SCRPA Magazine Summer 2020 by Pernsteiner Creative Group, Inc.

SOUTH CAROLINA RECREATION & PARKS ASSOCIATION

Coming Together

in a Time of Crisis

How South Carolina agencies are adapting to meet community needs during the COVID-19 crisis

SUMMER 2020

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SOUTH CAROLINA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RECREATION & PARKS ASSOCIATION

2020 Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Kevin Stiens Spartanburg County

Secretary Marie Creasey-Smith City of Greenville

Central VP Katherine Small Lancaster County

President Elect Randy Woodard Charleston County

Treasurer Amy Evans Charleston County

Eastern VP Nathan Dawsey Florence County

Vice President Dustin Jordan City of Myrtle Beach

Past President Doyle Best Town of Summerville

Southern VP Shaniqua Simmons City of Orangeburg Western VP Brad Cuttino City of Greenville

BRANCHES - 1 YEAR COMMITMENTS ELM Branch Eric Stewart Charleston County

Programming Amy Peebles City of Kershaw

PRM Branch Darien Alston Greenville County

SCAP Branch BJ Bellville Lexington County

SC PRT Representative Matt Elswick South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism

Student Branch Leslie Ballard City of Rock Hill

The Association Report.................................................................................4 SCRPA 7.5K/75K Event....................................................................................5 Coming Together in a Time of Crisis...................................................... 6-14 Spartanburg County.................................................................................7 Aiken County..............................................................................................8 Oconee County.........................................................................................9 City of Myrtle Beach................................................................................10 Charleston County..................................................................................11 City of Charleston....................................................................................12 City of Aiken.............................................................................................13 Horry County............................................................................................14 Town of Moncks Corner..........................................................................15 SC Distillery Heeds Call for Sanitizer....................................................16 City of Rock Hill........................................................................................17 Cunningham Recreation / Play 4 ALL....................................................18 SCRPA 75th Anniversary (Part 2)........................................................... 19-30

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Creating Great Places!

SCRPA EXECUTIVE STAFF Executive Director James E. Headley jim@scrpa.org

Membership Services Coordinator Melissa Williams melissa@scrpa.org

SCRPA MAGAZINE/MARKETING COMMITTEE Kristen Guilfoos Chair Spartanburg County

Russell Price Central Rep Fairfield County

Pamela Davis Southern Rep City of Barnwell

Bethany Doman Vice Chair City of Charleston

Carlos Cue Eastern Rep Cheraw

Madeline Armstrong Western Rep Greenville County

South Carolina Recreation & Parks Association P.O. Box 1046, Lexington, SC 29071 (p) 803-808-7753 • (f) 803-808-7754 www.scrpa.org • info@scrpa.org To advertise in SCRPA magazine, contact Todd Pernsteiner at info@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111.

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THE ASSOCIATION REPORT Kevin Stiens

“Out of adversity comes opportunity.” On behalf of the SCRPA Board of Directors, we hope that you are staying safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. As parks and recreation professionals we are facing a health crisis like never before, and are having to find unique ways to serve our communities to meet the needs of our citizens. Many of you have continued to stay connected through virtual programs and redeployed staff to meet various needs in your community. We have been truly amazed at the passion and creativity we have seen from our profession. Over the past couple of months SCRPA has been more active than ever, while maintaining social distancing and relying

Jim Headley

- Benjamin Franklin

heavily on Zoom. The board and branches have been engaging the memberships with virtual meetings as a way to promote professional development, share the latest information related to COVID-19 and ensure that the Association membership has the resources and support needed. From professional development to group buying, we have been able to continue to be a resource for you and your agency. We would like to thank each of you for remaining active and supporting other parks and recreation professionals, as well as SCRPA, during this challenging time. We are still planning for the 2020 SCRPA Conference that will be held in Spartanburg,

September 14th-16th. As we look forward to celebrating the Association’s 75th year anniversary, we are again reminded how important our profession is to improving the quality of life to the residents of South Carolina. As you continue to have a positive impact on the health and wellness of the community you serve, please let us know if there is anything that you need. Yours in public parks,

Kevin & Jim

We would like to thank each of you for remaining active and supporting other park and recreation professionals, as well as SCRPA, during this challenging time.

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Move Your Body for Your Association! SCRPA’s 2020 Virtual 7.5K/75K Run. Walk. Roll.

Help Celebrate 75 Years! In honor of SCRPA’s 75th Anniversary, we’re holding a Virtual 7.5K or 75K Run/Walk to help you stay strong and active during physical distancing with this fun challenge for all ages and abilities! Grab your kids or pets and make it a family affair. Challenge your coworkers. Whether you are walking, running, using a wheelchair, biking, rollerblading, or using cardio machines, we challenge you to complete the 7.5K (4.66 miles) or 75K (46.60 miles) by June 30th!

To participate: • 1. Move. Complete either the 7.5K or 75K distance anytime and anywhere you desire (may be done in portions). Be sure to log your time(s) so you can submit the total for the length. • 2. Submit. Register for the run/walk/roll at www.scrpa75.com by June 30th. In the registration form, enter your total finish time, shirt size, and a photo of you at the end of your run/walk/roll (photo is optional; photos may be displayed on the SCRPA website, SCRPA’s social media, and in the fall 2020 issue of SCRPA magazine.

All finishers receive a t-shirt and magnet. Actually, all participants get a shirt and magnet, but shhh, you didn’t hear it from us!

