Autust 2009 VRPS Presidents Newsletter

S u m me r 2 0 0 9 Edition

V I R G I N I A R E C R E AT I O N & P A R K S O C I E T Y

PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER Virginia Recreation & Park Society, 6372 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Suite 109, Mechanicsville, VA 23111 www.vrps.com vrps@vrps.com 804.730.9447 (o) 804.730.9455 (f)

From the President INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the President

Cover

Board of Director Elections

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Foundation Update

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Norfolk Swim & Water Safety

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Advertisements

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VRPS Conference in Roanoke

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LEADERSHIP...

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

John Quincy Adams The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.

Kenneth Blanchard I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Ralph Nader Leaders aren’t born, they are made.

And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.

Vince Lombardi

Michael Morris Director, City of Portsmouth Department of Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services

Mountain Top Experience!

The 2009 VRPS Annual Conference in Roanoke is shaping up into what should be a “Mountain Top Experience”. Those who have never heard Dr. John Crompton are in for a real mind-stirring and eye-opening opportunity. Dr. Crompton has been renown for studying the benefits of Parks and Recreation. I personally used many of his materials related to the economic impact of Parks and Recreation Programming and Events during my Master’s Thesis days. He has now branched into “positioning” or “re-positioning” your programs and agencies, but still from a benefits approach. He offers a wealth of knowledge to share.

As if Dr. Crompton was not enough, add Leon Younger to the equation and you have an unbelievable knowledge base from which to draw. Mr. Younger has a great breadth of information, having consulted with agencies all across the country. He offers valuable information and data on Parks and Recreation management that very few others can provide. Add to this the variety and quality of the educational sessions that will be offered and you can see the value of absorbing all this useful professional knowledge.

But what about the Events? A “Night on the Mountain” at Mill Mountain Zoo on Sunday night will certainly be a night you will not soon forget, well, hopefully you will remember enough of the evening to not forget! The “Tailgate Party” on Monday night should be awesome, especially with a Monday Night Football Doubleheader. Our colleagues in the Roanoke Valley have taken great pride in producing a conference that everyone will love. Join us in Roanoke and you will be glad you came for the “Mountain Top Experience”.

I will see you at the top of the mountain!

The price of greatness is responsibility.

Winston Churchill

Mike Morris 2009 VRPS President

VRPS BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTED FOR 2010 The recent VRPS Board of Directors election was held online for the first time in VRPS history.

The online voting process went very smoothly and produced an increase in voting. Thank you to the entire membership for your participation in the election process. In addition a thank you goes out to Darrell Crittendon, who served as the Nomination Committee Chair and to all the members of the Nomination Committee.

Two current board members were re-elected to another term. Michael Morris, Director of Portsmouth Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services and Keith Rotzoll, CPRP, Director of Prince George County Parks and Recreation were re-elected. Both had fulfilled unexpired terms of Board Members who resigned due to relocation during their terms. Newly elected to the Board of Directors is Pam Sheets, CPRP, Director of Shenandoah County Parks and Recreation.

Board of Directors to be re-installed for 2010 include: Lakita Frazier (CPRP), Director of Suffolk Parks and Recreation Ed Hamilton, Director of Academic Grants at Roanoke College Darrell Crittendon, Director of Norfolk Recreation, Parks and Open Space Michael Clark (CPRP, AFO), Recreation Superintendent of Roanoke Parks and Recreation Bill Sgrinia, Director of Danville Parks, Recreation and Tourism Brian Laws (CPRP), Site Operations Manager of Fairfax County Park Authority Art Thatcher (CPRP), Superintendent of Hampton Parks and recreation Jim Stutts (CPRP, CAE), VRPS Executive Director The 2010 Board of Directors will be installed during the VRPS Business Meeting, scheduled for Monday, September 14th at 5:30pm at the 55th Annual Conference in Roanoke.

