The Friday Letter | September 13, 213

Volume 2 ISSUE WEEKLY

32

NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK AND RECREATION

September 13 2013

DEPARTMENT

FridayLetter THE

this issue

In The News:

Park News P.1 Enterprise Services P.2

Romare Bearden Park

Nature Preserves & Natural Resources P.4

Please Join Us at the Romare Bearden Park For Music Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in September

Community & Recreation Center Services P.5

Park and Recreation— Park News NFL Panthers Play60 Playground Dedicated

Party in the Park Series: WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 5PM -8PM Join us after work for weekly performances featuring new and upcoming talent. The series will start in September 2013 and pick up again for the 2014 series in April.

The series will take place on the Small Oval on Church Street.

ENJOY Great Music

and Beverages. September schedule 9/11

The

Extraordinaires

(Classic Rhythm and Blues) 9/18 The Matt Stratford Band (Party Band) 9/25 Natural Wonder (Stevie Wonder Tribute)

The Grand Opening of the Play60 Play Site at Freedom Park Tuesday, September 10th Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation partnered with the Carolina Panthers and the Park and Recreation Commission to dedicate the NFL (Panthers) Play60 Play site at Freedom Park. Cam Newton ran the inaugural 40 yard dash, after our very own Therapeutic Recreation Challengers Team happily “broke” the ribbons by completing their own dash. Panthers owners Jerry Richardson was in attendance, as well as many neighborhood families and citizens who welcomed the play site to Freedom Parks amenities.

View more photos of this event on Flickr by clicking the icon below—

Join the ACC in Charlotte for the ACC Football Championship on December 7th!

Because you are associated with Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec, you have the ability to reserve tickets to the ACC Football Championship game for only $25!

Your Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec ticket package includes:

Tournaments & Adult Athletics Highlights for the Past and Upcoming Week Co-Rec BB Volleyball Summer Season Championship game was Wednesday September 4 at Tom Sykes Recreation Center. The winning team was Diggers. There were a total of 6 teams participating during the summer season.

Team “Diggers

FREE ACC Championship

Hat

Women’s A Volleyball Summer Season Championship game was Thursday August 29 at West Charlotte Recreation Center. The winning team was Time Out. There were a total of 7 teams participating during the summer season.

FREE Chick-Fil-A chicken

sandwich Ticket to see the ACC crown its 2013 champion LIVE! This $46 value is only available in advance.

A minimum ticket purchase of four tickets is required per order.

To reserve your seats at the special Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec $25 rate, please call Timothy Cole at 336-331-3823 by October 25th and mention you are associated with Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec.

Co-Rec Volleyball AA started the Fall season on September 10. Games are played on Tuesday evenings at Better Rae Recreation Center. There are a total of 6 teams participating this season.

Team “Time Out”

Women’s A Volleyball started the Fall season on September 12. Games are played on Thursday evenings at West Charlotte Recreation Center. There are a total of 7 teams signed up to play this season. (pictured below) Men’s 30 and Over Basketball will start the Fall season on September 15. Games will be held on Sunday afternoons at Bette Rae Recreation Center. (pictured at bottom)

RACES Camp CARE 5K: Over 900 participants flooded McAlpine Creek Park to support Camp CARE in their annual 5K race. The event raises money to help send children diagnosed with cancer to Camp CARE. The goal of Camp CARE is to provide a summer camp experience, at no cost to the family, that allows the child, to be a child and enjoy laughter, and meet new friends. For more information on upcoming races contact Preston.Buckman@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov.

Tournaments This past weekend September 7-8, there was a Youth Baseball Tournament at Hornet's Nest Park. The tournament name was Greater Charlotte All American Championship.

There were a total of 117 teams participating in the tournament.

Youth Sports Scholarship Fund Inaugural Golf Tournament Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and Partners for Parks hosted the Inaugural Golf Tournament at Renaissance Park on Monday, September 9. Over 30 golfers participated in the event to help raise money for youth scholarships. Due to the generous support of the players and sponsors, over $2,000 were raised and deposited in a Youth Scholarship Endowment Fund. Approximately 40 children will have the opportunity to participate in a youth league or clinic at a free or reduced rate. (Cont’d …)

Youth Sports Scholarship Inaugural Golf Tournament (cont’d) Thank you to all our sponsors; Musco Lighting, Sports Edge, Medallion, Paschal Promotions, Brooklyn Brewery, Jason's deli, Sauceman's, Costco Wholesale, Golfsmith, Edwin Watts, Golf Galaxy, Charlotte Bobcats, Dick's Sporting Goods and Ratcliffe Golf Services, and participants for supporting this great cause. Save the Dates for the Second Annual Youth Sports Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament will go out in the Spring of 2014!

In the News— Races PurpleStride 5K: Marshall Park played host to the Purple Stride 5k on Saturday, September 7. It was a perfect morning for a race and over 900 participants showed up to support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The event raised over $127,000.

For more information on upcoming races contact Preston.Buckman @MecklenburgCountyNC .gov.

McDowell— Painting with Nature On Friday, September 6th, McDowell Nature Center held the first of 3 programs entitled 'Painting with Nature'. A full group of 2-6 year olds and their favorite adults created leaf reliefs using pine needles as paint brushes. Kids also took turns throwing painted pine cones, acorns, sweet gum balls and other found objects at paper to create an abstract group piece. The next two programs will have kids decorating pumpkins, creating food prints, painting with bubbles and more.

