Post-Keynote Speech Thoughts

by John Martin, VRPS 2012 Annual Conference Keynote Speaker

Wow.  What an inspirational retreat. The 2012 VRPS annual conference “Climb Up A Mountain of Fresh Ideas” nailed it.  The future of the Department of Recreation and Parks across America will center on the coming age shift - catering to Baby Boomers as they  double the number of seniors across America.  The cities, communities, and neighborhoods that tap into and plan for this demographic Silver Tsunami will become the most desirable places to live and play in Virginia and nationally.  Focusing on the expectations and delivering on the social, recreational, educational, and physical needs of aging Boomers will make your Department of Recreation and Parks "ageless," an organization that improves the quality of life for the entire community.

Mine says "KNOW IT ALL".

by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

• It's the Friday of a four-day week, thanks to Monday Labor Day.
• It's the Friday of a four-day week before the VRPS Annual Conference, which begins tomorrow, Saturday.
• It's the Friday of a four-day week before the VRPS Annual Conference, for which three-fourths of the staff has already left.

As with any big event, there are more last-minute to-do's than there are last-minutes.

We deserved FUN ribbons this week - little special somethings to motivate us.  They're quite telling ....

See you at the top ....

TAKE COVER!

The Virginia Recreation and Park Society, with help from many of the 120 local parks and recreation departments associated with VRPS as well as 13 other generous donors, sponsor a legislative weekend each year near Galax, Virginia.  This special event entices state legislators and their families to sample a beautiful part of southwest Virginia in all its glory.

Golf, delicious meals, and a fiddlers' convention all played a role this year, but perhaps the most photographically telling is the float trip and it's take-no-prisoners/every-man-(woman, child)-for-himself water war.

Recognize any faces??

Many thanks to:

Appalachian Power

City of Norfolk Recreation, Parks, & Open Space

Roanoke County Parks, Recreation & Tourism

Radford University/Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism

Wythe County Parks & Recreation

Wytheville Parks and Recreation

Herndon Parks and Recreation

Gloucester County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Eldon James & Associates, Inc.

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Virginia Moose Association

Virginia State Parks

TAKE A HIKE, Will ya?

by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

Monday, September 10, 1-5:15pm is GO-time.  Annual Conference-goers, brain-weary from their educational sessions on Sunday and Monday morning, have a four-hour RECESS.  What to do, what to do ....  Here's a few ideas:

Blue Ridge Railway Trail Excursion:  1-4:30pm

This trail was built with grants from the VDOT Enhancement Grants & DCR Recreational Trails Fund.  Find out how Amherst and Nelson Counties and the nonprofit VA Blue Ridge Railway Trail Foundation worked together to build the trail.  This 7-mile hike compliments the Monday morning session presented by Bill Mechnick.  (Limit:  16; First Come - First Serve)

Tennis:  Facilities at both Devil's Knob and Stoney Creek offer 19 clay and 3 indoor deco-turf courts.

Discovery Ridge:  plunging, jumping, climbing, zipping, mini-golfing, mechanical bull riding, table gaming.

Summer Tubing:  "It's still like being on top of a ten-story building and traveling over three football fields ...."



Hiking:  Wintergreen offers spectacular Blue Ridge views of the Rockfish and Shenandoah valleys from its mountaintop.  Over 30 miles of marked trails are available for exploration winding the two mountain peaks that makeup Wintergreen:  Devil's Knob and Blackrock.  The perimeter trails circumnavigate the resort with shorter access trails available.

Sweat and Splash:  fitness center with strength and conditioning circuit and free weights, treadmills, stationary bicycles, ellipticals, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, steam and sauna rooms.



Lake-it:  Lake Monacan, a 20-acre lake and park is staffed daily with a lifeguard.  Snack bar, paddleboats, canoes, kayaks, fishing equipment, and standard road bikes are available, as well as horseshoe pits, a sand volleyball court, a sandy beach, lounge chairs and a picnic area.

Fish-it:  Wintergreen is close proximity to some of the best fly fishing that Virginia has to offer.  Quiet valley ponds and lakes, cascading mountain streams, and the nearby James River provide a variety of angling opportunities.

Shopping:  no explanation necessary.