VRPS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE Members of the Foundation of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society are very proud of the Scholarship Program that has awarded close to $100,000 in scholarships, and assisted local students and professionals with their education. This year, the Foundation was pleased to award the James K. Cole Scholarship to Ms. Kari Orr Diop, Recreation Coordinator for the City of Chesapeake. Kari is pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree from Old Dominion University. In addition, the Foundation awarded 70 professional and 8 student scholarships to attend the upcoming VRPS Annual Conference in Roanoke. Given the current financial situation, the Foundation Scholarship Program is vital. Without these scholarships, many VRPS members would not have the opportunity for professional development.

Please consider becoming a member of the Foundation of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society and donating to these worthy efforts. More information can be found on the VRPS website under Foundation.

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Submitted by Dr. Susan R. Van Patten Acting Core Curriculum Director Associate Professor Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Radford University VRPS Foundation Scholarship Chair

NORFOLK SWIM AND WATER SAFETY PROGRAM A UNIQUE AND COOPERATIVE EFFORT With beach and swimming pool season upon us, the City of Norfolk’s Aquatics staff is hard at work conducting the city’s Swim and Water Safety program, an element of the fourth-grade physical education curriculum. This program is cooperatively conducted by Norfolk Public Schools, who provide transportation, and the Department of Recreation, Parks & Open Space, who provide American Red Cross-certified instructors and lifeguards and equipment.

The program includes classroom instruction using the American Red Cross “WHALE (What Habits are Learned Early) Tales” video and a hands-on component conducted at Northside and Huntersville indoor swimming pools. About 2,250 children from 28 Norfolk elementary schools participate each year. Over five days of instruction at the pool, children are taught self-help skills, including how to properly put on a life jacket and use “reach and throw” techniques to aid a struggling swimmer, as well as basic swimming skills such as blowing bubbles, floating and kicking.

The program dates back to the 1970s, and has been honed to address three primary purposes: to assist students in dispelling fear of water; to teach water safety; and to improve fundamental skills in swimming.

Submitted By: Dan Jones, Division Head Aquatics & Recreational Water Activities Norfolk Recreation, Parks and Open Space

Water Safety Tips to Remember for Children • •

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Never leave young children alone even for a moment near any water. Young children can drown in even small amounts of water.

Always keep a young child within arm's reach in a bathtub. If you must leave, take the child with you. Never leave to answer the phone, answer the door, get a towel or for any other reason.

Don't leave a baby or toddler in a bathtub under the care of another young child.

Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. Toddlers can fall headfirst into buckets and drown. After using a bucket, always empty and store it where young children cannot reach it. Don't leave buckets outside where they can collect rainwater.

Prevent children from gaining access to spas or hot tubs when not in use; always secure with safety covers and barriers.

Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). It can be a lifesaver when there are only seconds to act.

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Director of Parks and Recreation - City of Charlottesville, Virginia is seeking an innovative, entrepreneurial & dynamic Parks and Recreation professional to manage the operations of its growing arts, cultural and leisure service activities. The Director will serve as a highly visible leader for the Department and responsible for developing programs, practices & facilities that are responsive to the needs of all segments of the community. The Director reports to the City Manager.

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Parks/Recreation, Public Administration, Program Management or related fields; and a minimum 8 years senior executive management experience in either an urbanized setting or large suburban environment where high-quality parks & recreation services to diverse populations are common factors.

Ideal candidates will have: prior service in communities comparable in size, budget & staff responsibilities or larger than the City of Charlottesville; strong experience in developing social, recreational & special population program delivery systems is needed; prior experience in managed competition, continuous quality improvement methods, enterprise fund development, & maximizing fiscal resources; and, highly effective verbal & written communication skills.

Full Salary Range is $77,147 to $161,699; Hiring Salary Range is $77,147 to $115,000 depending upon experience & qualifications. Compensation includes a competitive executive benefits package. A resume & cover letter may be attached to the application but will not be accepted in lieu of the application. A copy of the recruitment brochure is also available on the City’s web site along with the full job description. Please apply on-line by September 18, 2009 at www.charlottesville.org/jobs. EOE

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VIRGINIA RECREATION & PARK SOCIETY

Summer 2009 Edition

PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER Virginia Recreation & Park Society 6372 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Suite 109 Mechanicsville, VA 23111 www.vrps.com

Prstd Std U.S. Postage PAID Richmond, VA Permit #1630

“DESTINATION GREEN” 7