Prizes will be awarded for the 1st, 7th and 75th person to register, as well as funniest outfit and best run/walk/roll photo background. Winners will be announced after July 1st. We will mail you a soft, commemorative finisher’s shirt and magnet the first week of August. You can also submit a photo of you wearing the shirt to todd@pernsteiner.com after you receive it for possible publication use. Proceeds help cover 75th Anniversary publication costs. Questions? Contact Todd Pernsteiner at todd@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111.

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Coming Together in a Time of Crisis

How South Carolina agencies are adapting to meet community needs during the COVID-19 crisis

6 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks â&#x20AC;¢ www.scrpa.org

Spreading Smiles, One Sandwich at a Time By: Kristen Guilfoos, Spartanburg County Parks Department 12 people. 400 meals. Armed with gloves, hand sanitizer and a willingness to help, a dozen Spartanburg County Parks Department staff from different divisions hit the road for the first meal delivery day on March 24th in cars full of milk cartons in coolers, sandwiches and fruit. We split up into pairs and for the next three hours we each traversed a different section of Spartanburg County, delivering the meals to participants in our 50+ Senior Program. Many of these people depend on the lunch they eat at our program each day, but since COVID-19 caused our centers to close, we instead brought the meals to them, teaming up with the Spartanburg Regional Foundation to make it happen. Bates McKinney, who runs the 50+ program, says, “It’s our pleasure to deliver meals to their homes. Not only do we know they get a nutritious meal, but it also allows us the opportunity to do a well-check.” In an effort to minimize the risk of spreading any potential germs, we

“God bless you. I don’t know what I’d do without y’all bringing me this food.” “Some things you miss, some things you don’t, but I really miss going to the center and seeing my friends. You bringing these meals and stopping by to say hello to me brightens my day.”

practiced social distancing and dropped the meals off on each person’s porch, then called them to let them know the food was waiting for them. After that first delivery, the participants eagerly awaited our arrival, not just for the meals, but also to see a friendly face, since many of them live alone. Lots of them waited for us on the front porch, so we could have a conversation from 6 feet away. A few of those brief interactions speak volumes about what these meal deliveries mean to those on the receiving end:

“I’m so bored and lonely here since I’m stuck inside because of the virus. It’s just me and the newspaper until you bring the food by and smile at me. Thank you!” Two of the recipients were so thankful they sewed face masks for one of our meal delivery teams. When we called Georgia Bell to let her know her meal was on her porch, she said “Wait! Don’t leave yet. I made something for you to keep you safe!” We’ve worn those masks every meal delivery day since, and while you can’t see it, we are definitely smiling behind the material, so lovingly sewn by a someone we’d never met before, so thankful for a small act of kindness that made a big impact.

people.

400 meals.

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 7

Extending a Hand in Aiken County By: Jeff Mayberry, Aiken County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism During this challenging period of time due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, members of the Aiken County PRT staff and volunteers put their heads together to come up with some interesting and fun ideas that would be helpful for the community. Recreation staff posted daily on Facebook, ranging from at-home sports activities to scavenger hunts. One of our favorite ideas was to help assist the elderly in Aiken. PRT staff and volunteers delivered meals to homebound residents. The Aiken Area Council on Aging meal site feeds lunch daily to approximately 25-30 seniors in the Wagener area at the Aiken County Courtney Center. This free program, sponsored by local businesses in the area, provides seniors with a hot meal they may now otherwise get. The pandemic forced the center to close, so Aiken County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Carolyn Rushton, who coordinates the activities at the center, and volunteer Melinda Starnes, loaded up and set out to deliver meals to as many seniors as possible. The result was a complete success. Many of the seniors wanted to have their pictures taken with staff/volunteers. To see their smiling faces made all the work so rewarding! This was ACPRT’s way of giving back.

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No Boundaries to Kindness in Oconee County By: Liz Boles Johnson, Park Ranger, Oconee County PRT In the early hours of Monday morning, April 13th, an EF3 tornado struck the city of Seneca. It left a path of destruction ½ a mile wide and at least 8 miles long as the tornado zig-zagged through downtown and the countryside, leaving thousands without power, water, and shelter. An estimated $230 million in damage, one life, and untold human suffering has been inflicted, but amid all the destruction, a story emerged of how the community came together in a cross-departmental effort in a makeshift headquarters housed in a recreation center. It is impossible to highlight all the stars of the tornado relief effort because there have been so very many. During this time of great need, Oconee County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and the City of Seneca Recreation Department rapidly reorganized. Oconee County’s tourism sales manager has morphed into the Donation Coordinator. Director Rick Lacey offered the Shaver Recreation Complex to become the headquarters for the Tornado Relief Donation Center. Our county park rangers have been delivering supplies and assessing victims’ needs. County museum staff has been operating the donation hotline and following up to make sure essentials continue to be met. The

