The Friday Letter | January 3, 2014

THE

Best wishes from Interim County Manager—Bobbie Shields The day of celebration is finally here!

Today is my last day in the office and next Tuesday will be my last day as a county employee. It has been an enjoyable 27 years because of the great support and friendship of past and present county employees. You all are the best!

During those 27 years, I worked with 47 county commissioners and 15 different Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. They provided the public policy direction which resulted in Mecklenburg County becoming a great place to live, work and recreate.

I appreciate the unique perspective each of them offered and I am grateful that they care enough about our community to serve.

On January 1, 2014, Dena Diorio will become the new County Manager and your leader. It is a position which requires careful consideration of various interests and perspectives. She will need your support, encouragement and understanding as she makes decisions which are in the best interest of the public and in support of the Board’s policy directions. She is well prepared for the job.

Finally, thanks to each of you for your service. I wish you the best for the New Year and for many years to come.

A message from Dina Diorio I just want to take a moment to thank you for your tremendous support and kind wishes over the last few days. I begin work as your new County manager January 1, and I am very anxious to hit the ground running.

Before we start the new year together, I want to thank you for your service. County employees' commitment to the residents of Mecklenburg County never waivers and it is an honor and privilege to work with you. The most successful people are successful due to the strong team they have around them. I attribute a great part of this honor to all of you who have supported me.

I look forward to working with each of you and being partners as we discover new and creative ways to serve this great community. I have been part of the County for over six years; I love being part of this organization and I am thrilled, humbled and honored to serve as your new leader.

Thank you, Dena

Busy with Winter Projects While visitation to the nature preserves slows in the winter, the nature preserve operations staff kicks into high gear to work on various projects that don't get attention during the hectic summer season. Staff have been focusing on cleaning and making repairs to signs, decks, picnic areas and other facilities.

Beneficial Programming.

Developing Character.

Enriching Lives.

NDRC Christmas Special: On Saturday, December 21st, Naomi Drenan Recreation Center hosted another great Christmas event! With more than 30 people in attendance, guests enjoyed building Ginger Bread Houses, having an Indoor Snowball Fight, and a "Where's Santa?" Scavenger Hunt. Music was played and glitter was thrown about as participants created their extravagant homes! Plenty of laughter from the children brought smiles to the parents' faces as they joined in on the fun!! For more information about our programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.432.5231.

NDRC Winter Basketball Skillz Camp: The week of December 30th was full of basketball skills at Naomi Drenan Recreation Center. Our volunteer coaches taught players the basic fundamentals of the game to increase skill, knowledge, and technique. Days were broken down into four categories including Assessment, Ball Handling/Dribbling, Shooting/Passing, and Defense/Championship Scrimmage. Players left camp with increased coordination, knowledge about the game of basketball, and awareness of sports ethics and sportsmanship. We would like to thank our volunteers for their dedicated time and support to make sure youth are receiving the most out of our programs! For more information about programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.432.5231.

Toys for Tots at ARRC: On December 22nd, Positive Youth Enrichment brought their Toys for Tots Campaign to Albemarle Road Recreation Center. Their main focus was providing gifts for children of single parents and those being raised by their grandparents who would otherwise not receive anything. PYE, Inc. was able to supply Christmas gifts to over 60 children! Gifts are usually only given to ages 1-12, but this year they extended the age to 16 to include more kids. Parents and grandparents not only picked up bikes, dolls, skateboards, cologne, nail polish and everything in between, but received a treat for themselves. PYE is looking forward to increasing their efforts next year and making it a brighter Christmas for even more children in the community! For more information about our programs please contact AlbemarleRoadRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.567.1941.

Mallard Creek Recreation Center Cookies and Crafts with Santa: Preschoolers

Horticulture: Memorial Tree, Brick & Bench Program Make a gift in honor of a loved one, organization or event by dedicating a tree or brick in a park, greenway or nature preserve (natives only in the preserves).

The gift represents a lasting tribute as it grows and flourishes for years to come. Trees are an important resource, offering habitat, oxygen and beauty.

