The Friday Letter | January 16, 2015

The

Solid Waste is sponsoring a booth at The Southern Spring show Feb. 20-21 and Feb. 27-Mar 1.

The booth times and shifts for both weekends are: Friday: 9:30 a.m.-8p.m. Volunteer shifts are 9:30a.m.-11:30a.m.; 11:30a.m.

-1:30p.m., 1:30p.m.-3:30p.m.; 3:30p.m.-5:30p.m.; 5:30p.m.-8p.m.

Saturday: 9:30a.m.-7p.m. Volunteer shifts are 9:30a.m.-11:30a.m.; 11:30a.m.

-1:30p.m., 1:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.; 3:30-5:30p.m.; 5:30p.m.-7p.m.

Sunday: 9:30a.m.-5p.m. Volunteer shifts are 9:30a.m.-11:30a.m.; 11:30a.m.

-1:30p.m., 1:30p.m.-3:30p.m.; 3:30p.m.-5p.m.

In exchange for your time, you’ll get free admission to the show after your shift (that’s the big perk), and credit toward vacation hours under the County’s Green Guardian program.

If you are interested in volunteering to staff the booth please contact Nadine Ford

by Friday, Feb. 6 with your availability.

Is Quitting Smoking on Your Calendar for 2015?

Every January 1, people all over the world make New Year's resolutions. If you're one of the nearly seven out of ten current U.S. smokers who want to quit, here are some ways you can get started today.

Develop a quit plan - Planning ahead is a major part of successfully quitting smoking.

Smokefree.gov offers details on how to create an effective quit plan.

Use free, effective resources -If you subscribe to the County’s health plan through CIGNA, phone support is available through the Lifestyle Management program by calling 855-246-1873 or by visiting myCigna.com. Additional resources are available through the NC Quitline, a free service that offers quit coaching and in some cases, nicotine replacement therapy. Call 1-800-Quit-Now to learn more.

Find a medication that is right for you - Because cigarettes contain the addicting chemical nicotine, it may be difficult for your body to adjust. To assist employees that want to quit, the County now covers all FDA-approved tobacco cessation or quit medications through CIGNA. You can use these resources to start 2015 as a healthier you. To learn more about tobacco prevention in Mecklenburg County, visit www.tobaccofreemeck.com or call 980 -314-9064.

Mecklenburg County News

In case of a power outage, please print out this printable emergency contact list.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Emergency Management With predictions of cold, wintry weather right around the corner, Mecklenburg County residents are encouraged to practice the following winter safety tips: At Home  Keep alternative heating sources prepared. If you have a fireplace, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood. Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure your family knows how to use them.

Make sure to turn off alternative heating sources when leaving the home.  Properly vent kerosene heaters and keep any electric generators OUTSIDE and away from any open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, do not burn charcoal indoors.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can result from charcoal fumes indoors.  Keep fresh batteries on hand to use with flashlights and weather radios.  Always keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food in your home.  If your pipes are vulnerable to freezing, i.e., they run through an unheated or unprotected space, consider keeping your faucet at a slow drip when extremely cold temperatures are predicted.

Keep a supply of candles available in the event of a power outage. Make sure to keep candles away from flammable objects, such as curtains, and out of the reach of children.

Find more tips and information here.

Helpful links Charlotte area forecast and weather advisories American Red Cross - Charlotte

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Flood safety tips CATS Rider Alerts Mecklenburg County updates Traffic accidents

Mecklenburg County News A Little ‘Healthy’ Competition Helps Lead to a Healthier Lifestyle Almost 500 employees committed to focusing on nutrition, activity, hydration, well-being and sleep as part of the 30 Day Lifestyle Challenge during September. They tracked their habits daily and used healthy recipes and weekly “get fit tips” along with some healthy competition to create a healthier lifestyle.

Congratulations to the grand prize Inspiration Award winner, Savannah Anderson, Health Department nurse case manager. Savannah showed an extraordinary commitment to the Challenge and went above and beyond by encouraging and motivating her team members and serving as an example by preparing a healthy lunch to bring to work every day.

