in honor of fred m. coombs 2018 awards...

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Outstanding Achievement Kurt W. Baker

in Honor of Fred M. Coombs Whitpain Township

Robert D. Griffith Distinguished Member Brian Foster

Mercer County Regional

Council of Governments

Outstanding New Professional Thomas Steines, West Goshen

Township Parks & Recreation

Community Champion Award Karen El-Chaar, J.D. MBA

Friends of the Allentown Parks

Student Honor Award Timothy Egan

Agency of the Year Reading Recreation Commission

Green Parks Award The Watershed Farm

Excellence in Recreation and Parks Awards

East Goshen Township Department of Parks and Recreation & Chester County Suicide Pre-vention Task Force

Lancaster Recreation Commission

Mechanicsburg Area Parks and Recreation

Muhlenberg Township Parks and Recreation

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Reading Recreation Commission, National Recreation and Park Association, and Friends of Reading Hospital

South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation

Whitpain Township Parks and Recreation

Willistown Township Parks and Recreation

Presidential Citations

Andy Cush Bill Boyce Bob Griffith George Ely Kate King & Kirk Rakos

Karen Hammon Rob Lewis

Student Scholarships

Timothy Egan, Larry G. Williamson Scholarship

Danilo A. Burgos Delores M. Andy Scholarship

Kashia Quay, Robert W. Crawford Memorial Scholarship

Laura A. Smith, John H. Jones Memorial Scholarship

Meghan Geiser, Dave Milliren Young Professional Scholarship

PENNSYLVANIA RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY

2017 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Thursday, March 29, 2018

71st Annual Conference & Expo

Pocono manor, PA

Sponsored by Recreation Resource, USA

PA Recreation and Park

Society

2018 Awards Banquet

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Program

Welcome Barry Bessler, Chair

Recognition & Awards Committee

Presidential Citations Kirk Rakos, President

Invocation Judy Houck

Dinner

Society Awards Barry Bessler

Photographs Award Recipients

2018 Recognition and Awards Committee

Barry Bessler, Chair, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation

Tammy Agesen, Lancaster County Department of Parks & Recreation

Phil Brady, Plymouth Township Recreation & Park Department

Cindy Dunlap, Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

Heather Cuyler, Pashek + MTR

Daphne Klahr, Reading Recreation Commission

Jason Lang, East Goshen Township Park & Recreation Department

Audrey Logar, Camp Hill Recreation, PRPS Board Liaison

Joe Seltzer, Montgomery County Parks

Deanna Schall, PA State Parks

Jim Watenpool, Franklin Park Borough Parks & Recreation (retired)

Agency of the Year Award

Blue Ribbon Panel of Judges

Kevin Coyle, Vice President, National Wildlife Federation and member of the Board of Directors, National Recreation and Park Association

Paul Gilbert, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority

Kevin O'Hara, Vice President, Urban and Government Affairs, NRPA

Diane Ryburn, Virginia Recreation and Parks Society Foundation, Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (retired)

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Her dedication to PRPS spanned three decades serving in various posts on committees, branches, and districts, PRPS Citizen Director, and Retired Professional. She was the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Member Award and twice received Presidential Citations for her service and dedication. With all of these accomplishments, and the professionalism that our winner has brought to the parks and recreation field, PRPS would be hard pressed to find a more deserving candidate to receive its highest individual honor. Sadly, Helen passed away in January of this year and is sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

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The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society extends its sincere congratulations to all those being recognized this

evening. Each individual, group, and agency is acknowledged for the positive impact they have made on

those served by our profession.

A SUMMARY OF THE AWARDS PROCESS

The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Awards Program is a competitive process.

The Awards Committee solicits nominations each year

beginning with summer media announcements including the PRPS Weekly SCOOP and the PRPS website.

Information and applications are available beginning in the

summer on the PRPS website, by contacting the Recognition and Awards Chair, or the PRPS office. Those interested submit their entries electronically in January.

Each member of the Recognition and Awards Committee

receives an electronic copy of the nomination form for their review and evaluation against established criteria.

Committee members vote anonymously and do not vote on

their own agency submissions. The Agency of the Year Award is judged by an independent

panel of experts in the field of parks and recreation.

