The Friday Letter | January 10, 2014

Volume 3 ISSUE

2

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK AND RECREATION

January 10 2014

DEPARTMENT

FridayLetter THE

this issue In The News:

Park News P.1 Enterprise Services P.2

Community Workshop The Central Park District Advisory Council in conjunction with the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department will conduct a second community workshop to gain citizen input on the proposed neighborhood park in the Reid Park Community located off Amay James Way. The meeting will be held on January 14 at 6:00 PM at Reid Park Academy located at 4108 West Tyvola Road.

Citizens needing additional information should please call Central Park District General Manager Michael Campbell at 704588-1801 or Park Planner James Williams at 704432-2101.

Community & Recreation Center Services P.4

Park and Recreation— Park News Partnership Highlights— Drive, Chip, & Putt Competition The First Tee facility/practice area at the Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course has been selected as one of the qualifying sites for the National Drive, Chip, & Putt competition.

This nationwide event was created within the last year for kids ages 7-15 with the finals to be held at Augusta National during the Masters. Our qualifier, to be held on June 7th, will be for the finals in April 2015.

The PGA, USGA, and Augusta National are the primary sponsors and it will offer great exposure to the Charles L. Sifford Golf facility.

You can learn more at www.drivechipandputt.com

In The News:

Adult Athletics Co-Rec B Volleyball began the Winter season on January 6. Games are played on Monday evenings at Wallace Pruitt Recreation Center. There are a total of 6 teams participating this season.

Women’s Basketball began the Winter season on January 5. Games are played on Sunday afternoons at Tuckaseegee Recreation Center. There are a total of 8 teams participating this season.

Men’s 40 and Over began the Winter season on January 5. Games are played on Sunday afternoons at Bette Rae Recreation Center.

There are a total of 8 teams participating this season.

Co-Rec AA Volleyball began the Winter season on January 7.

Games are played on Tuesday evenings at Bette Rae Recreation Center. There are a total of 6 teams participating this season.

Co-Rec BB Volleyball began the Winter season on January 8. Games are played on Wednesday evenings at Tom Sykes Recreation Center. There are a total of 7 teams participating this season.

Aquatics Seventy-two (72) swimmers participated in a dual swim meet on Friday, January 3, 2014 at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center. Sun Valley High School and Concord High School participated in the event. The swim meet ran from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

On Saturday, January 4, one hundred seven (107) swimmers participated in a dual swim meet at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center. Sun Valley, Marvin Ridge, and Piedmont High Schools competed.

Bringing Nature into the Classroom One of McDowell Nature Center’s Environmental Educators, Catherine Goodnight, recently took a trip out to Griggs Road Elementary School to teach a program on Woodland Animals. Often schools are dealing with limited budgets and are unable to fund field trips to the nature centers. One way to get around this is to bring nature to the classroom.

Catherine brought several program animals including a corn snake, mud turtle, the box turtle, and American toad along with animal pelts and artifacts. The students enjoyed learning about the animals while getting an up-close and personal interaction with them. The students touched the pelts, examined animal bones, interacted with program animals, and much more.

They were full of excitement and great questions.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Seniors Visit Speedway for Christmas:

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!!

On December 17th, Twenty-Two seniors from Albemarle Road Recreation Center visited Speedway Christmas. The annual Naomi Drenan Recreation Center light show, which is located at Charlotte Motor For more information about our programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationSpeedway, had more than Center@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.432.5231 three million lights on display. After the show, seniors were also given an opportunity to fellowship over dinner at one of Harrisburg's popular restaurants.

The" See Charlotte" program for the Albemarle Road Recreation Center is held on the third Tuesday of every month. The low program cost of only $5.00 makes this an affordable monthly outing for our seniors. For more information, contact Ivan Jones at 704-567-1941 or ivan.jones@mecklenburgc ountync.gov.

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.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities 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 112, 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!

Albemarle Road Recreation Center For more information about our programs please contact AlbemarleRoadRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.567.1941.

Ivory/Baker's Out-of-School PLAY Days While children were out of school for the winter break, some came to Ivory/Baker and made memories. The children made a special trip to McDowell Nature Preserve, where we met up with Anthony Shaheen for a fun-filled day. First, we went out towards the prairie and wooded area for the group of 10 to split into 2 teams to build a fort or "jail" so they could play "Capture the Flag.

For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker call 704.432.4580 or email IvoryBakerRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov.

