the state; they do it all with a smile. What a privilege it is to listen to members’ insightful perspectives and work with such a smart Board. It is a joy to serve as the 2017 President.

Soon the beaches will be busy with swimmers and sandcastle builders. Sports fields will be buzzing with activity; cheers of victory will be heard from spectators as the young and not so young athletes get serious about the game. Music will be enjoyed along with the warm sunshine at the multitude of outdoor concerts offered throughout our communities. Each professional member and corporate sponsor is contributing to the best of Minnesota’s summer fun. What drives us to this service? How does MRPA support this quest? Leadership, Engagement, Stewardship, Integrity, Wellness, and Inclusion!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MRPA reserves the right to approve all submitted advertising in MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952.841.1111 or info@pernsteiner.com.

From the Board President............................ 3

2016 MRPA Awards................................. 12-14

Foundation Corner........................................ 5

Telling Your Story.................................... 16-19

Keeping Up..................................................... 6

What Motivates Your Team?..................20-21

MRPA in Action.............................................. 9

MRPA Flashback........................................... 21

Meet Michael Ramirez................................... 9

2017 MRPA Corporate Members............... 22

An affiliate of National Recreation and Park Association

Did You Know............................................... 10

THE BACK PAGE: Wearing Many Hats...... 23

MRPA Events Calendar............................... 11

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 3

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FOUNDATION CORNER

Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation Updates

by John Stutzman, CPRP, Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation Vice President Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation’s (MRPF) primary objective is to support the education, innovation, and training for all members of the recreation profession and Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. We are governed by the Board of Trustees who meet twice a month to direct the affairs of the organization. The MRPF Board of Trustees and officers are Lisa Abernathy (secretary), Marcia Bach, Dr. Brooke Burk, Jamie Cassidy, Corky Ebeling, Jennifer Fink, Kari Hemp (treasurer), Jason Hicks, Nate Rosa (president), John Stutzman (vice president), and Nicole Gorman. For more information regarding MRPF’s membership benefits, please contact MRPF President Nate Rosa at nrosa@stlouispark.org.

DID YOU KNOW…the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation…

• Is the only non-profit organization solely dedicated to the parks and recreation profession? MRPF takes pride in supporting our membership (over 80 members to date) and the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. It’s only $25 (retirees $20, students $10) to become a member and is considered a tax-deductible donation. Contact Nicole Gorman today at NGorman@EdinaMN.gov to become a member and become eligible for membership event discounts, financial assistance, grants, and scholarships.

• Members can take advantage of the MRPF New Initiative Grant to receive up to $4,000 in financial support for programs and services demonstrating innovation in the parks and recreation field and our member’s communities.

New in 2017, this program has begun accepting applications twice per year (March and November) to better accommodate our membership’s organizations and their program preparations and timelines.

For more information or questions contact Lisa Abernathy at labernathy@stlouispark.org.

• Awarded the $1,500 National Professional Development Grant to Joe Amundson, a member from City of Thief River Falls, to attend the National Athletic Business Conference in the fall of 2017. Thanks to our sponsor, Webber Recreational Design Inc., for their continued support of this grant program.

• Will be hosting the Annual Golf and Lawn Bowling Tournaments at Brookview Golf Course in Golden Valley this fall. Mark your calendars and start picking your teammates; the date is on September 14, 2017!

Registration and event details will be available this summer.

MRPF Student Scholarship Recipients: Where are they now?

Eric Anderson: 2001 Recipient While pursuing a degree in law enforcement at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU), in what was supposed to be his last semester of college and seeking only elective credits, Eric enrolled in a few recreation and leisure services courses. Although he enjoyed the law enforcement program, the parks and recreation field “fit him and his interests a great deal more,” prompting Eric to stay in school for an additional two years. When it was all said and done, he graduated in 2002 from MSU with degrees in law enforcement and recreation, parks, and leisure Services.

Outside the classroom, Eric began his journey into the parks and recreation profession in summer of 2001 with an internship in the Owatonna Parks and Recreation Department. In the spring of 2002, he continued to build his work experience through a second internship through Eden Prairie Parks and Recreation. These valuable opportunities helped him obtain his first fulltime job as a recreation programmer for the City of Redwood Falls. In 2007, Eric went back to the beginning of his parks and recreation career, returning to the Owatonna Parks and Recreation Department, this time in the role of a recreation supervisor. Today, Eric continues to work for the City of Owatonna, where he currently serves the department in the role of recreation manager.

DONATING TO MRPF HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER! 1. Shop your Amazon purchases at: smile.amazon.com 2. Designate Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation as your beneficiary A portion of your online purchases will automatically go to MRPF!

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 5

KEEPING UP Mark Bartelt Retires After 42 Years in Parks and Recreation Mark Bartelt, parks director for the City of Waseca, retired the end of January, 2017 after being in the parks and recreation field for 42 years. “I became interested in parks and recreation by participating in the Waseca summer parks and recreation baseball program staffed by the school’s physical education teachers,” Bartelt says.

“The park was also the place to meet all your friends for non-organized pickup ball games, basketball, tennis, swimming in the lake, and just hanging out. There were also those teenage sock hops at the tennis courts. The park was always fun!”