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EXCELLENCE IN RECREATION AND PARKS

City of Allentown – Parks and Recreation Department “Fishing and Fun in the Park” Parks and Recreation Director: Lindsay L. Taylor Program Leaders: Ryan Griffiths, CYSA, Recreation Program Specialist, City of Allentown Parks and Recreation, Bob Amelio, Accessibility Support Coordinator, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living; Greg Bott, Director of Development, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living; Brian Rogers, Community Accessibility Coordinator, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living; Nanci White, CAP Program Assistant, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living “Fishing and Fun in the Park” is an inclusive event held annually that entered its 4

th year in 2017. The City of Allentown Parks and Recreation

Department, in partnership with the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, established this event to provide easy access to outdoor recreational and educational opportunities for all citizens, irrespective of age or ability. The free event included activities and demonstrations by the City of Allentown Police, EMS, Stormwater, Recycling, Health and Fire Departments in addition to the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, DaVinci Science Center, Wildlands Conservancy, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Archery Additions and the Friends of the Allentown Parks. “Fishing and Fun in the Park” is truly an event full of recreational enjoyment for all!

Fort Roberdeau and Altoona Area High School Astronomy Club “Haunted Tours” Director: Glenn Nelson

Program Leaders: Glenn Nelson, Director, Fort Roberdeau; James Krug, Director, Neil Armstrong Planetarium; Billie Kearney, Volunteer, Fort Roberdeau; Kristin Newvine, Volunteer, Fort Roberdeau; AAHS Astronomy Club The Fort Roberdeau and Altoona Area High School Astronomy Club’s “Haunted Tours” program leveraged an innovative approach to raising funds for construction of an observatory on the grounds of Fort Roberdeau, a Blair County Park and National Historic Site. Together, the two groups created a fun, imaginative, and educational Haunted Tours Program, generating impressive attendance and substantial funds, particularly for a first-time program. As a result, the Mountain Lion Observatory is in the final phase of construction and is slated to be operational in 2018. The Haunted Tours’ proceeds funded electrical work on the observatory. “Haunted Tours” captured the attention of county residents and beyond with approximately 1,200 people in attendance over a five-hour span.

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OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN

HONOR OF FRED M. COOMBS

Helen M. Griffith

Helen Griffith was a distinguished parks and recreation advocate and dedicated member of PRPS since 1984. For more than 30 years, she devoted her time and energy to parks and recreation both professionally and personally, helping to make those communities she worked in flourish and volunteering for many organizations committed to improving the quality of life for their participants. During her career, Helen served as a Recreation Board Member for East

Pennsboro Township, and worked for the Columbia County Commissioners in Bloomsburg, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the West Shore Recreation Commission, and retired from East Pennsboro Township as Recreation Director. Some of her greatest accomplishments in East Pennsboro were spearheading the community built Imagination Station Playground at Adams-Ricci Park and organizing the annual East Pennsboro Pumpkin Festival for 20 years. Helen was most proud of her involvement with the Hershey Track & Field games since 1991, serving as North American Meet Director and Pennsylvania State Chair, and being recognized with the Outstanding North American Regional award. Ever dedicated to the parks and recreation field, even in her retirement she continued to work part-time for Mechanicsburg Area Parks & Recreation coordinating recreation trips and developing public-private partnerships to increase program participation. She was also highly involved in her local community with the East Pennsboro Youth Athletic League, two parents associations at the local high school, the Enola Sportsmen Association, the Tri-County Federation of Democratic Women, and serving as a Judge of Election in her township precinct. Continued on next page

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DISTINGUISHED MEMBER AWARD IN HONOR

OF ROBERT D. GRIFFITH

Karen M. Hegedus

Lower Providence Township Parks and Recreation Department

Karen Hegedus began her parks and recreation career at the age of 16 as a Junior Playground Leader in Bethlehem Township. After majoring in Parks & Recreation Administration at East Stroudsburg University, she interned at West Shore Recreation Commission then landed her first full-time recreation position in Plymouth Township where she organized and supervised programs and special events. In 1996, she was appointed as Recreation Program Coordinator in Upper Dublin Township where she expanded the department's program offerings and began her serious commitment to service of PRPS. After a five-year "family timeout", Karen re-entered the full-time professional arena as the Parks & Recreation Director for Limerick Township, then moved on to her current position as Recreation Superintendent for Lower Providence Township. She spent many years coaching high school volleyball and remains a dedicated and devoted wife and mother to her beloved family, all while battling major health issues with the same tenacity and passion that she brings to her recreation and parks career. Karen's service to PRPS has grown steadily; she’s held various committee, branch, district and Board of Directors positions, and has received two Presidential Citations for her outstanding commitment to the Society. During her 20+ year career, Karen has continually promoted the benefits of parks and recreation with vision, creativity, and passion. Karen is known within PRPS and throughout her community as a person of integrity, inspiring the very best in others. She has been described as inspirational, courageous, a kind and giving mentor, tireless, and dedicated by those who know her best.