Holiday Celebration at Albmarle Road Recreation Center: Albemarle Road Recreation Center hosted a Holiday Celebration for the community on December 21, 2013. The program included a youth talent showcase, featuring a few of the center's youth organizations, and a community basketball game. Santa also made a special appearance!

Through a partnership with Sacred Dance Ministry, program participants had an opportunity to receive new and gently used clothes, toys, shoes, and coats. Over 250 people attended this event!

For more information on family programming at Albemarle Road Recreation Center, contact Ivan Jones at 704-5671941 or ivan.jones @mecklenburgcountync.g ov.

Pictures with Santa

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Ivory/ Baker Gives Back to Their Community

Arbor Glen had a special On Friday, Dec. 20th, a Winter Wonderland program served visitor on Friday, December 18 children ages 2-14 years (and their parents) from the 20, 2013, that came to Ivory/Baker Recreation Center community. The particispread some holiday cheer pants were invited to make crafts, eat and received gifts from to well deserving boys and Santa. With the assistance of Charlotte Housing Authority/ girls, adults, and staff MĂŠlange Health Solutions and Andreal Shelton, Resource Detoo! Some kids were exvelopment Coordinator in the Business Support Services cited, others cried, "boo Agency of Mecklenburg County Government, staff were able hoo". Jolly he was, to say to make the program a success. the least. Even when a little baby tried to sneak a peek. Pulling and tugging Ivory/Baker Recreation Center at Santa's beard and For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker, email IvoryBakerRecreationCenhat. Santa just smiled and ter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-4580. said, "Uh uh, don't do that"! One by one, boys and girls smiled for a picture with Santa. All the while, stating what they wanted under their tree. Santa just laughed and said, "Ok, just make sure you leave some cookies for me." Our hearts melted and our faces were full of cheer.

Pictures with Santa

Then Santa left saying, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"!

For more information, contact ArborGlenOutreachCenter@MecklenburgCoun tyNC.gov or 704-432-1531.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Outdoor Adventurers Learn Campfire Building Skills at Ivory/ Baker On Friday, Dec. 13th, twenty-five children from the Outdoor Adventures Club at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center, learned an alternative way to light a campfire. Once the campfire was ablaze, they enjoyed roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores for a snack.

Ivory/Baker Recreation Center For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker, email IvoryBakerRecreationCenter @MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-4580.

Healthy Eating Workshop at Revolution Park Sports Academy: Revolution Park Sports Academy was the host site for a Healthy Eating Workshop presented by the HeartBright Foundation. This free workshop for seniors focused on healthy eating during the holiday season, as well as how to incorporate moderate exercise into a busy schedule.

Participants were invited to taste a healthy chili recipe, perfect for those cold nights ahead. Everyone left with a full belly and various recipes to try at home.

Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club Hosts Holiday Dinner for Members The Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club held a holiday dinner for its Bridge Club members and guests on Tuesday, Dec. 17th at Ivory/Baker. After eating their holiday feast, members played several rounds of Bridge. The Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club is always looking for new members to join them on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings at the Ivory/Baker Recreation Center.

For more information about joining, contact Kenneth Vinson at kgvinson@bellsouth.net or 704.563.9508.

For more information on senior programming, or any other programs at Revolution Park Sports Academy, call (704) 4324963 or visit our website.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities CMPD Holiday Basketball Tournament at Ivory/Baker On Friday, December 27th, 2013 the CMPD in a collaborative effort between Project L.I.F.T. and the Charlotte Housing Authority hosted a holiday 3 on 3 basketball tournament at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center. The event began with motivational speakers from the community, with topics that included Conflict Resolution and Decision Making. CMPD officers served as referees and score keepers during the event and prizes and awards were given to the 1st and 2nd place teams. At the end of the day each participant along with spectators were treated to lunch which was provided by Subway.

A Master Gardener Speaks to Ivory/Baker 4-H Gardeners Shelby Harrison, from Latta Plantation Nature Center, visited twelve 4-H Gardeners at the Ivory/Baker Recreation Center on Thursday, Dec. 19th. The children showed off their "cold weather" garden to Shelby and she showed them how to properly thin out and transfer some of their vegetables, plus assisted in building a trellis for the peas. Everyone had a great time learning new skills and are anxiously waiting for their vegetables to grow bigger. For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker, email IvoryBakerRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-4580.