Bartelt entered Mankato State College to be a physical education teacher. “Those early classes were good until the health science classes of physiology and kinesiology presented themselves,” he says. “At that same time, I discovered ‘Intro to Recreation’. I was not aware parks and recreation was major. I thought summer recreation programs were organized by Phy. Ed. teachers. I had found my niche.”

His professional career began in 1975 during his practicum experience with the City of Owatonna.

Bartelt received a call from the city manager from Waseca in May 1975. “He was inquiring if I would be interested in developing a summer recreation program starting in June,” states Bartelt. “I agreed, and the race was on. Upon conclusion of the summer program, I furthered my experience by working with the park maintenance staff. I then had an opportunity to join the newly created Waseca Community Education/ Recreation department until I was offered the Waseca park director position in 1977.”

Bartelt first became aware of MRPA as a student during college. He was further introduced to MRPA and Southern Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (SMRPA) by Joe Pleckinger and Leo Rudolph from Owatonna. “Throughout my 40-year career, I have been fortunate to meet many dedicated professionals who are so integral in the vitality of their community livelihood through their work creating quality leisure and life experiences,” states Bartelt. “I look forward to my retirement by heading back to the park on my bike, and watching new generations experience the sights and sound of play.”

6 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Jerome Krieger Finds Saint Paul Winter Carnival Medallion Congratulations to Jerome Krieger for finding this year’s Saint Paul Winter Carnival medallion.

“I have been searching for the medallion for the last 13 years,” states Krieger, recreation manager for the City of Blaine. “I have been very close to where it was found five other times!”

Krieger found the medallion at 3:30 p.m. on January 30 on clue number nine of 12 at Spoon Lake in Maplewood. “From the clues, I thought it was in the woods behind the bathrooms where people usually fish from the shoreline. I started combing the leaves and pine needles in the woods working my way up and down the hill. I started on the west side of the hill, and ended up finding it on the southeast corner of the hill. I hit something hard and picked up a piece of ice about the size of a piece of paper, shaped like a peanut. I could not see anything in the frozen ice, so I dropped it from about waist high to break it open. When the ice broke, the medallion fell out.”

Krieger adds he won $10,000 for finding the medallion, having the clues, and having his five-dollar button registered. “I even got to ride in the torchlight parade in a hot air balloon basket with my family,” he says. “It was pretty awesome!”

Deb Weinreis Receives Special Merit Award at National Girls and Women in Sports Day Deb Weinreis, MRPA program manager, received the special merit award during the National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 1 at the Minnesota History Center in Saint Paul. She was one of four recipients of the special merit award, along with U.S. Olympic track star Carrie Tollefson; North Country Region Volleyball coach and director Ken Miller; and Diane Scovill, a coach and physical education instructor at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

Both Deb and her twin sister received college scholarships to play basketball and volleyball for the University of New Mexico. They both played three seasons there before moving on. Deb played basketball her senior year at the University of San Diego and her sister Dee played for Kansas State University. After college Deb played and coached 15 seasons overseas, including 12 in Switzerland.

Once Deb retired from playing professionally, she completed her master’s degree and began working for MRPA. At the same time, she became a sports official for high school volleyball, and high school and collegiate basketball.

“Officiating has been my way for staying involved in sports,” states Weinreis. She is not just involved, but is one of the state’s most respected basketball officials. Her credits include 16 high school state tournaments and seven state championship games. As MRPA program manager, Weinreis oversees many state tournaments for adult recreational athletes, along with recreational and educational programs.

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MRPA IN ACTION

< Meet Michael Ramirez As a kid, Michael Ramirez participated in many sports. He currently is a recreation supervisor for the City of Bloomington.

“I spent many hours practicing my jump and slap shots at the Apple Valley Community Center,” he says. “As a kid, I didn’t realize this was parks and recreation. The staff was always so friendly.”

Marketing Strategy Workshop Seventy participants attended the Marketing Strategy Institute on April 17. Thank you to Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks for hosting the event. This workshop featured best practices for creating engaging campaigns, developing highly targeted advertisements, leveraging multiple social platforms, and measuring results. Participants came away with actionable strategies to raise awareness and increase engagement.

The speaker for this workshop was Ryan Hegreness who currently serves as operations manager for the City of Westminster, Colorado, and is a co-manager of the Brand+Aid Marketing and Social Media Conference.

NEW! MRPA Facility Management Academy Coming Fall 2017 SIX DAYS OF LEARNING Curriculum themes include: • Business Development and Planning • Finance and Purchasing • Legal Policies and Personnel • Maintenance and Operations • Sustainability • Building Your Network Program details available in May at mnrpa.org.

Ramirez attended Minnesota State University, Mankato.“I wanted to be a history teacher who would coach football,” he adds. “It’s no joke that I would be writing a 10- to 15-page paper every week. It was daunting at times.” He explains his roommate was a recreation, parks, and leisure services (RPLS) major. “I remember him coming home in snow bibs smelling like a bonfire. I earned a spot on our student activities board (IMPACT) as the Mavericks After Dark chair. For my first event I partnered with the Recreation Majors Club to run games at Maverick Mayhem. That night I ended up talking to the club’s advisor about life and event planning. By the end of the conversation, she asked me what my major was. She very bluntly told me, ‘you’re in the wrong major dude’.”