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Hatfield Township Parks and Recreation “Giving Tree” Parks and Recreation Director: Ashley O’Neill, CPRP Program Leaders: Christine Nicholas, Parks and Recreation Coordinator; Ashley O’Neill, CPRP The Hatfield Township Giving Tree program united several volunteer boards, township departments, schools, community organizations, and the community, in aggregate, for a worthy cause. Through coordination with North Penn School District, several local families in need were identified. In turn, those families proffered lists of needed and desired items. Township staff worked with the Shade Tree Commission and Environmental Advisory Council to create nature-themed holiday ornaments with suggested gift options for said families. Garnering awareness via social media and creative partnerships, local residents heeded the call with overwhelming generosity. Each ornament on the tree was replaced with a gift, creating joyous holiday experiences for families in need. The effects of the program have continued as those families have reached out to “pay it forward” and are now volunteering their time to assist the township and the community.


“Health and Physical Literacy Summit” Executive Director: Susan E. Landes, CPRE Program Leaders: Susan E. Landes, CPRE, Executive Director; Heather Dighe, Manager of Marketing and Development In 2017, Lancaster Recreation Commission (LRC) collaborated with the School District of Lancaster to host the “Health and Physical Literacy Summit”. Leveraging the framework of the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit, the Health and Physical Literacy Summit brought together representatives from key community sectors: community recreation groups, business and industry, national sport organizations, policymakers and civic leaders, education, parents, public health, tech, and media. The summit was a result of LRC’s desire to learn why children do not participate in programs and [to] help overcome those barriers. Lancaster Recreation Commission demonstrated proactive leadership, becoming a catalyst for the overall health of the community’s youth.

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Philadelphia Parks & Recreation “Girls’ Tumbling and Gymnastics” Commissioner: Kathryn Ott Lovell Program Leaders: Michael Grubb, Sports and Athletic Program Coordinator; Brian Sell, Recreation Leader; Gina Batavick, Recreation Leader; Stephanie Gradel, After-School Program Coordinator. The Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s (PPR) Girls’ Tumbling and Gymnastics Program has been in existence for 45 years! At a time in which many school districts and municipalities are being forced to cancel or reduce programming, PPR is committed to growing this non-traditional activity for young women across the city. Girls’ Tumbling and Gymnastics includes over 450 girls and young women of all ages, races, socio-economic and religious backgrounds from all sections of Philadelphia. The program features a competitive element with regional and district competitions, and a purely recreational side for those interested in fun and fitness. Girls’ Tumbling and Gymnastics has developed a strong relationship with USA Gymnastics and many former participants are involved in the training and coaching of the current program.


“Swim Philly”

Commissioner: Kathryn Ott Lovell Program Leaders: Lisa Whittle, Aquatics Coordinator, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation; Ben Bryant, AICP, PP, Director of Special Projects, Interface Studio Swim Philly is a Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) Initiative, geared to realize the potential of Philly’s public pools. Every summer, Philadelphia pools collectively serve 14,000 people per day as well as provide nearly 800 summer jobs, 13,000 swimming lessons, aqua zumba classes, and more. Swim lessons and the joy of a pool on a hot day were enough to draw residents to the water, though the surrounding, vacant pool deck did little to encourage them to stay. Using a contest-winning grant from the Knight Foundation, and pro-bono assistance from Group Melvin Design, PPR set out to implement low-cost, high-impact pool area renovations. Francisville Playground, a pool in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood, served as a ‘pilot pool’ for PPR’s newly imagined space. Francisville’s pool deck was cleaned and serviced, with umbrellas, seats, lounges, and planters being added. Michelle Ruffin, a longtime Philadelphia public pool employee and resident of the Fairmount neighborhood, told WHYY reporter Jon Geeting “I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 55 years and we’ve always had a great pool, but this is unbelievable. Who would ever think a palm

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No longer simply a recreation program resource, the LRC has become a leader in influencing urban social change and an integral service provider to make the greatest possible impact for the Lancaster community.