Amazing Maize Maze wins Fellowship Challenge The Natural Resources Section won second place in the Fellowship Challenge of the Amazing Maize Maze at Rural Hill on September 10th. Lenny Lampel, Gary Marshall, Matthew Harrell, and Christa Rogers (aka Ugly Coyotes) represented Park and Recreation and their prize money will be donated to Partners for Parks. The corn maize is open to the public

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities

Therapeutic Recreation On Tuesday, September 10th, five players from the Challenger Flag Football program participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony and festivities for the NFL Play60 structure at Freedom Park. The Challenger players led the procession into the ceremony along with the PurrCussion Drumline, TopCats Cheerleaders, and Sir Purr. They ran in a ceremonial 40-yard dash where they left Panthers center, #62 Jeff Byers, in the dust! After the ceremony, Challenger players were able to mingle with players and cheerleaders, as well as run and play on the new Play60 structure.

Cross Country For Youth (CCFY) Johnson & Johnson Grant Winner: Congratulations to one of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department's partnering youth sports agencies, the Cross -Country for Youth organization, for being one of seven winners nationally of the Johnson & Johnson Childhood Obesity grant for the next 2 1/2 years. Reginald McAfee, Founder and Executive Director said "We are excited about this great opportunity and thank each of you for your continued support of CCFY." The 2013 Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care grants program in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University .

For more information on Cross-Country for Youth and the Johnson & Johnson Childhood Obesity grant, click on the link above, go to www.crosscountryforyou th.org or email Reggie.McAfee1@gmail.c om.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Senior Luau at Albemarle Road Recreation Center: On August 29th Albemarle Road Recreation Center staff and volunteers transformed the gymnasium into a tropical paradise for the 2nd Annual SeniorsMeck Luau! Over 130 seniors walked through the doors and onto a distant island where they were greeted with Hawaiian leis as they joined in fellowship on this half day getaway.

Participants were treated to hula dance demonstrations led by Jannie Burgess, line dancing, music, arts & crafts stations, playing games like pineapple bowling, raffle prizes, and delicious food catered by Born to Cook Caterers! The seniors and their guests were encouraged to have fun and take pictures as they enjoyed another memorable event hosted by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.

Albemarle Road Recreation Center For more information about upcoming senior programs contact Tiffany Peterson or Ivan Jones at 704-567-1941 or AlbemarleRoadRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

Mallard Creek Recreation Center On September 9, pre-school children and parents from the Mallard Creek Recreation Center enjoyed participating in our open gym activities. Open gym activities for preschoolers include basketball, mats, tricycles and more on Mondays from 1:30 pm – 3:00pm for ages 5 and younger. For more information, contact MallardCreekRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or (704)548-8234.creationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-5231.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Revolution Park Sports Academy Fall Disc Golf Tees Off Sunday:

The 2013 Fall Disc Golf League will tee off for the season opener this Sunday at Elon Park’s “Eager Beaver” Disc Golf Course. Players will meet at 1:00pm for a quick skills clinic provided by members of the Charlotte Disc Golf Club and then it’s off to the course. For more information about Youth Disc Golf contact YouthSports@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call Revolution Park Sports Academy at (704) 432-4963.

Ray Bowl: Working with the Carolina Panthers and Pop Warner Football, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation will host the 2013 Ray Bowl this Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The annual event matches 4 Pop Warner Football teams from across the state of North Carolina to compete for a chance to play at Bank of America Stadium during a Carolina Panthers game. This year’s teams are the Capital City Steelers, the Havelock Rams, the Mint Hill Panthers and the Greater Asheville Rams. Kick off for game one is set for 11:30am. For more information contact YouthSports@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call Revolution Park Sports Academy at (704) 432-4963.

Opening Day for Youth Soccer and Flag Football Leagues: The Fall Youth Soccer and Flag Football programs kicked off this past Saturday at Elon Park, Sugaw Creek Park and Harrisburg Road Park. Sunny skies gave way to a wonderful 1st day of the season for both programs. Special thanks to those who worked hard to accomplish the successful opening day. For more information about Youth Sports email YouthSports @MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call the Revolution Park Sports Academy at (704) 4324693.

Park and Recreation News: 5841 Brookshire Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 336-8840

Submissions for the Newsletter

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Please submit all news for the Friday Letter to your Division Director for review and routing.

Park Partners may contact Kesha Meads at Kesha.Meads@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

for publication assistance.

The Friday Letter Volume 2 • Issue 32• September 13, 2013

Scenes Events: Invasive Plants Training On Wednesday, August 28, Nature Preserve Operations staff teamed up with Natural Resources staff to learn about invasive plant management. Nature Preserves protect some of the best remaining natural areas in Mecklenburg County, and control of exotic, invasive species is a priority. Staff learned to identify the most harmful invasive plants, such as Japanese Stiltgrass, Japanese Honeysuckle (pictured), Chinese Lespedeza, and Autumn Olive. Techniques were discussed on how to remove these species and give native plants a fighting chance.

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Senior Leadership Team Jim Garges, Director Michael Kirschman, Deputy Director James Alsop, Enterprise Services Renea Barber, Human Resources Mario Chang, Budget Administration Lee Jones, Capital Planning Lola Massad, Community and Recreation Center Services Jeff Robinson, Park Operations