Ramirez says that conversation changed his life. Later that week, he found himself in MNSU, Mankato faculty member’s Joy Joyner’s office declaring RPLS as his major. “Being a rec lead facilitator (TA) was one of the highlights of my collegiate career,” he adds. “Joy told me I may be a harsher grader than she ever was (I doubt it). Parks and recreation is my true passion, and I am so blessed to go to work every day truly loving what I do.”

Ramirez started as a volunteer for various organizations and events in Mankato. “One of my favorites was volunteering with FUN.com to help with the Gorilla Fun Run to raise money for the Miracle League of North Mankato,” he says. “I was lucky enough to get an internship in 2014 with the City of Bloomington where I had the privilege of learning from John Stutzman. Not only did I learn a ton about the parks and recreation, but I got a gained a mentor and friend.

After his internship, he was a sports coordinator for the City of Bloomington. Then he got his first full-time job as a recreation coordinator in Lathrop, California. “In Lathrop, I oversaw the adult and youth leagues, while also programming all of the adult and youth leisure classes,” states Ramirez. “In the summer of 2016, everything came full circle. The City of Bloomington hired me as a recreation supervisor for adult leagues and facilities.”

Ramirez says being involved with MRPA has not only been fun, but truly rewarding. “Early in my career, I enjoyed volunteering at the MRPA state basketball and volleyball tournaments,” he adds. “I helped with the 2015 annual conference on the social and catering committee.

When I returned to Minnesota, I picked up where I left off and served on the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation New Initiative Grant Committee. Also, I was on the committee that formed MRPA’s Young Professional and Student Network.”

Ramirez continues, “Garrett Beck and I came up with the concept for the MRPA’s new Athletic Management Group, which launched in January of this year. Our group is a great forum for athletic managers from around the state to network and share best practices with one another. I am so honored to serve as the first chair of this exciting new group.”

He also is on the 2017 MRPA Annual Conference Adventure Race committee. “I am so excited to be working with some great professionals to make this year’s race one for the memory banks,” states Ramirez. “FYI, I will not be spoiling any of the shenanigans that will be taking place during the race, so don’t ask; just sign up and enjoy the magic!”

MRPA members are the heart of our organization. They are involved and committed to advancing the parks and recreation programming. MRPA in Action is a new magazine feature which will highlight one section/committee and one professional per issue.

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 9

Did You Know…

Becker Parks and Recreation

Minnesota,

DID YOU

KN W PA R K S & R E C R E AT I O N

Enriching Life. Inspiring C ommunit y.

Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Did You Know (DYK) program agencies continue to implement the initiative throughout the state. Each magazine issue will highlight how a participating agency is using the program to provide education and advocacy for the community.

The City of Becker Parks and Recreation Department is actively using the DYK program by creating opportunities of their own, as well as taking advantage of best practices of many other Minnesota cities participating in DYK. Their mix includes: placing DYK promos and facts in newsletters, parent letters, websites, flyers, running ads looped through their community cable channels, and more.

Last year, Becker held the first-ever Open Streets event.

Through a partnership with their local Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) team, Open Streets 2016 was successfully designed to showcase the benefits of sharing the streets for pedestrian travel.

They used DYK to sponsor the event and make an impact. The event included numerous parks and recreation opportunities to engage in active, healthy lifestyles and activities. DYK

touched every aspect of the event. Every activity included a prominent DYK fact poster attached to it. The sub-theme for last year’s event was Let’s Move.

This year, it is Let’s Explore, with a summer-long adventure challenge, encouraging individuals and families to explore all of Becker by visiting designated geographical locations throughout the community. Each destination will be promoted using DYK fact sheets.

“Our goal is to promote healthy active lifestyles, a sense of community, and getting to know all of Becker,” says Jamie Cassidy, director of Becker Parks and Recreation. “DYK is our key tool to make this happen. We are looking forward to this year’s event and to the Let’s Explore Challenge. A subsequent goal is to repeat the Let’s Explore Challenge quarterly to promote the beauty of Becker in all

seasons. Did you know there are many ways to be active and healthy in Becker throughout the year?”

The DYK committee has developed a starter toolkit to assist agencies with the program implementation.

The toolkits contain facts, statement examples, ideas on how the statements are used and sample presentations. If your agency has not purchased the program and would like to know more about it, please contact Michelle Snider at snider@mnrpa.org and a training session for your agency or region can be arranged.