Shaver Complex staff have been dutifully unloading donations and tending to the ever-changing needs of the facility with unfaltering hospitality. Our expanded PRT team melded together seamlessly to serve our community. And of course, it must be mentioned that all of this has been accomplished amidst a state-wide shutdown during the coronavirus crisis. Extra care and diligence have been taken for staff and volunteers to wear masks and gloves and check temperatures at the start of each day. Volunteers have been recruited to clean all areas throughout the day and sanitize the waiting area after each resident has collected their supplies. Our system has been developed to minimize the number of people in contact with donated supplies before they are given to the people in need. Inside the Shaver Complex’s gym, the Donation Center provides a centralized location for the collection and distribution of supplies. Donations of all kinds, from baby diapers and formula, to toothpaste, tarps, wheelbarrows, water, toys, feminine products, and even pet food and kitty litter, have been generously donated from all over and brought into the gymnasium-

turned-warehouse. Those affected by the tornado come to the center and place an order for the supplies they need, and a “shopper” will gather the supplies and bring the needed goods right to them. This system minimizes the number of people handling goods and lowers the risk of transmitting COVID-19. In addition to the Donation Center, the parking lots of the Shaver Complex have been utilized for laundry washing stations and hosting various restaurants and churches who have been cooking hot meals every day for victims and volunteers alike. Despite the hardship faced by the community, the unquestioning teamwork and generosity has been truly inspiring. There have been no disputes about who is “really” in charge: just City and County PRT coming together to demonstrate altruism in action. The coronavirus crisis may have added a layer of difficulty to our mission, but our Donation Center team proved that the compassion, versatility, leadership, and tenacity of PRT is not limited to the scope of our department, but transcends bureaucratic boundaries to provide what people need most: kindness.

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 9

Myrtle Beach Offers Themed Online Classes By: Mallory Blackmon and Samantha Vititoe, City of Myrtle Beach Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Department The City of Myrtle Beach Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism Department have been working to make a difficult situation like being closed to the public and the Coronavirus, better by creating some fun, memorable fitness classes. Each Friday the instructors at Pepper Geddings Recreation Center have started to host creatively themed Facebook Live fitness classes. The first of these classes was a Golden Girls version of our Gold-N-Fit workout. Inspired by some of the recreation center patrons that call themselves the Golden Girls, the instructors channeled their inner “old lady,” dressing up in their finest pearls and bringing along their canes and walkers. The second themed class was an 80’s Cardio Aerobics dance party. All the instructors dressed in 80’s inspired leotards and leg warmers and made sure to create that iconic side pony tail. The fitness class exercises and music were all straight out of the 80’s, complete with sounds from Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, and MC Hammer and aerobics just like Jazzercise and Jane Fonda. The class ended with the participants creating a dance line and each person showing off their favorite 80’s move. They showed off everything from the sprinkler, the running man, the moonwalk, and Thriller.

Future themed classes include Jock Jams Sports Training, Country Line Dancing, Disco, Beach Vacation, and Rockn-Roll. The beginning goal for these classes was to provide our patrons with some exercise and activity but it has now turned into the highlight of their day and even their week. Some comments we have received on Facebook include “I am laughing so hard I think I wet my pants.”, “What a fun way to start the day!”, “Thank you for going the extra mile for us!”, “You are all truly amazing! I smiled and laughed the whole way through. Thank you so much.” “Thanks for brightening our days.”,” Great workout and so much fun.” Each class goes live at 11 a.m. every weekday and we post at 8 a.m. to let

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everyone know what the theme will be. We post another class at 5:30 p.m. that we recorded earlier in the day. All of the videos, both live and recorded, are on our YouTube channel, so people can access them at any time. One of the virtual classes has over 6,000 views!

Experiencing Parks in the Comforts of Home By: Gina Ellis-Strother, Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission The Park and Recreation industry is redefining ways to serve their community in the mist of the COVID-19 crisis. Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission (CCPRC) has developed plans to entertain, enlighten, educate and engage the community right in the comforts of their home. They have tapped the wealth of knowledge of their staff about topics on wildlife, nature, history, and health & wellness to develop a series of social media campaigns designed to allow the community to continue to experience the parks. One social media campaign called “Creature Feature” is made up of posts on CCPRC Instagram, Facebook and Twitter highlighting the wide variety of creatures living in our parks, like the American Red Robin, the Bald Eagle and the Anole lizard. The posts share a fact or two about the behaviors or characteristics of these creatures in the hopes of inspiring curious viewers to learn more about them. The “Fitness Series” social media campaign aims to encourage physical activities during a time when people are more sedentary due to limited access to fitness classes, gyms, races or sports activities. CCPRC offers free yoga videos to their social media followers to nourish both the mind and body. Even days like Happy National Walk Day on April 1 encouraged people to stretch their legs and take a walk, even if it was just around the house. Hosting “Virtual Special Events” is a new way to create a festival experience without ever going to a park. CCPRC decided to put on the Lowcountry Cajun Festival virtually for the community to enjoy. It consisted of a series of posts that fully embodied the spirit of the event. The first post for the Lowcountry Cajun Festival solicited photos from followers from prior festivals to share with others on social media. They incorporated music from the Zydeco bands

into videos from previous events celebrating this genre of music and hoping to encourage viewers to dance and sing along. The recipe from the Cajun Festival’s Crawfish chef for his famous crawfish dip was also a big hit with viewers. The poster design for that year was turned into a coloring page that could be downloaded. It was also important to support the vendors and sponsors that were unable to participate in the event. To do this, we shared links to their websites to build awareness and create opportunities for the public to purchase goods directly from them. The community welcomed CCPRC’s outstanding efforts to bring the parks to them. These efforts allowed the staff to continue to work, be productive and serve the public in new ways. Of course, social media will never take the place of being in the parks, but they believe as a result of this health crisis there will be a renewed appreciation for the parks, programs and services offered and hope more people will take advantage of the park system once it reopens.

