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Greetings!
We are pleased to send our first issue of the e-
newsletter version of the PRPS Update. We are
utilizing a mailing service called “Constant Contact”
which is a permission based email service. It will
replace our old listserv as well as be the vehicle for
the newsletter and other email to our members and
other customers. In addition to the Update, you’ll be
receiving PRPS WebNews with a new look.
We selected this service because of the security
features for our email lists and the efficiency that it
has in delivering the email messages. It should
reduce the problems of our messages being bounced
back to us as potential spam. Convenient templates
and other features should make save us time as well
as make our messages more attractive and easy to
read.
Please let us know what you think and what you
would like to see added to future Updates.
In addition to the change with the Update, we have
utilized the summer for other improvements. You
won’t see much difference, but we’ve spent a lot of
time upgrading our financial software going from a old
system known as DacEasy to the latest version of
Peachtree accounting. This change plus more
utilization of online banking is all part of being more
efficient and effective with our staff time.
We are continuing the improvements to the PRPS
building. For those who have been to the office, you
know that the library area was in the center of the
building, but not fully enclosed. We are adding a wall
that will add more quiet and privacy for board
meetings and workshops.
Recently, the Park Resource Branch Board returned to
the PRPS Office to meet and continue to their work
on the landscape project spearheaded by John
Spencer and John Mikowychok. With their help, we
are upgrading the landscape for the PRPS building to
be both attractive and low maintenance as we utilize
the expertise of our membership. There will be some
work days at the office over the next 12 months to
put the plan in place. Feel free to visit your office at
any time to see how we are doing.
I hope you are having a most enjoyable summer!
Best regards,
Bob Griffith, Executive Director
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NRPA Room Block |
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PRPS has a block of rooms for the 2006 NRPA
Congress in Seattle, Washington at the Red Lion
Hotel. The rate is $164 single/double. Call PRPS
before August 24th to sign up.
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PRPS Fall Mini-Conference |
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September 25-28, 2006
Harrisburg-Hershey Holiday Inn
Grantville, Pennsylvania
Aquatics, Programming, Trails, Therapeutic
Recreation, Interpersonal Skills, Pesticide Certification
Something for everyone!
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HTF Results |
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We had another successful HTF Program which was
held on July
8th at the Penn State Track in State College with
350
participants and approximately 1000 spectators.
Penn State
Track Coach Harry Groves retiree was honored for
over 20
years of support to the Hershey Program.
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Youth Sports Task Force |
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The PA Youth Sports Task Force has been busy
working on a Youth Sports Tool Kit. The tool kit
when completed will provide a framework for
organizations that provide youth sports programs.
Information on policies, manuals, volunteer contracts,
parents' code of conduct, background checks and
more are included. The tool kit will be available as a
downloadable format on the PRPS Website, a cd, and
a hard copy will be distributed to all the park and
recreation agencies in the state. This is with hopes
that it will be forwarded along to the entities that
need it!
Next up for the task force is the youth sports
summit, to be held later this year.
Interested in being involved in the task force?
Contact Kim Woodward at the PRPS office at
kwoodward@prps.org.
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Member News |
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Tracy (Ciavarelli) Mullarkey, Director of
Therapeutic
Recreation at Broomall Presbyterian Village was
married on February 25, 2006 to Joe Mullarkey. Her
email now is tracy.mullarkey@presbyhomes.org.
Congratulations to Joe and Tracy!
SYMPATHY
We are very sorry to report the passing of
Honorary Member, Earle D. Whitney on Monday, July
24, 2006. Earle was a member of PRPS for over 50
years and is the father of Karen Whitney, Park &
Recreation Director in Warminster Twp. Earle was
the 1963 recipient of the PRPS Honor Award, and
served on the Board of Directors and numerous PRPS
committees in the 1950’s and 1960’ s.
Friends and colleagues are invited to pay their
respects to the family at Decker Funeral Home, 216
York Road in Warminster on Saturday, July 29, 2006
from 9:30-11:30 AM. A private memorial service will
be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be sent to Camp Ockanickon-BSA
(Boy Scouts of America), 1 Scout Way, Doylestown,
PA 18901.
Cards for the family may be sent to:
Karen Whitney (daughter)
131 South West Street, Doylestown, PA 18901
Mrs. Margaret R. Whitney (wife)
676 St. Charles Ave., Warminster, PA 18974
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Program Corner |
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Highlighting innovative programs and
ideas
If you have something you’d like to share, email
Kim Woodward at kwoodward@prps.org.