Current Minnesota “Did You Know” Participating Agencies • Albert Lea

• Burnsville

• Edina

• Hutchinson

• New Brighton

• Rogers

• Austin

• Carver County

• Elk River

• New Ulm

• St. Louis Park

• Becker

• Chanhassen

• Faribault

• Inver Grove Heights

• Owatonna

• Shakopee

• Bemidji

• Eagan

• Farmington

• LeSueur

• Prior Lake

• Fridley

• Minnetonka

• Rochester

• South Saint Paul

• Brooklyn Park

• Eden Prairie

• Willmar

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MRPA Events Calendar Legislation 101 Seminar April 28 Hiway Federal Credit Union, Saint Paul Pickleball Opener May 13 Apple Valley Minnesota Twins Parks and Recreation Days June 15 and 22; July 19; August 17 and 31 Target Field, Minneapolis Greater & Greener Conference July 29-August 2 Minneapolis and Saint Paul MRPA Facility Management Academy Six Sessions Throughout the Fall 2017 Season MRPA Annual Conference & Exhibit Hall October 10-13, 2017 Cragun’s Resort Brainerd

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Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 11

2016 MRPA Awards

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Minnesota Recreation and Park Association held its annual professional awards ceremony on January 10, 2017 at the Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center, Brooklyn Park. MPRA recognizes members and agencies that have made outstanding contributions to parks and recreation.

MRPA extends a special thank you to Landscape Structures, Inc. for their generous support of the awards program and to the City of Brooklyn Park for hosting the event.

Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award is MRPA’s award of highest distinction. The 2016 recipients for this award were Jan Ficken, Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks, and Randy Distad, Farmington Parks and Recreation (see article for more information).

The Jack Niles Award The Jack Niles Award is presented to a male professional member with 10-plus years of outstanding service to the parks and recreation profession and to MRPA. The recipient was Garrett Beck, City of Burnsville.

Dorthea Nelson Award The Dorothea Nelson Award is presented to a female professional member with 10-plus years of outstanding service to the parks and recreation profession and to MRPA. The recipient was Margo Numedahl, Fridley Parks and Recreation.

Honor Award Janelle Crossfield, City of Brooklyn Center, received the Horizon Award, given to a professional member of MRPA with eight years or less of professional experience.

In order to receive this award, the MRPA member must be an “up and coming” professional and an active contributor to MRPA with great leadership skills.

Leadership Award The Leadership Award was given to Michelle Margo with Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks. This award is presented to an outstanding leader who possesses the skill, creativity, and ability to motivate and create notable accomplishments or advancements in the parks and recreation profession and someone who is an active contributor to MRPA.

Tommy Johnson Award The Tommy Johnson Award was presented to Chaska Parks and Recreation. The MRPA Awards Committee selected one “Award of Excellence” project to receive this award for best exemplifying the values that Tommy Johnson was known for; innovation, futuristic, revolutionary and/or creative with ideas and initiatives that helped establish future trends, philosophical change, sharing of new resources and new exciting concepts.

12 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Board and Commission Award The Board and Commission Award, given to a member of a citizen’s advisory or policymaking board in the parks and recreation profession, was presented to Jeffrey Bird with the City of Blaine.

Presidential Award The Presidential Award was presented to Lisa Abernathy, City of St. Louis Park, and Reed Smidt for their outstanding work serving on the ERLI 1 Committee.

The Presidential Award was also presented to retired Edina Parks and Recreation Director Bob Kojetin for his numerous volunteer hours at the MRPA office, and John Stutzman, Golden Valley Parks and Recreation, for his leadership in the launch of the new Young Professional and Student Network.

Congratulations to all the MRPA professional and presidential award recipients. We look forward to the 2017 Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon in January of 2018.

MRPA Clifton E. French Award Recipients This award is the highest distinction presented to a person who has provided long and outstanding service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.

Jan Ficken The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award recipient was Jan Ficken, Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks. She has worked for Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks for over 34 years, developing community programs and services for the community.

“I look forward to this event every year,” states Ficken of the MRPA Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon. “It’s wonderful celebrating together. I am so proud and honored to be part of this profession. There’s something very special about parks and recreation folks. We are dedicated, hardworking souls. This profession is such an honorable one that is rooted in service to others. Many of my MRPA colleagues have had a significant influence on me over the years and I have learned much from you all. This is a group of professionals you can call on when you need help or advice.”

Ficken adds that through members’ involvement in MRPA, there are opportunities for leadership skills to share talents through the many activities the Association provides. “Our Association is only as strong as our members’ involvement,” she adds. “I urge your involvement in any way you can. Find a way to contribute to serving each other and advancing our profession locally, statewide, and nationally. Over the course of your career the benefits will come back to you ten-fold. “ Ficken thanks her husband Dan for his support throughout the years, and his service to the community of Brooklyn Park.

She also thanks her mother and father for showing her the importance of service to others and love for the outdoors.

Ficken’s current and former directors gave her guidance throughout her career, and she thanks the entire staff of

Brooklyn Park for their ongoing commitment to serving the community.

“My first jobs working with people at Mounds View and Fridley Parks and Recreation provided me with a great foundation, helped me solidify my desire to grow in this career, and had a profound impact on me.” She and Dan met while working together for Jack Kirk and Fridley Parks and Recreation. Jan also acknowledged the many professionals who started their careers in Brooklyn Park and the pleasure she had working with them.

Ficken states, “Early on in my career, Denny Palm told me: ‘parks and recreation is not a job – it’s a lifestyle.’ Dan and I have made Brooklyn Park our home for 30 years – we have immersed ourselves into the community. We consciously made the decision to live in the community that we would serve.”

She adds, “Clifton French took my hand as a young professional and said, ‘Jan, you need to get involved in MRPA. The benefits and rewards will prove to be ten-fold over the course of your career.’ He was right!”

