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Dear PRPS Members & Friends,
A full month of the New Year has passed. Wow! What has it brought for you? I've been thankful for the mild weather conditions. PRPS continues to grow with our new website, memberships and unique partnering opportunities. Thanks to everyone who has sent back their membership dues already - that is appreciated!
For those with trails or an interest in trails, I'm asking you to consider contacting your state senator or congressman today. Tell them the importance of dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The federal funding that supports these efforts is once again threatened to be cut. If every PRPS member shared their voice with an email or phone call it would be difficult for the legislator's to ignore it! If you would like talking points on this, please contact me and I'd be happy to share some with you.
Also, for those in the trails community, once again PRPS has opened up the Regional Trails Grants. These are for groups that are planning a one day or multi-day workshop about trails. If you are interested in applying for one of these grants, contact Emily Gates in our office at egates@prps.org.
PRPS has launched a new partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance. They are helping the Youth Sports Task Force with training and resources. Last week I attended a meeting with the task force and they are looking for some new members! If you have an interest in youth sports, are a coach or volunteer, we are interested in having you be involved! Consider it - not only does it help you grow professionally, but you are giving back to the society.
Speaking of being involved...if you have been receiving your emails from us, you should know that we have a little event called the Annual Conference coming up in March! We have a great committee that has put together outstanding sessions for you, but we need you there to reap the benefits! This event is possible with the support of our vendors and sponsors. We still have some spaces left in the exhibit hall so if you are a vendor or know a vendor spread the word.
I would be remiss if I did not bring up the events of this past month here in State College. If a scandal weren't enough...now we have the death of Joe Paterno on top of that. I've seen some powerful messages floating around on Facebook and I'm taken aback by the show of support that one man has from fans, alumni, and the community. As you know, I'm a Temple person....but despite that I still see the immense power JoePa had and will continue to have - it truly is amazing.
I hope to see you all at the conference or at events that we are co-sponsoring during the next few months.
My Regards,
Kim
Kim Woodward
Executive Director
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| PRPS Annual Conference | |  submitted by Karen Hammond, Conference Publicity Have you registered yet for the 2012 Annual Conference yet? Now would be the time...you don't want to miss out on one of the best conferences yet! Check out your registration guide and all the SUPER sessions! Our Keynote John Cronin will rock your world, and then we welcome back Richard Houston with his powerful concepts, and then from Debra Hatley to Kurt Baker you will hear about Parks and Recreation form the people that really make it happen...the Super Heroes of PA!!! And let's not forget the socials and tours! Bring your latest and greatest Super Heros costume and participate and WIN! Loads of activities and fun are to be had by all. You will have the opportunity to experience making the Super Snow that Seven Springs puts under your feet every season! Most importantly, the opportunity for some EXTREME Networking is around EVERY corner! And we all know that networking is the way to get Super new ideas and practices. You will meet people in your field, people in other fields, and people that can make your programs happen with their products, but the bottom line is connecting with all of those people will improve your community and its programs. What are you waiting for???? Now is the time to connect with your Super Heroes of PA!!! |
| Leadership Living | | |
Fluxing fortunes
Change happens:
High in the upper atmosphere, the jet stream shifts subtly to the south.
Suburban sprawl invades the woods in northern New Jersey.
Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank are fired from their jobs in a home improvement store.
Opportunities arise:
Certain of their data, savvy AccuWeather forecasters pool their funds and invest in citrus stock before a freeze reaches central Florida.
Black bears near the Delaware Water Gap learn to raid backyard birdfeeders and garbage cans. They discover the ease of preying on pets and breaking into kitchens for food.
Misters Marcus and Blank co-found The Home Depot chain of retail stores and become billionaires.
Cycles come and go:
The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was a product of an eight-year drought, relentless wind erosion, and economic depression that settled on the American Great Plains. After the rains returned in 1941, dust storms ceased, crops thrived, and prosperity returned.
Read more |
| Staff Profile | | |
Melanie joined the PRPS family in early January 2012 as the year's Spring Intern. As a senior at Penn State University, she is spending 12 weeks with us getting to know the ins & outs of PRPS- all while finishing up her education! Some of her duties include creating fliers and promotional packets to distribute to colleges, setting up dates and times for training events, attending various meetings, and working on signage for the upcoming conference in March.
Melanie's interests include the outdoors, the indoors, playing with baby kitties and planning social events for her friends and family. She isn't much of sports fanatic per se, but enjoys the atmosphere of events and takes advantage of the chance to people watch and scan the bleachers for familiar faces. A self-proclaimed crazy cat woman, Melanie indulges in her favorite website now and then, www.icanhascheezburger.com, an educational site to say the least. In addition to looking at cute kitty pictures, Mel has a cat of her own. Unfortunately, Tuckerson and Melanie are currently separated by many miles and mountains but they look forward to being reunited upon her graduation from college.
Melanie looks forward to meeting all of you at this year's Annual Conference and encourages you to introduce yourself to her! While her super hero name has yet to be decided, I have a feeling she is going to look pretty feline in a cape!
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| Building Fund Contributions | |
Karl Schlentner
Karen Williamson
Steven Volgstadt
Genevieve Volgstadt
Beth Helterbran
Greg Gove
Kathyn Brill
Alice Towbridge
Michael King
Lois Snowden
Thank you! |
| Member News | | |
New Baby!
Jessica O'Keefe, Recreation Associate at Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission, gave birth to her first born:
Ella Grace O'Keefe
born 6:35 am, January 2, 2012
7 lbs., 10 oz., 20.25 inches
Congratulations to Jessica and Carl!
Sympathy
We just learned on the passing of PRPS branch member, Leonard J. Kratcoski. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. |
| Training & Education | | | Spring Workshops
Click here to see the latest workshops on the PRPS website. To Register online click here.
For the DCNR Grant workshops, click here to register. To download the flyer click here.
LERN Seminars are available online.
The Swimming Pool Management and Re-Certification dates and locations are being confirmed. Look for more information soon!
Check out the NEW PRPS website for District and Branch News click here. |
| Youth Sports | |
PRPS and the PA Youth Sports Task Force has started a new partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance. The PCA is offering webinars as well as resources to PRPS members involved with youth sports. We hope that you are able to take advantage of these opportunities.
Child Abuse Prevention in Youth Sports Webinar I
February 2, 2012
Click here to register!
Child Abuse Prevention in Youth Sports Webinar II
February 9, 2012
Click here to register!
Positive Coaching Alliance 2-minute Drill - for the Athlete.
Positive Coaching Alliance 2-minute Drill - for the Parent.
Positive Coaching Alliance 2-minute Drill - for the Coach. |
| Trails News | |
2012 Regional Trail Workshop Grants
Funded through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and administered by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, Regional Trail Grants are awarded to conservation-oriented organizations for local trail workshops. Grants will be awarded up to $5,000, or 80% of the costs associated with each workshop. Grantees are responsible for all remaining workshop costs. Applications can be submitted throughout 2012, but no awards will be approved after December 31, 2012. For more information and a Regional Trail Workshop grant application contact Emily Gates at 814-234-4272 or egates@prps.org.
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| Therapeutic Recreation | |
Circle your Calendar! 
44th Annual TRI
June 6th-8th, 2012
Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday Inn
Grantville, PA
Generation 2 Generation: People are What Matter
We Have Listened...We Are Planning...We Look Forward to Seeing You
http://recreationaltherapyfoundation.org/Home_Page.html
Learn about a grant opportunity for those in TR. Click the link above for more information! |
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