Latta Plantation Nature Center For more information about our programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.432.5231

Bid Whist Tournament at Bette Rae Thomas Twenty seniors spent the afternoon enjoying a friendly competition of Bid Whist. First place winners: James Sturdivant & George Sims. Second places winners: Jarriette & Robert Reives.

For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center, call For more information on our Senior programs, call 704-432-3048 or email @ BetteRa704.432.4580 or email eThomasRecreationCenter@mecklenburgcountync.gov IvoryBakerRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCounty NC.gov.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities 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!

Albemarle Road Recreation Center For more information about our programs please contact AlbemarleRoadRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.567.1941.

New Year’s at Noon at Bette Rae Thomas

Teen Summit at Bette Rae Thomas

3,2,1 Happy New Year!! Seniors celebrated

On December 12, 2013 teens within the community came to the Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center and enjoyed a night of entertainment, workshops and prizes from Power 98. Teens talked about bullying with Payton’s Promise and discussed how to overcome adversity with Pastor Usry. Teens had the opportunity to speak with various vendors from Teen Health Connection, ResCare Workforce, Job Corps McColl Center and Anuvia.

For more information on our teen programs, call 704-432-3048 or email BetteRaeThomasRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

an early New Year’s at noon. There was music, dancing, pictures, laughter, reminiscing, and BINGO! We toasted the New Year with sparkling juice and great company.

For more information on our Senior programs, call 704-432-3048 or email BetteRaeThomasRe creationCenter@Mecklen burgCountyNC.gov

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities

Spill Your Beans: Spill Your Beans is a support group for young women with disabilities ages 16 and up. The group will meet Monday, January 27th at McAlister’s Deli on Park Road.

We will be discussing issues regarding self esteem and playing group games and ice breakers.

If you would like more information, or to register for the program please contact Ariel.Kliem @MecklenburgCountyNc. gov.

CMPD Holiday Basketball Tournament at Ivory/Baker On Friday, December 27th, 2013 the CMPD in a collaborative effort between Project L.I.F.T. and the Charlotte Housing Authority hosted a holiday 3 on 3 basketball tournament at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center. The event began with motivational speakers from the community, with topics that included Conflict Resolution and Decision Making.

CMPD officers served as referees and score keepers during the event and prizes and awards were given to the 1st and 2nd place teams. At the end of the day each participant along with spectators were treated to lunch which was provided by Subway.

Ivory/Baker Recreation Center For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center, call 704.432.4580 or email IvoryBakerRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov.

Recreational News from Mecklenburg Communities Outdoor Adventurers Learn Campfire Building Skills at Ivory/ Baker On Friday, Dec. 13th, twenty-five children from the Outdoor Adventures Club at Ivory/Baker Recreation Center, learned an alternative way to light a campfire. Once the campfire was ablaze, they enjoyed roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores for a snack.

Ivory/Baker Recreation Center For more information on programs at Ivory/Baker, email IvoryBakerRecreationCenter @MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-4580.

Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club Hosts Holiday Dinner for Members The Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club held a holiday dinner for its Bridge Club members and guests on Tuesday, Dec. 17th at Ivory/Baker. After eating their holiday feast, members played several rounds of Bridge. The Metrolina Duplicate Bridge Club is always looking for new members to join them on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings at the Ivory/Baker Recreation Center.

For more information about joining, contact Kenneth Vinson at kgvinson@bellsouth.net or 704.563.9508.

Mini Chef Holiday Edition at Arbor Glen Dough mania‌the Mini Chef Holiday Edition baked up a delicious array of festive cookies on Thursday, December 19th. Mom's and Dad's enjoyed cooking with their little ones. Most of the 3 dozen cookies never made it out of the door to give to Santa with his milk. Mini Chef classes continue in the New Year with more entrees and desserts that children can make.

For information contact ArborGlenOutreachCenter@MecklenburgCounty NC.gov or 704-432-1531.

Park and Recreation News: 5841 Brookshire Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 336-8840

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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

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The Friday Letter Volume 3 • Issue 2 •

Scenes from Events: Nature Preserve staff from Operations, Nat. Resources and Education completed its first “Trail Crew” project last week at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve. We are renting a mini skid steer and did a trail re-route, closing off a section of eroded trail and creating a new trail section using sustainable trail design methods. It was a good team experience and we look forward to tackling many more trail projects! Photo of crew below.

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 Chris Matthews, Nature Preserves & Natural Resources Jeff Robinson, Park Operations