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Palmetto Islands County Park and Wannamaker County Park underwent similar significant maintenance project during this time. Trees were trimmed, trails were repaired, and lakes were cleaned. Risers and stair treads were replaced at Splash Island, the waterpark located within Palmetto Islands County Park, while Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark at Wannamaker County Park installed new misters to cool off guests waiting in line for The Washout attraction. At Palmetto Islands, new bench swings were placed throughout the park and turf in the dog park was repaired. Parking lots at Wannamaker were improved by adding granular materials across the lot. Dozens of additional projects throughout the 11,000-acre-park system were also completed during this time. The work done by the maintenance staff cannot be overstated. “Our maintenance team worked hard to have the parks pristine and ready for when we reopened,” said CCPRC’s Director of Parks Greg Elliott. “Their job duties do not allow for at-home work so they reported to duty in person each day. They take great pride in their work and how the parks look, and they made the most of all the time without crowds to get an incredible amount of work done.” Over the past few months, countless tasks were completed because of the maintenance crew’s continued on-site work. Their dedication has made parks that are several decades old look newer and brighter than ever.
Risers and stair treads were replaced on the slide tower at Splash Island waterpark.
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BEHIND-THE-SCENES MVPs
By: Bethany Doman, Marketing Coordinator for City of Charleston Recreation Department
In trying to improve the City of Charleston’s 11 summer camps’ operations, communications, themes and staff trainings from year to year, there is already a great deal of planning involved. Throw in the challenge of a pandemic, and you have a very daunting mission. When reviewing last year’s summer camps, we found that there was no effective communication occurring between camps, parents or staff; forms were vastly different; and procedures were inconsistent. With efficiency at the forefront, our department developed an internal Summer Camp Committee in September of 2019, with one specialist or manager at each camp location as a representative (12 members total). The original goals of the committee were to streamline camp operations and forms, save money by sharing themes and decorations, create activity guides for seasonal staff, and improve staff training. The committee began meeting monthly starting in September and once COVID-19 became an issue in the Charleston area, they met weekly on Zoom at the end of March to start preparing. With new goals each week, committee members were tasked with different research topics, projects and duties to complete. Those included virtual staff trainings, parent orientation videos and packets, updating liability and camp forms, creating a cleaning and disinfecting schedule per camp, putting together a socially-distant activity guide, creating new child safety guidelines per CDC/SCDHEC, devising maps per site, surveying parents, and finally, developing a summer camp proposal to present
to the mayor with our recommendations. Things changed weekly, and sometimes daily, but the committee was able to pivot and continue moving forward, no matter what details changed or what was asked of them. By meeting weekly with committee members who are front and center at their various camps, they were able to explore all options, address all concerns, and create a plan to confidently prepare staff before starting on June 15. Without the development of this committee, the City of Charleston felt they could not have adequately prepared for the diverse challenges each camp presented such as location, spacing, staff, or activities. “I believe our success came from creating a diverse committee with representatives from each facility in various camp roles to offer different perspectives of the camp experience. Also, we worked hard to create an environment in our meetings for all voices to be equal, despite the position you held, which allowed us to more thoroughly prepare,” said Crystal Reed, Programs Superintendent and leader of the summer camp committee. Although summer camp numbers are cut in half and children are only allowed to be in cohorts of the same 6-8 kids, we have seen a lot of smiles and heard positive feedback from thankful parents about being able to provide the service of summer camp. And at this point, that’s all that matters.
FINDING SUPERMAN
SUPERHERO: JAMES HEATON
By: Christy Martin, Greenville County Parks, Recreation & Tourism
As programs are cancelled or re-scheduled, work environments become more challenging, and we all adapt to this new normal of wearing masks and social distancing, I have found it encouraging to be reminded of the reason why we do what we do. While our job duties may vary, it all comes down to serving people. We’re here to make our communities better places to live and recreate, one relationship and one experience at a time. For me, one such encouraging reminder stems from a relationship that began about fifteen years ago when I met a little boy who has held a spot in my heart ever since. The interesting thing about Superman is that he doesn’t wear a mask. He doesn’t have to. His cape and the symbol of hope on his chest are so visually synonymous with who he is that once he covers or removes them he becomes unidentifiable as the same hero for truth and justice. James Heaton is Superman. His blue foam helmet with rainbow straps across the top served as his cape and symbol of heroism in the face of impossible odds. He’s a survivor; he’s one of a kind; he’s gifted; who else would you compare him to? When I met James, he was thin and wiry, very shaky on his legs and had very few words. He would come bursting in at the age of 3 or 4 to pick up his sister from summer camp, and I was thankful more than once for his little blue helmet that protected his head in the inevitable event of a fall or a stumble. The braces he wore on his feet and legs were not enough to keep him sturdy on their own. At a time when most children his age had already been steadily building developmental blocks one on top of the other, James was starting from scratch. High risk brain surgery and treatment as very small child can have that effect. For several years, through leading childcare programming with Greenville County Rec, I had the great pleasure of being part of James’ daily life as he became Superman to everyone who met him. I looked on with delight when he bowled people over with his charm and forthrightness. I experienced a strange combination of humility and pride when he would pull himself together after a disappointment or struggle and manage to be strong and move forward. My heart would fill with joy when he would come running up to give me a hug. And then one day, after about five years of never seeing him without it, the helmet came off. And that’s when I really realized he was Superman, because suddenly I was looking at Clark Kent. No less a survivor, no less one of a kind, no less gifted, but now in disguise. He had outgrown his leg braces, become steadier on his feet, and now without his helmet, those he encountered could be forgiven for assuming he was a young fellow just like any other. There was no longer the same visual point of reference for everyone around him to identify who he really was. His short life history had been filled with nothing less than the miraculous, but now he blended in and no longer looked the part. James is now a young man who recently graduated from high school, but I will never forget him or the lesson he taught me. Because of him, I am reminded to take the time to look for super heroes all around me. Do you see all the Clark Kents that intersect your life? Do you recognize who they really are? Each person in our lives has a story, is unique, and may or may not have the visual markers that point clearly to his or her own brand of heroism. I started really looking, and guess what? I found Superman in my friends, my coworkers, my kids, and my family. During the current times, it seems more important than ever to remember that people are so very much more than the categories we are all guilty of boxing them into. Let’s open those boxes and start looking for truth, strength, justice, giftedness and whatever other humbling surprises we may discover along the way. Finding Superman has made me a more positive and joyful person who is capable of building stronger and deeper relationships, and I would be willing to bet it will do the same for you. Hey thanks, James.
Pets in Our Parks & Programs
Furry friends bring joy to the lives of millions of people. Dog parks and agility courses provide opportunities for both pets and their owners to socialize and exercse. Therapeutic horseback riding and casual trail riding offers a chance to get out in nature and bond with the gentle equine giants. In the pages that follow, we highlight South Carolina parks and recreation programs that connect animals with residents, and provide ideas for how to create a dog agility course that helps humans and pups stay healthy and fit.