Congratulations to Jan Ficken for receiving this distinguished award, and for all her years of service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.

Randy Distad The Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award recipient was Randy Distad with Farmington Parks and Recreation Department. He has been the director in Farmington for the past 14-plus years.

Distad previously worked as the director of the Northfield Parks and Recreation Department for five-plus years. Prior to the director position, he worked for New Ulm Parks and Recreation Department as a recreation program supervisor for over five years. The first eight years of his parks and recreation career was in the therapeutic recreation field, working in two different residential treatment facilities for adolescents who were emotionally and behaviorally disturbed.

Awards continued on page 14…

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 13

2016 MRPA Awards “I have been fortunate to have the current and past support of my supervisors to be involved in MRPA,” states Distad. “In addition, the support I have received from current and past staff members I have worked with has been truly amazing during my involvement in MRPA. Without their support receiving this award would not have been possible. We have a great team in Farmington and I truly appreciate every single day I get to work with them! You have taught me so much.”

During his speech, Distad talked about the importance of family and how he has been blessed to be part of three supportive families including: his immediate family; his work family; and his professional family.

He thanked his immediate family including: his wife Mary Kay for her support and love throughout his career; and his son Josh and daughter Kelly for being there for him and how proud he is of them.

He recognized and thanked his work family including the current and past Farmington staff members with whom he has worked.

He acknowledged they have been a great team to work with, and as a team they have shared a lot of great times filled with many good memories.

He also recognized the professional family of which he has been involved. He shared what an honor it was to be nominated by fellow professional South St. Paul Director Chris Esser and selected by the awards committee to receive this award. He congratulated other award recipients and made a special recognition of Jan Ficken from Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks for both of them being selected to receive this award in the same year.

Distad has been a member of MRPA for the past 25 years. He has served on the MRPA Board of Directors as Board secretary in 1999-2000, president in 2008, and treasurer in 2015-2016. He previously was selected in 1997 as a recipient of the Jack Niles Award.

Distad has been on many MRPA sections and committees both as a member and chairperson. He has served in the past on the MRPA Recreational Sports Commission.

Distad states, “There is a tremendous support network in MRPA that rarely, if at all, exists in any other professional organization.

There are no trade secrets, only openness to sharing what our successes, failures, and challenges have been. To the young professionals in the room, and I cannot emphasize this enough, you need to tap into the MRPA network as much as you can.”

Distad adds, “I want to say how lucky and thankful I am that I chose the park and recreation career path. It is truly special to wake up every day and go to work knowing I am part of a profession that truly matters and makes a difference in this world every day. We are a profession that everyday unites people rather than divides them, and I am so darn proud about being able to say this.”

Congratulations to Randy Distad for receiving this distinguished award, and for the years of service to MRPA and the parks and recreation profession.

2016 Award Winners (l to r): Janelle Crossfield, Garret Beck, Margo Numendahl, Michelle Margo, Jan Ficken, Jeffrey Bird, Randy Distad, and Aimee Peterson representing Chaska Parks and Recreation.

14 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

MINNESOTA

RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

OUR MISSION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN MINNESOTA

BY ENHANCING THE PROFESSION OF PARKS, OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND LEISURE SERVICES

CORE VALUES LEADERSHIP Providing professional development, networking, best practices and informational support for our customers

STEWARDSHIP Proactively advocating for preserving our parks, conserving our natural resources and advancing the values of recreation and leisure services

WELLNESS Impacting health and active living through educational and social opportunities

ENGAGEMENT Building relationships and seeking collaborative partnerships with community members and organizations

INTEGRITY Serving fairly and professionally while building trust through our interactions

INCLUSION Respecting our differences and supporting opportunities for everyone

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 15

Telling Your Story

Parks and recreation agencies have an important role in the communities they serve. It is important to tell your story to your audience.

MRPA Core Values

By Garrett Beck, Director, City of Burnsville. East Metro Representative, MRPA Board of Directors Core values can be a crucial part of any organization. Ideally core values communicate what is important to staff, Board of Directors, and members. Core values inspire people into action, shape the organizational culture, and influence key decisions.

In 2016, Mary Jo Knudson, Garrett Beck, and Jamie Cassidy began an evaluation

16 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

and development process of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association’s core values. This group used feedback and small group work sessions to compile with a list of potential core values associated with the Association and its mission.

These initial core values were provided to the membership during the MRPA Annual Conference in October, 2016 for additional input.

In January 2017, the MRPA Board participated in an exercise that helped to further define the core values that were most inherent to the Association’s work.

In February 2017, Michelle Margo, Patty Anderson, Garrett Beck, and MRPA staff reviewed the previous session’s outcomes and considered additional options in an attempt to bring a recommendation to the Board. The guiding principles of the group included having core values that were memorable, concise, defined organizational culture, and ultimately could be used by the MRPA Board, staff, sections, and committees.