More information about the County’s employee wellness program offerings is available here.

It’s Not Too Late To Vaccinate: Good Reasons to Get a Flu Shot Flu season is in full swing and by now, chances are you’ve been asked “Have you had your flu shot?” countless times. But there’s good reason for the hype. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over the past few years, the influenza vaccine has prevented millions of flu cases and tens of thousands of related hospitalizations.

Flu season generally runs from October through April and getting a flu shot -- along with frequent hand -washing, covering your cough and staying home when you’re sick -- is the best defense against getting the flu. If you’re still not convinced, click here for five reasons why you should get vaccinated.

More information on flu prevention is available here.

2014 Top Stories As 2014 comes to an end, here’s a look back at some of the events, stories and decisions that helped shape Mecklenburg County Government over the past 12 months.

The items below are not ranked, but simply an all-inclusive list that sums up the County’s productive year in review.

New Board Sworn In Dec. 1 marked the beginning for the 2014-2016 Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).

During a swearing-in ceremony before a packed house at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, two new commissioners were officially welcomed: Ella Scarborough, At Large; and Jim Puckett, District 1. The Board also re-elected Trevor M. Fuller as chairman. Meet the BOCC

Major Conferences Allow Thousands to Discover Mecklenburg County Mecklenburg County played host to thousands as two major organizations held their annual conferences in the Charlotte area in 2014.

The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), which celebrated its 100th birthday this year, attracted city and county leaders from all over the world for one week in early September.

View pictures from the conference Following the ICMA Conference, Mecklenburg County showed the country why it’s the natural place to be. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) visited Charlotte in October and even helped the Park and Recreation Department cut the ribbon on Lincoln Heights Park.

Park and Recreation Opens Newtown Memorial Playground A brand new playground was built in October at Park Road Park, and it was for a very special reason -to honor the memory of the students and teachers lost in the 2012 Sandy Hook School shooting in Newtown, Conn.

In early 2013, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation decided to carry out the tribute by having students from Pinewood Elementary School come up with the playground’s design and recruiting volunteers from across the County to help with the construction.

The kids grabbed pencils, crayons and paper and put together some very creative renderings. Watch a video of the playground being designed.

In December 2014, nearly 500 hundreds students joined local leaders and Park and Recreation for the playground’s dedication. View photos

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Adult 30 & Over Basketball Men 30 & Over basketball winter season started last Sunday January 11th. Games are played at Bette Rae Rec Center starting at 2pm. There is a total of 8 teams participating in the league this season. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-336-7639 or 704-432-3095.

Youth Basketball Season Underway Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department’s youth basketball season is now in full swing after a slate of games on Saturday, January 10th. The regular season began for ages 7-16 after three weeks of pre-season matches, while the six and under division started their first of eight games.

Games continue weekly on Saturday’s at 17 centers, including Ray’s Splash Planet, until the end of February. For more information, please visit www.ParkandRec.com or call 704-432-4963.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Adult Basketball Men’s 40 & over finished their fall season last Wednesday January 7th. Games were played on Monday evenings at SouthView Rec Center and Wednesdays at Rays Splash Planet. There was a total of 8 teams in the league this season. Team “Blazers” became the champions for this season. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-4323095 or 704-336-7639.

Adult Volleyball On Wednesday January 7th the Co-Rec BB volleyball league ended their fall season. Games were played Wednesday evenings at Tom Sykes Rec Center. There was a total of 7 teams in the league this season. Team “Hit That” became the champions for the fall season. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-432-3095 or 704-336-8118.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Adult Volleyball Wednesday January 14th Co-Rec BB will be starting off their winter season. Games will be played at Tom Sykes Rec Center starting at 6:30pm. There is a total of 7 teams participating in the league this season. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-432-3095 or 704-336-8118.

Adult Basketball Women basketball winter season started last Sunday January 11th. Games are being played at Tom Sykes Rec Center starting at 2pm. There is a total of 7 teams participating in the league this season.

For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-336-7639 or 704-432-3095.