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 11

Keeping Recreation Relevant By: Bethany Doman, City of Charleston Recreation, Marketing & Special Events Coordinator During this unprecedented time, we are challenged now more than ever to continue providing our services to our communities. The day that the City of Charleston Recreation programs were canceled until further notice, we knew we had to figure out a way to fill the void. We brainstormed and conducted local, regional, and national research on what other agencies were moving towards. Almost immediately, we found the idea of virtual recreation. As we gathered our staff’s strengths, hobbies and passions on top of their current job responsibilities, we began compiling ideas for activities, videos, educational lessons, fitness classes and more. The Virtual At-Home Recreation initiative for the City of Charleston took off the day following the program cancelation announcement. We decided to promote all activities and ideas through our Recreation Facebook page. Our goal was to make it easy for everyone to find and participate in the virtual activities. Understanding that not all of our citizens are on Facebook or currently

follow our page, we created an additional tab on our recreation website titled Virtual Recreation Activities where our activities are uploaded daily. Over the past month with the virtual recreation program, we have utilized traditional (St. Patrick’s Day & Easter) and non-traditional holidays (National Zoo Lovers Day, American Circus Day, & World Art Day) to provide daily recreational opportunities for everyone to do safely at home. Activities include fitness videos, educational opportunities, virtual tours, cooking lessons, games, athletic drills, arts and crafts, online story times and more. We celebrated Easter by creating four virtual egg hunts in our facilities, with the Charleston Police Department delivering brand new kids bikes to the winners. We also honored the Charleston County School District’s (CCSD) spring break on April 6-10 by providing a Virtual Spring Break Camp with a camp schedule and activities available each day that week. In addition to our staff providing content, we have reached out to our sponsors, local

partners, businesses, current instructors and other city departments to share what they are doing during this time. We have built content from them or shared from their pages to cross-promote and show city-wide support. In the spirit of being accessible to every citizen, we also created “Rec To Go”, which is an initiative to bring the recreation to you in the safety of your neighborhood or home. Each week, we pack 80-100 bags, while following CDC guidelines, filled with coloring sheets, crayons, a craft, informational or educational sheets, sidewalk chalk, tattoos, stickers and more. We have delivered them to the CCSD lunch locations, local blessing boxes and to the Charleston Police Department to safely distribute them in innercity neighborhoods. Staying relevant and providing recreational opportunities in the best ways we can during this time has proven our essentiality to our community and even to our staff. To find program ideas or follow along with our daily virtual recreation activities, check out our Facebook page at @ChsRecreation or online at Charleston-sc.gov/recreation.

Staying relevant and providing recreational opportunities in the best ways we can during this time has proven our essentiality to our community and even to our staff.

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Cottontail Cruise: Coming to Your Neighborhood By: Alison Cribb, City of Aiken PRT Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 4. The news of extended closures pushed our team to restructure our event. 2,000 eggs had been purchased, so we just had to figure out a fun, socially responsible way to get them to our community. We researched, brainstormed and then shared the news of our event – Cottontail Cruise: Coming to Your Neighborhood. Within one day of announcing the event, we were fully booked. We donned our masks and gloves, disinfected all of the eggs and stuffed them with candy. When the day came, our bunnies suited up and small groups of staff prepared the eggs to be distributed. We formed two groups of three and split the territory of the city limits. It took about four hours, but our team successfully delivered eggs to over 50 homes and served 91 children. Along our route, we ran into many excited kids, and a few excited adults too. One young boy was especially happy to see the Easter Bunny. He ran to the edge of his yard and stood, shaking with anticipation. His dad leaned down and reminded him that he couldn’t hug the Easter Bunny and that he would have to wave to him from the edge of the yard. His older sister joined them at the edge of the yard and they turned to face their dad to have their picture taken “with” the Easter Bunny. When he turned back towards us, his smile had returned

and he was off to collect his eggs. Days following the event, we were reminded of how special this event was from the many tags on Facebook and Instagram. Children are resilient, and we can all learn something from this little boy. It’s okay to be sad about the things we are missing out on right now, but we must focus on the things that we can still enjoy. If you aren’t sure what that is, you can always start with Mark Twain’s advice, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try and cheer somebody else up.” Let’s keep spreading joy to our communities. We are all in this together.

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 13

Lending a Helping Hand By: Paul McCulloch, Director, Horry County Parks and Recreation In times of state of emergencies, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not unusually for Horry County Parks and Recreation to be asked to do some unconventional tasks but with the COVID-19 the tasks were a bit more unusual. The Horry County Solid Waste Authority operates 24 recycling centers around the county, the majority of their staff are over 60 years old, putting them in the high risk category. The HCSWA was recommending closing some or reducing the days certain centers were open to offset the loss of personnel. We were asked to help staff the centers to keep them opened as scheduled. So far we have provided over 800 hours of assistance in the centers.

After we got the recycling centers on a regular schedule the next request came in, this time from the Horry County Detention Center. The kitchen staff lost some of the state trustees and the call came out. The kitchen serves more than 2,500 meals a day and with the loss of the inmate labor, the task of getting the food prepared and ready to be served would have been at risk without the help of Parks and Recreation. HCPR currently has 5 staff working 40 hours each week in the kitchen. HCPR is always willing to help out another department #TEAMHORRY.

The kitchen serves more than 2,500 meals a day and with the loss of the inmate labor, the task of getting the food prepared and ready to be served would have been at risk without the help of Parks and Recreation. HCPR currently has 5 staff working 40 hours each week in the kitchen.