The MRPA previous core values were aligned with earlier strategic plan development. They included: • Unite all allied professionals and

concerned citizens toward this common purpose • Support the provision of quality

leisure services and opportunities • Provide members with continuing

educational opportunities • Advance the value and ideas of parks

and recreation • Encourage communication between

professionals, the public, and elected officials The MRPA Board approved the following core values during the February, 2017 meeting, deciding these were the values that are integral to advancing MRPA and the profession in the coming years: • Leadership • Stewardship • Wellness • Inclusion • Engagement • Integrity “Core values motivate us, give us passion, and are the reason why we do what we do,” says Mary Jo Knudson, recreation specialist for Owatonna Parks and Recreation. “MRPA, by engaging the Board, membership, and staff, has very thoughtfully stripped away all of the buzzwords and has provided a solid foundation for excellence in parks and recreation.”

“Hutchinson has a strong connection to our community through our programs, parks, and trails system,” says Dolf

Moon, director of Hutchinson Parks and Recreation. “We share the core value of stewardship with so many others statewide. Receiving information through our professional association on best practices makes being a member of MRPA a great value to our organization.”

FICA Alternative Plan Offers Big Savings

By John VonDeLinde, Anoka County Parks In 2012, the Anoka County Board of Commissioners approved a measure that has led to cost savings for the Parks and Recreation Department and for our seasonal employees. This initiative called the “FICA Alternative” plan and it may be of interest to other park and recreation agencies.

Under the FICA Alternative plan, there is not a mandatory payroll deduction for Social Security for most of the Department’s seasonal and parttime employees. This optional way of handling the Social Security payroll deduction is provided for in the Internal Revenue Service regulations. In lieu of the traditional 6.2% payroll payment (by both the employee and the county) the seasonal employee has a 7.5% pretax payroll deduction that goes into a deferred compensation plan.

The County no longer makes a FICA contribution, which is a direct savings to our budget. The employee can take their money out at the end of their employment with the County, or they can leave their investment in place for as long as they wish.

For most seasonal employees, the plan acts like a short-term savings program.

The employee has immediate access to their money at any time (i.e. don’t have to wait until they are 62 years old) which can come in handy for school tuition, books, or other expenses.

The new plan has led to an estimated savings of about $50,000 per year for the Parks and Recreation Department. It is a much better program for the 300-plus seasonal employees and a significant cost reduction for the county as well.

It’s a Family Affair!

By Mary Jo Knudson, Owatonna Parks and Recreation Take a look at most golf courses, and what do you see? A lot of men out golfing! The statistics may vary, but there are upwards of 25 million golfers in the United States.

Only about 6 million of those are women.

Additionally, according to the National Golf Foundation, a child has a .4-percent likelihood of becoming a golfer if neither parent plays, 26-percent if one parent golfs, but if both parents are golfers, the likelihood increases to 38-percent. This finding leads to three main questions: • How to grow the sport to include more women?

• How to “grow” new golfers?

• How to engage families to golf?

There are many reasons why people don’t golf, including time, money, golf-course rules, concerns about ability, and the perceptions about traditional golf. It’s up to parks and recreation professionals to remove these barriers, change the way golf looks, and make the golf course an inviting place!

Wine, Women & Golf In 2016, Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna, Minn., created two events and a weekly special to bring more women, children, and families to the course.

The first venture was aimed at the beginner or non-golfer, and focused on the social aspect of the game (as opposed to the competitive aspect). The first session was held on June 7 - National Women’s Golf Day - and participants were invited to register for one of two hour-long time blocks. The selling point was there was to be no scoring and no pressure – just some etiquette and a few helpful hints. It was not intended as a “lesson” – just pure fun!

Continued on page 18…

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 17

Logistics and lessons: The program was scheduled during a time when nine holes were normally shut down before league play. This ensured there was no pressure regarding the speed of play. Three holes were selected that were close to each other with straight, wide fairways and

minimal hazards. An hour was scheduled for the three holes, but an hour and a half is recommended.

Upon arrival, participants were greeted, introduced to each other, and shown to the first tee. They were given USGA’s Golf Etiquette 101 handouts, which were

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reviewed briefly before play began. Cart rules and etiquette also were discussed.

Then participants were split into three groups.

Golfers were given a logo ball and a few tees. They could bring their own clubs, or use rental clubs free of charge. The intent was to have the ladies walk, but they were given the option of using a cart. In the end, half walked with a pull cart, while the other half took power carts.

Each foursome consisted of three beginners and one experienced golfer (we used a staff person, but a volunteer would work). If a participant had a question, or wanted a hint, we provided that, but mostly let them play on their own. The fee was $10 for three holes and a glass of wine in the restaurant when they were finished. For more information on golfing in Owatonna, visit ci.owatonna.mn.us/parksrecreation.

The first venture was aimed at the beginner or non-golfer, and focused on the social aspect of the game.

Communicate with Plain Language

By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association Parks and recreation agencies communicate on a daily basis by email, websites, brochures, newsletters and more. Did you know that there are guidelines to help with this process?

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 was signed into law on October 13, 2010 and requires federal agencies to write “clear Government communication that the public can understand and use.” The Act calls for plain writing that is clear, concise, and consistent with other best practices appropriate to the intended audience.