Name Calling

by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

To quote lovestruck Juliet:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

It's been two months since I joined VRPS, and what I've learned, among other things, is this:  if I forget a woman's name, Jennifer and Cindy are good guesses.  If those don't work, try Katey/Katherine/Catherine or Susan; there are many in the ranks.

Jennifer is the number 6 all-time name in the United States.  What is especially impressive is that, although it has fallen in the ranks in the past 3-4 years, it was NUMBER 1 for over a decade from 1970-1984.

Susan, at number 8 all-time, has also diminished in popularity within the past twenty years or so, but its endurance is what keeps it at the all-time top.

Cynthia, and derivations thereof, comes in at 28 (okay, Cindy actually is number 113, but I'm rounding up).  Coincidentally, "The Brady Bunch", with darling little golden pig-tailed Cindy Brady, aired from 1969-1974, and, those were clearly good years for "Cindy".



Katey/Katherine/Catherine are tricky in that there are individual rankings for Kathleen, Kathy, Kathryn, and so forth.  Rest assured, they are all in the top 100.

Now it's your turn.  Someone please tell me there will be name-tags at Conference.

Conference Time!

by Jim Stutts, VRPS Executive Director, Central Office

As you know, a great deal of time and effort goes into planning the VRPS Annual Conference.  The process takes approximately 12 – 18 months, and involves dozens of very talented and committed individuals.  With the next conference planning team getting organized prior to the existing planning team’s actual event, the conference planning literally never ends.  Nor should it.  Each year new and fresh ideas emerge, exciting new venues are unveiled, interesting speakers and fascinating exhibits are discovered, and lots of members take advantage of this exceptional training and networking opportunity.

Wintergreen Resort - Stoney Creek Golf Course

I know you’ve heard this before, but it’s worth repeating.  This year’s conference at Wintergreen, September 8 – 11, will be spectacular.  The planning team is in the final phase of confirming educational sessions (approximately 75), sponsors and exhibitors, really fun entertainment…can you ride a bull, climb a wall, identify stars or slide down a mountain.  All of this and great food and much, much more is awaiting you at Wintergreen.  If you have not been to a VRPS Conference in a few years, I assure you, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Now thinking ahead.  The 2013 Conference Team met last week at James City County’s newest park, Freedom Park.  First of all, the new team has vetted over 47 different theme ideas, and is very close to unveiling the 2013 Conference official conference title, theme and logo.  Scheduled for September 7 – 10, 2013 at the Williamsburg Hotel and Conference Center (formally the Williamsburg Marriott), the conference is going to be special.

"Go Ape" Treetop Adventure Course

If we are lucky, we may get a chance to visit FreedomPark!  What a neat space.  It is a 601 acre forested retreat with 30 miles of hiking trails, Go Ape Treetop Adventure Course, Revolutionary Way Battle Site, a Free Black settlement, a 17^th century homestead, botanical garden and Interpretative Center.  It’s a fascinating park.  In fact, you may want to visit it before 2013!

Freedom Park Cabins

VRPS continues to benefit from scores of talented and committed members that are passionate about our profession.  They also are very generous in sharing time and expertise to make VRPS a better and relevant organization.  There is pride among us and for that we are extremely fortunate.

Whooey - and it isn't over ....

by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

Mother Nature has been testing the limits this summer.  In the midst of droughts, tornadoes, derechos, fires, and extreme (really extreme) temperatures, the VRPS community has pooled its creative juices to serve its public via creative, cooling endeavors, sometimes without the use of electric power.  Thanks to those posting photos!



Danville's Fun Wagon (hose me down and give me a snack), No Kids Allowed - Adult Summer Camp (say no more), and Motorless Bass Fishing Tournament (in the words of Elmer Fudd, "Shhh.  Be vewy vewy quiet.")



Blacksburg's Inflatable Fun Water Camp (more water, and lots of jumping) and Skateboard Camp (Dude).



Prince William's Red Hot Robotics and Van Gogh For It Art Camps (never underestimate a good play-on-words), Loudoun County's Cardboard Boat Regatta (Water + Cardboard = Eventual Soggy Sinking), and Fairfax County's Our Special Harbor Sprayground (playground/sprayground).

Looking forward to much, much more from the VRPS talent pool!