14 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks â&#x20AC;˘ www.scrpa.org

Moncks Corner Recreation Department Evolves By: Dominique Winns, Town of Moncks Corner Recreation Department The Town of Moncks Corner Recreation Department has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic.We are currently offering virtual recreation via Facebook for our residents and surrounding participants to help make this time of social distancing productive and interesting for the whole family. Our Facebook offers interactive videos of staff, trivia questions, challenges, educational tips, crafts, videos, virtual tours, activities, fitness classes, games and much more to make the best use of this time at home. This creative move has allowed the department to partner with the local coaches of the Berkeley High School Athletic Department to offer recorded baseball, softball, and football video tips to followers on our Facebook page. This avenue has given Moncks Corner Recreation Department another way to reconnect with the community, keep participants motived, and enhance lives by providing exceptional experiences. As always, Moncks Corner Recreation Department is dedicated to maintaining a safe and healthy atmosphere for all participants. To continue to uphold our goal during this time the Recreation Department provides these resources to continue to enjoy life in the Lowcountryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hometown.

SUMMER 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 15

SC Distillery Heeds the Call for Sanitizer A South Carolina distillery has shifted its production to make sanitizer amid the COVID-19 pandemic. When the State of South Carolina contacted Hollow Creek Distillery in Leesville inquiring whether they could make hand sanitizer for state facilities, staff members at the distillery immediately rose to occasion and started production. To help support both local business and our agencies, SCRPA did a group-buy of sanitizer which was delivered to their facilities – a total of 233 gallons distributed within a week. The buy helped agencies from Cheraw to Florence, Summerville to Greenville, and several others in between. Visit Hollow Creek’s Facebook page for updates on hand sanitizer production.

From one of the distillery’s social media posts… When the State of South Carolina reached out to our distillery asking if we could make hand sanitizer, we rolled up our sleeves and got straight to work. For two weeks we worked 14-hour days to pull this off but we would do it again in a heartbeat if it means we can serve our state and serve our community. We’re excited to share we have produced and delivered more than 1,374 gallons of hand sanitizer. From our family to yours, stay safe ya’ll! Craig, Meredith and Will Amick, Hollow Creek Distillery P.S. We’re proud to be a Certified South Carolina product!

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Photo by Meredith Amick, SCDOT

By: Jim Headley, SCRPA

ESPN Jump-Starts the Return of Live Sports Events in Rock Hill By: Laurie Helms, City of Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism Photo by City of Rock Hill

During the COVID-19 pandemic, just like many other SCRPA agencies, Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism shifted gears by postponing programs and events and closing facilities, while keeping park trails and greenspace open. Staff focused on maintenance and construction projects, cleaning facilities and providing family activities on social media, among other things. However, we also had a unique opportunity that relied on strong partnerships, event coordination and creativity to be successful. On Saturday, May 9th, the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center hosted the American Cornhole League (ACL) Invitational Qualifier, which also aired live on ESPN and ESPN2. The event was held in the brand new 170,000 sq. ft. facility with no spectators and strict limits on the number of competitors, ACL staff and production team – not to mention physical distancing, use of masks and other safety procedures. “ESPN was looking for things to televise and had worked with ACL Commissioner Stacey Moore before,” says PRT Director John Taylor. “Moore brought it to us to see if we could make it happen.” PRT has other ACL tournaments scheduled this year at the Sports & Event Center, but this one came together quickly. The event would not have been possible without the involvement of State of South Carolina officials, in particular SC Parks, Recreation & Tourism Director Duane Parrish who, along with the ACL and Rock Hill PRT, established the health and safety guidelines under which the event would operate. “Making event participants, organizers and staff feel safe is a top priority for the City of Rock Hill,” said Taylor.

Photos above courtesy of ACL

“Making event participants, organizers and staff feel safe is a top priority for the City of Rock Hill.”

Photo by City of Rock Hill

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 17

Cunningham and Play 4 ALL Answer the Call By: Michele Breakfield, Cunningham Recreation In response to the world event that is greatly interrupting our lives, we wanted to assure you that together we will get through these challenging times. As individuals, teams, Parks and Recreation Departments, School Districts, non-profit organizations and more, we are nothing if not resilient, flexible, and fiercely committed to our missions, to our communities, but mostly to each other. Viruses are contagious, but so are hope, compassion and the ability to lift each other up when the time calls. Cunningham Recreation’s Social Impact Division, Play 4 ALL, founded to assist projects identify and mobilize philanthropic support, is now teaming up with local food programs. We have provided monetary support, located food sources and strengthened efforts to coordinate food distribution to families in the safest manner possible. We understand that many people are not focusing on building playgrounds during this time and that the critical need for families and seniors to have access to nutritious foods are paramount. The demand for food assistance has never been as great as it is during this global crisis. In the face of staggering and record

level unemployment, more and more families are facing food insecurity. School closures are affecting students who counted on nutritious meals during school hours and now are at risk for going to bed hungry. Local food pantries are understocked, understaffed and becoming overwhelmed with a new wave of families needing their support. Cars are lined up, sometimes spending the night, waiting for hours to receive food and personal hygiene items. This is a familiar scene across America. School Districts, places of worship, and local community development programs are working with national food programs and local donors to replenish dwindling food supplies. “It is never ending” says a local food service volunteer. “People who have never needed help before are finding themselves short of resources like food.” Charitable organizations, companies with strong corporate social responsibility programs and grass roots initiatives led by people on the front lines are the cornerstones to alleviate the swift blow that COVID-19 is having on American families and communities both large and small. It is during these turbulent times that shed

18 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks • www.scrpa.org

the greatest light on the human spirit and how we pull together, answer the call and lift one another up. As Mr. Rogers’ mother told him when he was a young child during a tragedy, “look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” “Victoria Babb with Cunningham Recreation’s Play 4 ALL has been a great resource in helping the Francis Howell School District and the St. Charles County Community provide food for our families in need during the COVID-19 closure,” said FHSD Communications Manager Jennifer Henry. “She has been essential in finding community partners to support the district’s efforts, as well as bringing awareness within the community for financial donations.” If you know someone who is in the situation of needing food and personal hygiene products, please have them contact www. feedingamerica.com where they can locate a food pantry near them. National program Meals on Wheels – www.mealonwheels.org also can direct seniors to a local program so they do not have to leave their homes. Contact victoria@play4allcampaign.com with any questions.