It encourages writers to avoid jargon and redundancy. Research has shown that plain writing has many benefits including: • improving public understanding of communications and requirements • saving money while increasing efficiency • reducing the need for public clarification • reducing resources spent on enforcement • increasing understanding agency forms • reducing the number of errors made, and the time required to fix them For further information on the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and other plain language resources, visit: www.dol.gov/general/plainwriting One of the main resources is the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN).

It is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communication from the government. They first developed this document in the mid-90s and continue to revise it every few years to provide updated advice on clear communication. The goal is to have your audience:

Start with a discussion of your audience because you should think about them before starting to write your document, or your web content. Organization is the next topic. Developing an outline is important during your planning stage. Writing principles is starting at the word level and moving up through paragraphs and sections, which is the most extensive topic.

We follow principles of writing documents with principles of writing for the web. We conclude with a short discussion of testing techniques. For further information, visit www.plainlanguage.gov.

• find what they need • understand what they read • do what they need to, the first time they read it PLAIN has divided the document into five major topics: • Discussion • Organization

Firemen’s Park; Chaska, MN

• Writing principles • Principles of writing for the web • Testing techniques.

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 19

What Motivates the Members of Your Team?

By Lori A. Hoffner, Professional Trainer/Consultant; 2016 MRPA Annual Conference Presenter Everyone is motivated by different factors. In fact, according to the David McCelland motivation theory, we all have varying degrees of motivation from one of three areas: power, achievement, or affiliation. Do you know what your staff is motivated by?

If a member of your staff is motivated by power, he or she can probably serve in a leadership role for you and your organization and be very successful moving your mission forward. Recognize their strengths in ways that allows them to direct the efforts of their team to accomplish expected

DOG PARK OUTFITTERS

goals. If a member or your staff is motivated by achievement, he or she will enjoy taking on challenging tasks to meet a realistic goal. Those motivated by achievement need regular, job-related feedback for a job well done. Finally, when someone is motivated by affiliation, he or she is your go-to person for networking. He or she thrives in a customer-service environment and can tell you what customers are requesting in order to help you determine the best product and services to provide.

So how do you respond to your staff members in a way that meets their needs and keeps them motivated on the job but also helps you meet the overall goals and expectations that you are responsible for? It requires everyone to be a part of a very exclusive team – a team that understands “We’re all in this together.”

Here is an opportunity to huddle up and explore some examples from the playbook that everyone can follow:

Be authentic.

“Fake it ‘til you make it” can work in many different situations; however, when you’re dealing with relationships and individual people, the best rule of thumb is to be authentic. People can tell when you’re not genuine, and if you want your staff members to know how much you appreciate them, it requires your willingness to be sincere. Find a way to be specific about the contribution that a staff member is making, and be willing to share that information … and not just at review time.

Encourage motivation and recognition practices between staff members.

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Phone: 800-931-1562 20 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Ideally, you’re creating an atmosphere of support for your staff, and by modeling intentional recognition, you are, in essence, giving permission for all staff member to recognize each other.

Think about any sports teams you watch. Rarely are the players waiting for the coach to say good job; they hear it from their fellow players, and it has as much, if not more, of an impact.

They are motivated and energized by a particular factor, and

it is reinforced by their colleagues. By encouraging this behavior, staff members begin to support one another and create a culture of ongoing respect and appreciation. Staff members can create an intentional recognition program among themselves that reflects the core philosophy of being timely, being specific and being frequent. When this is done, the entire team works together to achieve the overall goal of the organization.

Organization states that high employee engagement results in customer satisfaction that is 20 percent higher than those of their lower-engaged competition. How do you make certain that your staff members are engaged?

Make sure that they see themselves as a valuable and worthy part to your team by providing positive recognition for the work they do and by acknowledging what it is that motivates them on the job.

Lori A. Hoffner, professional speaker/trainer/consultant, draws on years of experience of leadership in both the for-profit and nonprofit business world.

She offers staff development programs that can help promote a cohesive internal team and positive culture of support within your organization that helps benefit your bottom line.

Facilitate positive actions

So what about you? Like members of your staff, you are motivated to some degree by power, affiliation or achievement. How are you using your motivation to create a strong, successful and winning team?

If necessary, use the minutes during halftime for a little chalk-talk, and be authentic to get everyone energized, engaged and ready for a big win.

To learn more about creating a positive culture in your workplace, and to learn more about the staff trainings that Lori can offer, visit supportingcommUnity.com or call Jenn Garber, director of sales and marketing, at (720) 315-5655.

