The Friday Letter | April 17, 2015

The

The 2015 Bark in the Park Top Dog Festival presented by Purina and Harris Teeter will take place Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., at Historic Rural Hill in Huntersville.

Bring your pooch and enjoy a funfilled day of contests, vendors , food and much more!

April 22, 2015

Mecklenburg County News Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is making sure that every child can swim by the 5th grade.

Through a partnership with Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation, the department will continue its free swim lessons program for youth, ages 3-12, at Ray’s Splash Planet, 215 N. Sycamore Street in uptown Charlotte.

Swim lessons are offered in monthly sessions and take place on Saturday mornings.

For a child to participate, he or she must attend a pre-registration event with a parent or guardian at Ray’s Splash Planet. Each registration session begins at 5:30 p.m.

Upcoming sessions:



April 28: Lessons take place on May 2, 9, 16 and 23 Applications will not be accepted after 6:30 p.m. on the day of registration. If applications exceed the number of available spots, a public lottery will be conducted.

For more information, visit www.parkandrec.com and click on the Ray's Splash Planet Web page.

Mecklenburg County News

‘Get Involved and Get Green’ for the Great American Cleanup Each spring, Mecklenburg County participates in the Great American Cleanup, a national movement that stresses environmental awareness through community-organized beautification projects.

Locally, thousands of volunteers work to clean and beautify parks, greenways, creeks and other areas throughout the County. You can view a schedule of upcoming events at www.wipeoutwaste.com.

Nature Preserves & Natural Resources NC Wildlife Society Annual Meeting Natural Resources staff recently attended the North Carolina Wildlife Society annual meeting in Lake Logan where the topic was "Conservation through Partnerships". The land management work that the Natural Resources Section conducts on Mecklenburg County's nature preserves was represented in multiple posters at the meeting, as the group is a research partner with several NC State University projects.

Nature Preserves & Natural Resources 22nd Annual Rural HIll Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games This is your chance to enter to the fascinating world of Scottish Heritage and Tradition.

Explore the various clans of Scotland, and enjoy traditional Scottish games, dance, food and music during this spectacular weekend-long event. The calling of the clans begins at 8 pm on Friday, April 17th, with the athletic fields opening at 8 am Saturday morning.

The event will conclude at 4:30 pm at the Rural Hill Cairn, with singing of Auld Lang Syne. Tickets are sold at the gate all weekend. For more information visit www.ruralhill.net

Community & Recreation Center Services Marion Diehl Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt On Saturday, April 4th Marion Diehl Recreation Center hosted their annual Easter Egg “Scavenger Hunt” coordinated and led by REC Mentee/Employee Juwan Truesdale. Children ages 3-12 used their exploring and excavation skills to find strategically placed eggs and other Easter related items which offered excitement for all who participated. “The laughter and joy of the kid’s makes this event worthwhile” was the overall sentiment of those who made the event happen. For information on programs please contact Marion Diehl Recreation Center @ 980-314-1300

Bunny Trail Ride and Egg Hunt The Arbor Glen community enjoyed an afternoon with Peter Cotton Tail down the Greenway Bunny Trail. It was decorated with flowers, bunnies and eggs allowing families to see where Peter lived while being told this fairytale story. In addition, there was face painting, races with T-Shirt prizes, and pictures with Peter Rabbit. The fun day ended with the annual Egg Hunt divided by Academic Ages. Join us for our annual Tot Olympics, Saturday May 2nd. For more information contact ArborGlenOutreachCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or 704-432-1531.

Community & Recreation Center Services Out of School It’s Spring Break at Tom Sykes, so that means let’s “Play the Day Away”! We had a BLAST taking field trips to different parks and enjoying a variety of games and arts and crafts. The kids enjoyed testing their football skills with Play60 when visiting Freedom Park, Learning about park safety when meeting a Park Ranger and playing on the new playground at Park Road Park; and enjoyed the views, trails and animal education at McDowell Nature Preserve. We even made new friends from Ivory Baker Recreation Center when we traveled to Frank Liske Park in Concord, NC and Reedy Creek Nature Center together. We took full advantage of what all of our parks and Nature Centers have to offer! For more information about Out of School Programs contact Tom Sykes Recreation Center at (704) 432 -4803 or email TomSykesRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

Community & Recreation Center Services Spring Break Basketball Camp: Arbor Glen hosted its annual spring break basketball camp April 6-9. Coach William Sperrow, of MACK Prep Academy, taught skills, drills, and basketball fundamentals to 15 participants ages 6-13. Campers enjoyed playing games against each other and staff enjoyed conducting arts and crafts projects and 4-H activities. For more information, contact ArborGlenOutreachCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or 704.432.1531.