Community & Recreation Center Services Albemarle Road Recreation Center The senior club of Albemarle Road Recreation Center , the Shining Stars, are looking forward to another exciting year full of leisure and recreation activities. On January 13 they held their monthly meeting to kick off the 2015 year. Monthly meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 10am. Currently the group is twenty six members strong but there is still plenty of room for new comers. For more information, contact Ivan Jones at 704-567-1941.

Tots on the Move at Southview With the start of the New Year, Southview has added a few new elements to the Thursday sessions of Tots on the Move. This past week, the tots went through stations that got them mobile and learning all at once. Stations included Alphabet Relays, Soccer Shootout, Color & Shape Relays, and Magical Hula Hoop. Everyone had a great time and used up a lot of energy. It was a great program for our newest staff member, Alyssa Love, to start helping out with! For more information on programs at Southview contact SouthviewRecreationCenter@mecklenburgcountync.gov or 704-392-7452.

Crafty Crafting Seniors at Southview This past week was the first crafting session of the New Year for our Crafty Seniors! As a group we made a banner coloring and listing our 2015 resolutions. Each senior colored one letter and wrote either their individual resolution, or a resolution to improve the program in general including: positive attitudes, helping those that need it, and more patience for others. It was a fun program to do as a group and sparked a lot of conversation on how awesome 2015 will be! ! For more information on programs at Southview contact SouthviewRecreationCenter@mecklenburgcountync.gov or 704-392 -7452.

Community & Recreation Center Services Naomi Drenan Recreation Center Adult Basketball: Every Sunday, adults ages 18 and up gather at Naomi Drenan Recreation Center to play organizedstructured basketball from 1:00pm-5:00pm. With anywhere from 40 to 60 adults in attendance almost every weekend, Naomi Drenan staff provides a safe, fun, and friendly environment for men to get in a great workout while participating in heavy competition with a score clock and music to keep the games fun and upbeat. With so many participants, Naomi Drenan staff has developed a system to make sure everyone gets on the floor for a chance to sweat and show who the real “Kings of the Court� are. For more information about our programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704.432.5231.

Berewick Recreation Center Youth Basketball began with a blast at the Berewick Recreation Center. Two age groups were represented 8 and under and 10 and under.Five games starting at 9:30 with over 400 people in attendance. The youth basketball season will last for the next six weeks. For more information on basketball and other youth sports please contact staff at 704-432-4934.

Nature Preserves & Natural Resources Native Plant Society met at Reedy Creek Nature Center: The Southern Piedmont Chapter’s January 2015 meeting was in the herbarium at the Dr. James F. Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies in the Reedy Creek Nature Center. The group was so large that we barely fit in the room! Herbarium curator Catherine Luckenbaugh talked to them about the way plants are collected and curated, how specimens are prepared for inclusion in the herbarium, and why herbaria are important. The group also heard about some of the collectors who have been contributors to the herbarium’s 48,000 specimen collection.

Nature Preserves & Natural Resources For several years, individuals and families have been able to check out free Adventure Backpacks from Latta Plantation Nature Center. These backpacks contain binoculars, field guides, and other tools to help our visitors get the most out of their day in nature. However, they are not ideal for the littlest nature explorers – those four years old and younger. To solve this problem, Latta Plantation Nature Center has just introduced a new toddler-sized Adventure Backpack! It contains smaller binoculars, a bug jar that is easy to open, short field guides with plenty of pictures, and many more items that are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

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 The Friday Letter Team at Kier. Harrison @MecklenburgCountyNC.gov for publication assistance.

The Friday Letter Volume 3 • Issue 51 • January 16, 2015

CHARMECK ALERTS The CharMeck Alerts Notification System relays accurate and timely emergency notifications. You control how you’re contacted— whether it’s on your cell, work or home phone, via text, email or voice message. You can receive up-to-the-minute notifications about events and emergencies that may affect your home, workplace or other points of interest—anywhere in Mecklenburg County. Sign up here or call CharMeck 311. To receive CDOT-specific alerts, you must sign up for that item in the list.

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 Chris Matthews, Nature Preserves and Natural Resources