Supervisors, managers or whatever you call your leadership team members are not in place to only achieve goals. They are, by definition, those who model leadership abilities. To be certain that members of your team are engaged, your leader, too, must be engaged with your staff. Research from the Jackson

MRPA FLASHBACK

1985 MRPA Board of Directors Front row (L to R): Charlie Smith, Donna Tilsner, Maurice Anderson, Margie Walz, and Tim Knopp; Back row (L to R): Unknown, Don Stewart, Dave McDonald, Sue Zender, Steve Michaud, and Harvey Feldman

Spring 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 21

2017 MRPA CORPORATE MEMBERS GOLD MEMBERS

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Becker Arena Products Inc. www.beckerarena.com

Hiway Federal Credit Union www.hiway.org

SILVER MEMBERS Bituminous Roadways Inc. bitroads.com Commercial Recreation Specialists crs4rec.com

Oriental Trading Company funexpress.com Rain Bird Corporation rainbird.com RJM Construction rjmconstruction.com

Custom Builders Inc. custombuildersmn.com

Sport Court North sportcourtmn.com

Flagship Recreation LLC flagshipplay.com

Sprung Instant Structures Inc. sprung.com

Gopher gophersport.com Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. hkgi.com ISG is-grp.com LHB, Inc. lhbcorp.com Midwest Playscapes Inc midwestplayscapes.com Minneapolis Northwest Convention and Visitors Bureau mplsnw.com Minnesota Wisconsin Playground Inc. mnwiplay.com

SRF Consulting Group Inc. srfconsulting.com

Custom Manufacturing Inc. inwave.com Fahrner Asphalt Sealers LLC fahrnerasphalt.com G.L. Berg Entertainment glberg.com Horizon Commercial Pool Supply horizonpoolsupply.com Kromer Co. LLC kromerco.com

St. Croix Recreation stcroixrec.com

Landscape Structures playlsi.com

Stantec (formerly Bonestroo) stantec.com

Minnesota Twins twinsbaseball.com

Ultimate Playgrounds ultimateplaygrounds.com USTA Northern northern.usta.com Webber Recreational Design webberrec.com WSB & Associates, Inc. wsbeng.com

MN United FC mnufc.com

BRONZE MEMBERS

MSA Professional Services, Inc. msa-ps.com

Anderson-Johnson Association, Inc. ajainc.net

Northland Recreation, LLC northlandrec.com

Bolton & Menk, Inc. bolton-menk.com

Nystrom Publishing nystrompublishing.com

Century Fence Company centuryfence.com

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THE BACK PAGE

The MRPA Editorial Board recently suggested adding a “human interest” article to the back page of the magazine. In each issue, we will be featuring an article from a member that tells a parks and recreation story from his or her life. We hope you enjoy this newest addition to the magazine!

Wearing Many Hats (Excerpts from 2008 Jack Niles Award Speech)

By Jason T. West, City of St. Louis Park Jack Niles and I have some things in common. We both received our undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and we were both playground leaders for our first jobs in the recreation field. Jack Niles was also a ‘Jack of All Trades’ and wore many different hats.

hands, which contained his glass eye. “It fell out,” he said. That’s a fire we put out! Or how about on a Sunday night when a soccer ball hits a sprinkler head in your gymnasium and thousands of gallons of water flood your gym.

We are constantly putting out fires in the recreation field.

He was an educator by doing extensive graduate work at the University of Minnesota.

He served in the military; he worked for Columbia Heights School District and was the park and recreation director for the City of South St. Paul. Oh, and in his spare time he was president of MRPA.

Police Hat

As I said before, Jack Niles wore many different hats in his career and I think this is true for all of us in the recreation field.

Fireman’s Hat In the recreation field we are always putting out fires no matter if it’s in facilities, recreation programs, or administration. For example, this one time at safety camp a child came up to me holding his

We act as law enforcement. In parks and recreation, I never thought I would be attending courses to identify graffiti or sending out trespassing notices to violators of park facilities. One of our main mission in parks and recreation is to keep kids in a safe, healthy, and positive environment through our programs. This is a proactive way of law enforcement.

Top Hat No matter how you slice it, parks and recreation is a business.

We work with multimillion dollar budgets and have to be creative in our financing. We have to have a business mindset to get a seat at the table with other departments, commissions, or councils. I never

thought that I would be acting like a realtor finding tenants to lease space in our building, recreating lease contract, or negotiation the agreements. We are a true business.

But, even though there is a business side to our profession…

Jester Hat We still have to remember to keep a good sense of humor.

Every job I have had in the recreation field has always allowed me to keep my sense of humor and spread it to others (whether they wanted it or not).

Construction Hard Hat We are also engineers, park developers, and contractors.

We build picnic shelters, design parks, construct buildings, and purchase land.

Safari Hat Every day is an adventure in this field. I can’t think of one day that has been the same in my recreation career. This is one reason why I love this profession so much.

King’s Crown We always have to remember that we are leaders in our profession by being creative and keeping up with the trends to engage our participants. We are also leaders to our staff by coaching them and setting a positive example. Most of all, we are leaders of our community.

Baseball Hat One thing I believe what drew us all to the recreation profession is fun. Every job I’ve had in the recreation field has always had a fun atmosphere, whether it’s playing practical jokes on co-workers for either birthdays (and you know who you are) or having fun at a program to make it more enjoyable. We add fun to everything we do, and most of all, we add the fun to the community.

I have about 20 more hats here, but I think you get the point.

I just wanted to illustrate that recreation professionals do more than just ‘play with kids’. We are ‘Jack of all Trades’.

Spring 2017 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 23

MINNESOTA RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION 200 CHARLES STREET NE FRIDLEY, MN 55432

• Inclusive/Accessible Playgrounds • Play Surfacing • Inspections by CPSI • Relocation/Repair • Exercise/Strength Training • Sport Courts • Shade/Shelter/ Site Furnishings

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