...and with partnerships with many of our patrons, fulfilling their Memorial wishes.

and their parents enjoyed a fun filled morning during the Cookies and Crafts with Santa program. Children made crafts, listened to the book “If you Take a Mouse to the Movies�, ate cookies and juice, and visited with Santa. Santa had a surprise treat bag for all the children. For more information contact, Stephanie Frisbee at the Mallard Creek Recreation Center 704-548-8234.

For more information on Horticulture and volunteer opportunities, call Tim Turton at 704-336-8840.

Beneficial Programming.

Developing Character.

Enriching Lives.

Citizens Looking for things to do?

There is no shortage of things to do in Mecklenburg County! Throughout the year Park and Rec hosts many popular athletic events, aactivitioe and programs that offer great things to do on idle weekends. You can find out what programs are available to you at www.parkandrec.com in our Get Going Guide. You can even register for the programs online at eParks .

Mallard Creek Recreation Center Senior Nutrition Christmas Party: Participants in the Senior Nutrition Program that is a joint program with the Department of Social Services and Mallard Creek Recreation Center had a wonderful time at their Christmas party. The seniors had plenty of good food to eat and a visit from Santa. Santa brought all the Seniors a treat bag with nutritious snacks for them to enjoy. For more information contact, Shawn McCants at the Mallard Creek Recreation Center 704-5488234.

Girls for Change: Sugaw Creek Recreation Center’s Girls for Change program participated in numerous Holiday activities. On Wednesday, December 11, (5) five participants partnered with the ladies of Sugaw Creek’s Senior Club - Young at Heart, and made a community service trip to the Saturn Nursing Home to deliver Christmas cards, play BINGO, and bond with the elderly in their living environment. Followed by their holiday community service visit, Young at Heart sponsored a holiday dinner at Cheddars restaurant in the University area. On December 18, the young ladies were able to get into the holiday spirit with a trip to the Charlotte Motor Speedway to see an array of lights along the NASCAR track. Girls for Change is a girls club that targets teenage girls ages 11-14. They meet every Wednesday night 6:00-7:00pm and participate in activities in order to gain confidence, build character and use their leadership skills to provide community service. For more information, contact, Sugaw Creek Recreation Center at 704-336-7655.

Sugaw Creek Recreation Center Giving Back: The Nadine Smith Memorial Christmas Project was held on Wednesday, December 19. The purpose of the program was to bring holiday joy to local struggling families by providing assistance with toys and gifts from donors. Parents and students of Hidden Valley Community and the Sugaw Creek Recreation Center enjoyed an afternoon of mime dancing performances, a fashion show and refreshments. For more information, contact Cynthia Smith-Perkins at Sugaw Creek Recreation Center at 704-336-7655.

Sugaw Creek Recreation Center Day Trip: On Saturday, December 14, (18) eighteen participants from the Sugaw Creek Youth Basketball Program participated in the Johnson C. Smith University - Sports Leadership Youth Day Program. The students cheered for the Golden Bulls Men's Basketball Team as they beat Kings College (Bristol, Tennessee). They participated in autograph & photo sessions, and half time activities which included basketball relays, a free throw shooting contest and other races.

For more information, contact Cynthia Smith-Perkins at Sugaw Creek Recreation Center at 704-336-7655.

5841 Brookshire Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 336-8840

Recreate All Year!

Subscribe to the Park and Recreation E-Newsletter to learn of new and exciting way sto continue recreating during the spring and summer months. Subscribe to the Park and Recreation E-Newsletter to stay up to date on activities that may be available to you.

www.parkandrec.com 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 3 • Issue 1• January 3, 2014

First Night Charlotte First Night rang in 2014 with a family-friendly cultural celebration taking place in Uptown Charlotte on New Year’s Eve at Romare Bearden Park! Artists, Dancers, Comedians, Musicians and Magicians took to the streets! First Night Kids kicked off First Night and ran from 12-5pm with a kids countdown at the main stage from 4-5pm. First Night picked back up at 8pm for evening activities until 11pm and a fantastic midnight finale show from 10pm-12:30am on the main stage featuring Sol Fusion.

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