OUTSTANDING NEW PROFESSIONAL

Robert L. Jackson


Robert (Rob) Jackson began his career in his native Philadelphia in 2007 as a Recreation Leader Trainee. He has spent his entire career in the west and southwest Philadelphia communities serving in ever-increasing capacities in some of Philadelphia’s most distressed and challenging neighborhood. Demonstrating a natural ability to work with youth and teens, Rob has earned the community’s trust and respect at every position and displayed a great ability to navigate diverse constituencies. Rob is instrumental in a coalition of non-profit organizations, law enforcement and community leaders in the distinction of the Mantua neighborhood being named a Federal Promise Zone, aimed at skills training and job creation, enhanced educational opportunities and crime reduction. His assignment at the Kingsessing Recreation Center allowed him to expand his program provision skills, taking full advantage of the opportunities that a large facility has to offer with a pool, outdoor courts and fields, an auditorium, a computer lab and an extensive after school program. He continually uses his creativity to leverage program materials, resources, and outreach methods to recruit volunteers, all the while ensuring that the experience is beneficial to those volunteers as well as the participants. Last year, he was appointed as District Manager in the same Philadelphia communities that he had served for the previous decade, now with oversight responsibility for more than 30 facilities, 20 parks, and 15 swimming pools.

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AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARD


Lancaster Recreation Commission (LRC) has operated since 1909 as a community partnership providing neighborhood-based recreation and learning opportunities to 70,000 residents all ages, annually. The City of Lancaster and Lancaster Township operate their parks and recreation systems in a unique and cost-effective way, wherein Parks are maintained by each municipality’s Department of Public Works and Recreation services are provided through a community partnership among Lancaster City, Lancaster Township, and Lancaster School District. The intergovernmental Lancaster Recreation Commission is an essential service provider and advocate for social equity in the Lancaster community, with an emphasis on affordable programs for children, and have been recognized for taking a proactive approach to quantifying factors which drive youth participation, commensurately helping overcome obstacles to participation. As part of their strategic planning process in 2012, the LRC undertook innovate initiatives to enact positive social change. These efforts focused on making recreation programming inclusive at every level, more affordable, easier to access, and available in a wider range of neighborhoods. Synergistically-driven coalescence of those concepts formed the basis for the Future Red Tornado initiative, addressing the changing needs of the Lancaster community. This award-winning program aimed to greatly increase the number of children involved in youth sports and recreation programs through scholarship funds, equipment acquisition, increased accessibility, improved coaching and training, and partnerships with community organizations. This effort served as catalyst for the Commission to assume a leadership role in providing active, healthy living opportunities and advancing social equity among Lancaster residents. The LRC’s advocacy of social and behavioral change increased public awareness vis-à-vis issues surrounding physical inactivity and the lack of access to programming for urban children. They engaged a wide variety of individuals and agencies, working together to offer programming, resources and facilities and were able to provide thousands with swimming lessons, free sports clinics, Police Athletic League opportunities, and the Health and Physical Literacy Summit, recognized earlier this evening. The number of children and youth involved in sports and recreation activities has almost doubled, since inception.

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tree is growing in Francisville?” The undertaking was initially resisted by many, and is now the blueprint for a newly imagined public domain. Swim Philly is an in-house PPR initiative which has expanded to four other pool sites in two years under PPR leadership.

Reading Recreation Commission and Reading Public Museum “Pizza, Paint, and Turtles” Reading Recreation Commission Executive Director: Daphne E. Klahr, CPRP, CPSI Reading Public Museum Director and CEO: John Graydon Smith Program Leaders: Heather M. Boyer, Program Supervisor, Reading Recreation Commission; Wendy Koller, Manager of Education, Reading Public Museum “Pizza, Paint & Turtles” encouraged summer playground participants to incorporate the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their namesakes – Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello – into original artwork referencing the mediums of art for which the aforementioned artists were known. Those mediums include drawing, painting, sculpture, and Papier-mâché. All 495 summer playground participants visited the Reading Public Museum (RPM) before starting design projects to learn about their playground’s chosen artist, visit the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle exhibit, and participate in a discussion with Museum educators about the exhibit’s theme of anti-bullying. Each child then participated in making an art project, and each playground held a competition to choose the top 15-30 entries to enter into a competition at RPM. Winners of the individual playground competitions (over 200 children) and their parents attended a reception which included the Turtles favorite food – PIZZA! Guest celebrity judges included Reading Mayor Wally Scott, staff and directors of the RPM, a Carpenter Technology employee, and a visiting artist from the Goggleworks. This unique art program brought together youth from nine city playgrounds and taught them about classic artists and artwork, encouraged creativity, enhanced learning, and explored classic art concepts in a team environment. The top award winners from each playground (top three and 1 honorable mention) visited the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA. The program was generously supported by the Carpenter Technology Corporation, Reading, PA.