Honoring the past. Looking to the future.

Part 2

Celebrating 75 years of creating community through people, parks and programs.

SUMMER 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 19

Timeline of the Organization The last 50 yearsâ&#x20AC;Ś In this issue we highlight key South Carolina Recreation Society (SCRS) milestones from 1971 through 2020. The 75th Anniversary book will highlight the entire past 75 years. 1979: First dedicated money passed by SC General Assembly to assist local governments with the acquisition of recreational lands, known as the Recreation Land Trust (RELT) fund.

1979

1983: The first Carolinas Joint Conference on Parks and Recreation is held in Charlotte. South Carolina hosted the next Joint Conference in 1985 in Myrtle Beach.

1981

1981: The first part-time Executive Director is hired.

1983

1988: SCRPA becomes a 501c(3) non-profit organization under the name South Carolina Recreation and Parks Association. The previous name was SC Recreation and Parks Society.

1995: SCRPA celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Debbie Wall becomes the first female to be elected SCRPA President.

1987

1988

1989

April 1, 1987: James (Jim) Headley hired as first full-time Executive Director of the association

1995

1989: The Parks and Resource Management Branch was formed and added to the Board of Directors.

The first magazine focused on parks and recreation is SC is started and retooled from the previous Omnibus magazine

September 21, 1989, Hurricate Hugo devistates the state; total losses estimated at $2.8 billion.

6 4

Page 20 Images: 1. Conference registration form, 1990. 2. Letter announcing changes to Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Program, 1992. 3. President Debbie Wall (1988), Jim Headley, new SCRPA Executive Director, and President Jack Disher (1987). 4. Conference program, 1972. 5. Anne Close (Past-Chair of NRPA Board, 1985) receives an award from Steve Gantt, 1992. 6. Governor Carroll A. Campbell addresses banquet, 1987. 20 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks â&#x20AC;˘ www.scrpa.org

1 2

2016: The Park and Recreation Development Funds were guaranteed a minimum of $3 million per year.

2003: SC LEAD program is opened with 12 graduates. This is the nation’s first comprehensive leadership development program for public parks and recreation personnel.

2000

2003

2020: SCRPA celebrates its 75th anniversary.

2012

COVID-19 virus spreads across the U.S. closing parks, playgrounds and recreation centers, and cancellilng programming across the state.

2016

2017

2020

2000: Cynthia Robinson becomes the first African American to be elected SCRPA President.

2012: Membership structure is redesigned.

2017: SCRPA partners on redesign and launch the State of South Carolina’s trails website: www.sctrails.net

Page 21 Images: 1. Membership form, 2000. 2. Cover of SCRPA’s 75th Anniversary book. 3. Cynthia Robinson, first African American President of SCRPA. 4. Carolinas Joint Conference Program, 2015. 5. New design of South Carolina Trails website. 6. A 24-year-old James Headley starts with SCRPA. 7. Past-President, Paul Wieters (1993) with Past-President Bill Jeffers (1978). 8. SCRPA’s 75th Anniversary logo. SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 21

History of the Organization The 1970s As the state and country progressed in providing services to citizens, so did what’s now known as SCRPA. During the 1970s, the National Recreation & Park Association was offering regional conferences throughout the Southeast. As we started learning from our colleagues across the region, the leaders of SCRPA started seeing the advantages of providing professional development, networking and shared experiences were vital to our state and our profession. The leadership at that time, Carl Hust, Gary McJunkin, Sim Wright, Harmon Baldwin, Bob Reid, Bert Brantley, Ben Boozer, Russell Hart, Paul (PK) Fuller and many others, all need to be honored and commended for their commitment and dedication to our profession. While the times were different many of the same issues remain unchanged. They each fought hard to making Parks and Recreation a vital and needed service to the citizens of our state. That all culminated in the Society hiring its’ first Executive Director PK Fuller in 1981. While PK was only part-time, having served the Society as President of SCRPS in 1968, he and many of the leaders at the time began the organization our of state in to what it is now today.

The 1980s A group of younger professionals were on the horizon. They saw what other states were doing and knew SCRPS could provide more services and play an integral role in the continuing developing of park and recreation services for our state. Bob Brooks, Paul Ellis, Steve Gantt, Tim Eubanks, Rodney Langley, Buster Smith, Jack Disher and Debbie Wall began a movement of hiring a full time executive director. Most within the society and several across the country thought that South Carolina being a small and mostly rural state could never afford to hire a full time executive director. In 1987, under the Leadership of President

SCRPA Beach

Debbie Wall that goal was achieved SCRPS hired its’ first and to date only full time executive director.

The 1990s Up until the 1993, many of the services SCRPA now provides were done through the State of South Carolina’s State Department of Parks, Recreation &

22 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks • www.scrpa.org

Games ,1987

Tourism Commission. The President of what’s now known as SCRPA was one of just a handful of people appointed to a commission to help make statewide policies, making us one of the few professional organizations to have a seat at the table at any state wide board/ commission. In 1993, that commission was dissolved and became a cabinet agency serving at pleasure of the

A great place. A great place to play. Play is a fundamental human right. With initiatives like Play4All and Healing Communities Through Play â&#x201E;˘, Cunningham Recreation is bringing people together, using communities and creating a brighter future one great place at a time. Join our mission at play4allcampaign.com.