Community & Recreation Center Services NDRC Spring Break Basketball Skills Camp: During CMS Spring Break, Naomi Drenan Recreation Center/Grayson Skatepark hosted its Spring Break Basketball Skills Camp for boys and girls ages 714. Aside from breaking down the fundamentals and techniques of the game such as dribbling, shooting, passing, ball handling, and defense, participants enjoyed various games and activities that not only encouraged team building and fun, but also focused on each specific skillset. To top it off, at the end of each day, players were able to use what they learned in a scrimmage game refereed by staff. For more information about our programs and events, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-432-5231.

Community & Recreation Center Services GSP Spring Break Skate Camp: Twenty boys and girls attended Naomi Drenan Recreation Center/Grayson Skatepark’s Spring Break Skateboard Camp. The week consisted of skate park safety, learning skateboarding tricks and flips, and skate park design. It was a great week filled with fun, sun (with a little rain), and great instructors that showed the participants, both beginners and returnees, how skateboarding can be beneficial to your mind and body. The camp was also featured in the Charlotte Observer showcasing all of the

Community & Recreation Center Services GSP Parks and Community Build Project: We have some wonderful news!!! Grayson Skatepark is in the running for an expansion in the near future, but we need your help! In order for us to win the $20,000 grant, go to http://www.parksbuildcommunity.org/ from now until April 30th to vote for Grayson Skatepark. And guess what?! You can vote every day! Please pass the word around and let’s work towards enhancing our skate park to keep kids out of the street. For more information, contact NaomiDrenanRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call 704-4325231.

Community & Recreation Center Services Spring Break Madness at ARRC: During the week of CMS Spring Break, Albemarle Road Recreation Center hosted its basketball camp for boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 12. The week long camp included skills development stations, mentoring sessions, a variety of shooting competitions, daily officiated basketball games, and community guest speakers. Twenty-five players from across Mecklenburg County participated in this annual program. Our REC Mentees were able to jump in on the action and did an awesome job helping to facilitate all of the different games and drills! For more information on youth programming contact AlbemarleRoadRecreationCenter@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or 704-5671941.

Community & Recreation Center Services Coming Soon, Baseball at Berewick: Fields are graded, lights and dugouts are going up‌ There should be the sound of little ones playing & parents cheering next baseball season. Thanks to Rod Fritz, Project Manager for his diligence! To keep up with the progress of the fields or for programming available at Berewick Recreation Center, contact staff at 704-432-4934.

Community & Recreation Center Services Just Dance at Methodist Home Recreation Center The young women of the Just Dance program at Methodist Home Recreation Center enjoyed a catered tea party on Saturday, April 11. The classroom was transformed into a banquet room to host the 11 girls and their families for the event. The ladies were escorted in and seated by young men of the Nspire Us boys mentor program, who volunteered for the event. After seated and playing some games, the attendees were served salad, pasta, chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers, and tea. This event was for the ladies to show off the skills they learned from their etiquette classes earlier on in the program. The Just Dance program is for young ladies ages 6-12 and centers around dance but also teaches life skills. They meet every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 11:00am-1:00pm. For more information, contact Kelly Hawkins or Eunice Jones at Methodist Home Recreation Center at 704-432-6455 or email Kelly.Hawkins@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or Eunice.Jones@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Mecklenburg County Awarded Access to Sports Grant Mecklenburg County has recently received a $15,000 Access to Sports grant, courtesy of ESPN and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), to upgrade the baseball and softball fields at Revolution Park Sports Academy. The grant funds new infield surfaces, dugout roofs, perimeter fence capping, and more! Youth baseball players have already experienced the improvements to the infield surfaces during the opening weekend on April 11th. For more information about Youth Sports, email YouthSports@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or call (704) 432-4963.