Experts say it takes 10 ideas for one to work out
successfully. If you are in charge of developing new
programs, begin thinking now for big-dollar new
programs that won’t start for 2-3 years. You should
have around 10 ideas stewing in your brain at any
time. LERN Magazine – November 2005
With investments in home improvements continuing to
be on the rise, and more women doing them
themselves, it is a good idea to get in on the trend –
have a Do It Yourself course as one of your programs
or a series of programs. Adapted from LERN
Magazine – February 2006
For Adults: Antique Road Show – Bring your treasures
to the antique road show to be inspected and
appraised by a local antique shop owner. Fishers
Parks & Recreation, Indiana
The Critters in the Moonlight Halloween walk is
open
to all visitors and includes cider, doughnuts, trick and
treating and a trail program. State Park Program,
Department of Natural Resources, Michigan
For Tweens – Ultimate Frisbee and Games, held on
the grounds of the public pool. Two 4-week sessions
held per summer with each session one hour, once a
week. Ages 10-12. Bozeman Parks & Recreation,
Montana
Testimonials are powerful tools for promoting your
programs! They help to break down skepticism and
show that people are willing to “go public” in their
support of what you are offering. Adapted from
LERN’s Marketing Recreation, Vol. 18, No. 3
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Calendar of Events |
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AUGUST
18-PTRS Board Meeting, PRPS Office, State
College
21-Cultural Change, Luther Crest Retirement
Community, Allentown
24-Cultural Change, VA Pittsburgh Health Care
System, Pittsburgh
30-Cultural Change, Broomall Presbyterian
Village, Broomall
SEPTEMBER
6-7-Swimming Pool Management Workshop &
Exams, Plymouth Twp. Parks & Recreation,
Plymouth Meeting
6-7-Swimming Pool Management Workshop &
Exams, Meadville Fire Department, Meadville
12-13-Swimming Pool Management Workshop &
Exams, Slippery Rock Area Parks & Recreation,
Slippery Rock
15-D-3 Bobby McCullough Memorial Golf Classic,
Locust Valley Golf Course
20-PRPS Board of Directors Meeting, PRPS
Office, State College
21-23-5th Annual International Youth Sports
Congress, Washington, DC
25-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program,
Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn, Grantville
25-26-AFO-Aquatic Facility Operator Certification
Course & Exam, Harrisburg/Hershey Holilday Inn
25-27-PRPS Fall Mini-Conference, Harrisburg/Hershey
Holiday Inn, Grantville
26-Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program,
Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn, Grantville
27-28-Swimming Pool Management Workshop &
Exams, Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn, Grantville
OCTOBER
10-13-NRPA Congress, Seattle, WA
19-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program,
Presbyterian Senior Care, Oakmont
25-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Erie
VA, Erie
16-Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, Seton
Hill University, Greensburg
27-Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, PRPS
Office, State College
NOVEMBER
1-Resource Operations Workshop, Cabela's,
Hamburg
1-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program,
Brethren Village, Lancaster
2-3 Urban Recreation Institute, Lehigh Valley
6-Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program,
Normandy Farms Estates, Blue Bell
8-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Broomall
Presbyterian Village, Broomall
13-Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, The
Highlands at Wyomissing, Wyomissing
15-Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program,
Seton Manor, Orwigsburg
DECEMBER
6-8-National Playground Safety Inspector Course &
Exam, State College
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2007 PRPS Awards Program |
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Give PRPS something to talk about! Share the great
stories of your community or agency with PRPS--the
people, the programs, the publications.
INTENT TO SUBMIT deadline is November 22,
2006.
AWARD NOMINATION FORM
deadline is December 8, 2006.
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Educational Opportunities |
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Please check out our website for new educational
opportunities that PRPS is offering.
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PRPS Update Advertisement |
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Club 100 Contributions |
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Kevin R. Drewencki in honor of John
Redeys
Jim Pashek
Gary O. Schmidt in memory of Don Gephart
Bob Ayer in memory of Edith & Birrell Ayer
Karl & Elsa Schlentner
Thomas R. Brant
Monty & Connie Christiansen
Tammy F. Klunk
Maria, Paul & Michael Olshansky
Ms. Daisy Carter
Beth & Feff Evans
William Semmel in memory of Dietra Mays
Neal McNutt in memory of Dietra Mays
Cathy Wegner in memory of Dietra Mays
Barbara Mills in memory of Dietra Mays
Valane Noecker in memory of Dietra Mays
Becky Richavcs in memory of Dietra Mays
Parke & Marilyn Humphrey in memory of Dr. Fred
Humphrey
Scott & Winnie Morgan in honor of Donald Koontz
Kenneth W. Lehr
Marigie L. Lewis
Larry Williamson in memory of Don Gephart
Daivd S. Fry
Wayne Johnson
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Fun for Everyone Advertisement |
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Breaking Down Barriers to Inclusive Recreation
October 27, 2006
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, PA
FREE
Mark your calendar now for this special one-day
conference created specifically for community
centers and recreation providers! Expand your
consumer base and increase your revenue by learning
strategies to offer recreation and leisure
opportunities to everyone in the community.
At this conference, participants will:
- Learn strategies to adapt program activities to
successfully include individuals with diverse
abilities
- Problem-solve solutions to struggles that
recreation centers have faced when offering inclusive
programs
- Discover outreach strategies to expand your
consumer base by creating an inviting and responsive
facility for all
- Hear stories of success that local and national
recreation centers have experienced in offering
inclusive programs
- Understand the value in reaching out to this
important audience and how it can help increase your
revenue
- Acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be
viewed as a progressive recreation program in the
community
- Learn how to assess and overcome your
recreation center's physical, financial and attitudinal
barriers to inclusion
- Gain information, ideas and resources on how to
provide inclusive recreation opportunities at your
location
Don’t miss this important conference that can
help your recreation programs flourish!
Contact Becky Karns at 412-697-7434 ext. 113 or
bkarns@ucppittsburgh.org to be placed on the mailing
list to receive a brochure
for this event.
The FUN for Everyone – Breaking Down Barriers to
Inclusive Recreation conference is proudly presented
by UCP Kids (Unique Community Programs for Kids)
and presented at no charge to participants thanks to
a special projects grant generously provided by the
PA Developmental Disabilities Council.
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