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Reading Recreation Commission “Seeds to Sprouts Gardening and Cooking Program” Reading Recreation Commission Executive Director: Daphne E. Klahr, CPRP, CPSI Program Leaders: Heather M. Boyer, Program Supervisor; Tarina J. Cosgrave, Nutrition Program Coordinator; Sarah M. Hoffman, Nutrition Program Coordinator; Lewissa C. Huber, Garden Club Leader; Antonio Lavigna, Chef Sprout Program Leader; Ronda W. Morrison, Food Service Coordinator The “Seeds to Sprouts Gardening and Cooking Program” was created to promote the general health of the Reading, PA community by providing opportunities for city youth to grow and cultivate herbs and foods in container and community gardens, and then learn how to use what they grew to create healthy, nutritious meals. Since autumn 2016, the program has engaged over 500 students at Reading Recreation Commission’s (RRC) two primary sites (3rd & Spruce and 11th & Pike Recreation Centers), Northwest Middle School, Northeast Middle School, and the YMCA of Berks County. The curriculum is an extension of the RRC’s award-winning Chef Sprout! urban cooking program which teaches healthy cooking and meal preparation to at-risk youth using ingredients found at local corner stores. Both Chef Sprout! and Seeds to Sprouts Gardening and Cooking Program stand in the gap of Home Economics programming (no longer offered as a part of the Reading School District’s curriculum).

South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation “175th Anniversary Special Program Series” Parks and Recreation Director: Paula Simmons Program Leaders: Paula Simmons, Parks and Recreation Director; Andrea Iglar, Community Development Director South Fayette Township, a community of 15,000 residents in the Pittsburgh area of Allegheny County, recognized its 175th anniversary in 2017 as an ideal occasion to strengthen citizen engagement, expand business partnerships and enhance the community’s identity through recreational programming. The “175th Anniversary Special Program Series”, was a year-long campaign of events that reached a large, diverse audience, spurring greater involvement, interest and awareness in the community and its history. The series included a 175th Birthday Bash, various fundraising events including Buy-A-Brick, a Community Days Variety show featuring over 20 performances, a Community memories collection and time capsule event, and a Historical Speakers series.

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Whitemarsh Township Parks and Recreation

“Connecting Exceptional People”

Director: Thomas J. Blomstrom

Program Leader: Michael Lannutti

The “Connecting Exceptional People” (CEP) program is a social group for young adults with special needs and abilities. CEP helps connect these young adults with each other and their community, so that they can achieve positive, productive, and meaningful relationships contributing to a positive future. CEP focuses on the whole person, so that they can be actively engaged, understood, and acquire skills that help them to connect to others in a positive way. The environment is warm and inviting and encourages lifelong friendships they might otherwise not have made.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD

Elizabethtown Area School District

Elizabethtown Area School District (EASD) has been an integral part in developing Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation & Community Services (GEARS) and community recreation in the Elizabethtown Area. With vision and foresight, over 40 years ago, EASD established and collaborated to offer community recreation to local residents. Elizabethtown Area School District has continued their commitment supporting GEARS and community recreation through use of facilities, athletic fields and classrooms for activities and events. Additionally, the school district allows the GEARS administrative offices to be housed in the high school and middle school building complex. In the mid-1980’s, the school district transferred ownership of the GEARS Community Center, and adjacent Poplar Street Park, to the community to serve a variety of recreation needs. The collaborative partnership, and the school district’s commitment to the recreational needs of the community, serve as a shining example of how public partnerships can succeed for the betterment of the community.

in honor of fred m. coombs 2018 awards...

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