SUMMER 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 23

History of the Organization Governor, but SCRPA’s influence on parks and recreation policies in the state did not end. SCRPA continues to play a large role in our state’s and our nation’s development of park, recreation and tourism development.

Early 2000s In 2003, the First SC Leadership and Development (SC LEAD) class graduated. This program was the first of its kind in the country. They met once a month for nine months and the class size was capped at 12, and that still stands true today. The idea for LEAD began on an airplane napkin in 2002 as then-President Joe Eason and current Executive Director Jim Headley were flying back from an NRPA meeting. SCRPA worked with Clemson University to survey current directors at that time about what they would like to see in a development program. The SC Association of City & County Mangers were also surveyed and asked about the core competencies that they were looking for in future department heads. With the data in hand and the concept formed, the first class was launched. 10 classes have been held since, with a total of 92 graduates. Many other state associations provide classes and programs on leadership, but none of them can boast 12 graduates becoming directors of park & recreation agencies, one becoming a county supervisor, over 32 becoming SCRPA board members, of which 10 were elected president. The friendships formed during each class continue far beyond the 9 months of the LEAD program.

Lef t to right: Pas t-Presi dents Ed Thompson (19 96), Paul Wieters (1993) Phil Powell (1990), and Susan Britt (1991), long-time Secretary & Chair of Scholarship Co mmittee Stan Senn.

their entire staff with one payment. By allowing for agencies to pay a set price for all employees as a group, it not only lead to an increase in membership numbers, but also a larger pool of volunteers to draw from and increased revenue as well. More members are now attending professional development opportunities, which boost overall professionalism and has helped provide even better services to the people of South Carolina.

Left to right: Executive Director Jim Headley, George Glymph South Carolina Hall of Fame Coach (22 years with Eau Claire High School and 10 years coaching in the NBA) and 1996 Olympic Torch bearer for the Summer Games, and Shawn Taylor, Chair of Athletic Branch, 2020.

The 2010s In 2012 and 2013, under the leadership of Past President Joe Ross and President Mark Sexton, SCRPA changed its membership structure, creating an Agency Membership, as opposed to Individual Memberships. This allowed for agencies to pay for

welcomes ou yor Rick Danner City of Greer Ma stop in 2020. March 5, our third

24 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks • www.scrpa.org

r SC LE AD group

to the City of Gree

r on

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Evolution of SCRPA Magazine

SCRPA magazine, Summer 1984

SCRPA magazine, Spring 1987

SCRPA magazine, April 1995

SCRPA magazine, Spring 1999

SCRPA magazine, Spring 2004

SCRPA magazine, Fall 2004

SCRPA magazine, Fall 2009

SCRPA magazine, Spring 2017

SCRPA magazine, Spring 2020

26 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks â&#x20AC;¢ www.scrpa.org

Congratulations SCRPA! 75 years of providing support to parks and recreation across South Carolina. We couldn’t do it without you.

Horry County Parks and Recreation

www.horrycounty.org

Visibility That Fits Your Budget SCRPA’s SOUTH CAROLINA magazine gets you in front of key decision-makers for as little as $225 per issue. No other form of advertising gets you so directly targeted right to your customer or potential customer. Cross promotion of your products and services through multiple marketing channels is a great way to stay top-ofmind with busy park and recreation professionals.

NE W

Deadline! 2021 SC RPA Buyer’s Guide Deadline: June 30

The 2021 new Buyer’s Guide now includes the complete SCRPA Agency Member Directory – making this publication a valuable tool that gets held onto!

2020 SCRPA Ad Deadlines 75th Anniversary Commemorative Book Deadline: June 15, 2020

Fall 2020 Magazine

• Park Maintenance • Pets in Parks • Meeting & Event Guide Deadline: June 30, 2020

NOW COMBINED! 2021 Buyer’s Guide & Agency Member Directory Deadline: June 30, 2020

For more information, contact Todd Pernsteiner at (952) 841-1111 or todd@pernsteiner.com

Winter 2020 Magazine

Download the media kit: www.bit.ly/SCRPA2020

Multi-issue packages now available. Full details at www.bit.ly/SC2020PKGS

Deadline: October 20, 2020

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 27

Profiles of Our Member Agencies City of Charleston Department of Recreation City Established: 1783 City Population 1945: 70,174 (approx) City Population 2020: 156,536 (approx) The City of Charleston Recreation Department is committed to providing positive opportunities through recreation. Our department manages, maintains and operates programs in about 60 of the city’s 120 parks, two recreation facilities, four community centers, 11 staffed playgrounds, a nature center, four tennis centers, a gymnastic center, four pools, and a golf course. We offer a variety of programs, special events, summer camps and youth and adult athletics. We are currently working on a Parks & Recreation Master Plan to guide their development into the future. www.charleston-sc.gov/recreation

Horry County Parks and Recreation County Established: 1801 County Population 1945: 55,000 (approx) County Population 2020: 333,000 (approx) Horry County incorporated in 1801 with a population of 55. In 1945 the population estimated 55,000 and today it has grown to approximately 333,000. Horry County has a wealth of active and passive recreation opportunities to offer its residents and visitors, including 31 parks, 3 recreation centers, 2 community centers, 27 boat landings, and 22 beach accesses. In addition, there are approximately 53,000 acres of public and privately protected lands for wildlife protection and outdoor recreation within the County. www.horrycounty.org