Grady Cole Center: Don’t miss the Charlotte Roller Girls this Saturday, April 18th in their 2015 season opener as they face off against Gate City. Doors open at 5:30PM and the double-header begins at 6:00PM. Tickets are $12 adult/$7 child in advance and $16 adult/$9 child at the door (children 5 and under are free). For more information about the Charlotte Roller Girls please visit http://www.charlotterollergirls.com/.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Boxing Program: Park and Recreation Recreation Specialist, Al Simpson at Revolution Park Sports Academy will be inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame this Friday evening at 7pm at the Sheraton Airport Hotel. His nomination was based of his outstanding work over the past years through North and South Carolina in coaching boxers to State, Regional, National and World titles! Coach Simpson was nominated a few years back for Contributor of the Year Award for Boxing.

He will also be nominated and inducted into the Women Boxing Hall of Fame this summer for being one of the first male coaches to coach the first U.S Female Team to the World Cup in 2001. He pushed hard for female boxing to be including in the Olympics which has come to pass with our 2012 first ever Unite States Female team which won Gold and Silver medals. Let’s give a big applause for Head Coach and Hall of Famer Coach Alvin Simpson. For more information on other boxing programs also call 704 432-4963, Coach Al Simpson.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA

YOUTH TRACK AND FIELD SEASON IN THE HOME STRETCH: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department’s youth track and field season in the home stretch with only two meets remaining on April 25th at Johnson C. Smith University’s Irwin Belk Complex, and May 2nd at Olympic High School. Twelve recreation centers, Ray’s Splash Planet, and Idlewild Elementary School have entered over 350 participants aged 4-18 in each meet competing in numerous disciplines that test athletes running, jumping, and throwing abilities.

The meet on April 25th begins at 9am sharp. For more information about youth sports, please visit www.ParkandRec.com or call 704-432-4963.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Revolution Park Sports Academy Spring Break Sports Camp: Revolution Park Sports Academy hosted a Spring Break Sports Camp for kid’s ages 7 to 12 years old. The camp focused on several different sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer, martial arts, boxing, yoga, golf, volleyball and disc golf. The participants also enjoyed a field trip to Ray’s Splash Planet and a cookout at Hornet’s Park. For more information on this program and others contact Revolution Park Sports Academy at 704-432-4963.

GC/MS, Youth & Adult Athletics, RPSA Women Basketball: Women’s Basketball finished off their winter season this past Sunday April 12th.

Games were played at Tom Sykes Rec Center on Sunday afternoons. There was a total of 7 teams that participated in the league this season. Team “Charlotte Mercury” became the same for this season. Spring season will be starting in May. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-432-3095 or 704-336-7639

Men’s Basketball: Men 40 & Over finished off their regular season this past Sunday April 12th. They will enter into their playoff games this Sunday, April 19th. Games are played on Sunday afternoons at Tuckaseegee Rec Center starting at 2pm. For more information on adult leagues please visit our website at www.parkandrec.com, or call us at 704-432-3095 or 704-336-7639

Adult Volleyball: Co-Rec B league ended their winter season on Monday April 13th. Games were played on Monday evenings starting at 6:30pm. There was a total of 7 teams that participated in the league this season. Team “Don’t Dink & Dive” became the champions for the league 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

Stephen Hutchinson Environment Education Manager Originally from Maryland, Stephen Hutchinson graduated from The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University with a BS in Environmental Forest Biology with a focus on Ecology and Education. He has been working for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation since 2008 when he started as Nature Center Manager for Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. He was recently promoted to Environmental Education Manager overseeing all environmental education, interpretation, and outdoor recreation for the department. Stephen is a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpretation and a Certified Park and Recreation Professional through the National Recreation and Park Association. He is married and has two children, Fiona & Clara. He considers himself an amateur herpetologist and enjoys looking for amphibians and reptiles in his free time. His other hobbies include hiking, camping, and homebrewing beer, wines, and meads.

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 Richard . McNeill @MecklenburgCountyNC.gov for publication assistance.

The Friday Letter Volume 3 • Issue 62 • April 10, 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 Terri Stowers, Community and Recreation Center Services Jeff Robinson, Park Operations Chris Matthews, Nature Preserves and Natural Resources