City of Myrtle Beach Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism City Established: 1938 City Population 1945: 2,471 (approx) City Population 2020: 33,908 (approx) The City of Myrtle Beach Parks, Recreation, & Sport Tourism Department’s oversees 45 parks with more than 653 acres of greenspace and 47 miles of multipurpose paths, two cemeteries, public rights of way, beach maintenance and 144 public beach access points, the oceanfront boardwalk, littler control, 19 playgrounds, four recreation centers, a tennis facility, two athletic complexes with 23 outdoor sports fields, a skate park, a public library, a farmers market, an inline roller hockey rink, and the Historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot. Programs include sports, camps, fitness, aquatics, cultural and arts, senior programs, and special events. www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com

28 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks • www.scrpa.org

The following pages are profiles of additional agencies who have submitted information for SCRPA’s 75th Anniverssary publications. The Commemorative hardcover book will include expanded agency details and additional photos! There’s still time to pre-order your books for $29.95 with free shipping at www.SCRPA75.com. Deadline for pre-orders is June 15, 2020.

City of Newberry Parks, Recreation & Tourism City Established: 1789 City Population 1945: 7,500 (approx) City Population 2020: 10,337 (approx) The City of Newberry Recreation Department was established in 1956 under the direction of Mr. Paul K. Fuller. Mr. Fuller was awarded SCRPA Professional of the Year in 1979 and inducted into the SCRPA Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1999 the Department was renamed Parks & Recreation and in 2007 Parks, Recreation & Tourism. The Department has 12 fulltime employees and operates 9 divisions: Parks, Recreation, Tourism, Conferencing, Arts, Tennis Center, Recreation Complex, Special Events and Trees. www.cityofnewberry.com

Town of Summerville Parks and Recreation Town Established: 1847 City Population 1945: 3,300 (approx) City Population 2020: 52,000 (approx) The Town of Summerville Parks and Recreation Department manages and maintains a sports complex, a skatepark, an indoor recreation facility, a public boat landing, and 13 additional parks. The Parks and Recreation Department strives to improve the quality of life and overall wellness of residents through the creation and provision of safe, healthy, beautiful, and harmonious park facilities and diverse leisure opportunities in a sustainable and fiscally responsible manner. www.summervillesc.gov

Thank you to all of our members for helping make SCRPA the amazing organization it is today! We look forward to the next 75 years!

SUMMER 2020 • SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks 29

SCRPA 75th Anniversary “Notes of Congratulations” To recognize SCRPA’s 75th anniversary, SCRPA agency and corporate members were invited to submit notes of congratulations to the association (for a minimum $25 donation to the SCRPA Herman F.A. Lange Scholarship fund) and to help offset costs of the 75th Anniversary book. If you would like to submit a message of appreciation to appear in the 75th Anniversary book, go to www.bit.ly/SCRPAmessage to write your note and make a donation. Deadline to submit is June 25, 2020.

“Congratu lations SCRPA!” Paul McCu lloch, Direc tor, Horr y Cou nty Parks and Recre ation

“Thanks fo contributions r 75 years of in recreatio n and parks which has left a la stin impression on thousand g s of youth and ad ults our state an throughout d countr y.” Dustin Jord an Parks, Recrea , Director of Tourism, City tion, & Spor ts of Myr tle Be ach

a great “SCRPA has been s paved ha d an n tio organiza sionals to the way for profes company share ideas, share g friends. lon life op vel de and ank You!” Th d an ns tio Congratula ief Operating Phil Macchia, Ch County Park on est arl Ch r, fice Of ission mm Co on ati cre & Re

the “I truly appreciate yed in pla s ha A RP SC e rol rks, recreation advocating for pa rtunities op and tourism po over the in South Carolina past 75 years!” and Kevin Stiens, Parks , tor rec Di on ati cre Re ty, un Co rg bu Spar tan ent 2020 SCRPA Presid

“Congratula tions SCRPA!” Paul McCul loch State Direc to , r, South Caro lin Youth Baseb a Dixie all (SCDYB)

“Congratulatio ns on 75 years! SC SCRPA are blessed to residents ha driven, dedica ve such a ted group of members work ing to create healthy comm unities.” Todd Pernsteine President, Pern r, steine Creative Group r

you, “75 looks good on the for ks an Th SCRPA! ation and suppor t, the inspir Thanks s! rie mo me t ea gr for helping us do what we do!” Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism

There’s Still Time to Pre-Order 75th Anniversary Books with FREE SHIPPING! The commemorative SCRPA 75th Anniversary coffee table book will be a trip down memory lane – celebrating 75 years of parks and recreation in South Carolina. Pre-order your book by June 30, 2020 to receive the special rate of $29.95 and FREE shipping. A limited quantity of books available at the Annual Conference and online while supplies last. Don’t miss out!

75th Anniversary Coffee Table Book $29.95

Order books through June 30th at www.SCRPA75.com. ES T. 1 94 5

Order Anniversary Merchandise Online! SCRPA 75th Anniversary merchandise is also available online and will also be available at the conference (while supplies last). Commemorative merchandise proceeds go toward the SCRPA Herman F.A. Lange Scholarship fund and to help offset costs of 75th Anniversary publications. Order online at www.SCRPA75.com through June 30, 2020.

30 SOUTH CAROLINA Recreation and Parks • www.scrpa.org

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