mrpa minnesota magazine winter 2011

Winter 2011 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 1

JanMINNESOTAMINNESOTAMINNESOTARecreation and ParksRecreation and ParksRecreation and ParksRecreation and ParksVolume 5, Issue 4

Winter 2011Volume 5, Issue 4Winter 2011Volume 5, Issue 4Winter 2011Volume 5, Issue 4Winter 2011Volume 5, Issue 4Winter 2011Volume 5, Issue 4Winter 2011

www.mnrpa.org

Official Publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

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PublisherMinnesota Recreation and Park Association200 Charles Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432www.mnrpa.org Tel: 763.571.1305

Editorial StaffMichelle J. Snider, Bethani Gerhard

Editorial BoardPatty Anderson, Maple GroveJan Ficken, Brooklyn ParkJennifer Fink, Anoka CountyChad Ubl, WinonaHeidi Sedlacek, New Brighton

Advertising & DesignPernsteiner Creative Group, Inc.

MRPA Board of DirectorsPresident Jon Oyanagi, Brooklyn ParkPresident-Elect Cris Gears, Three Rivers Park DistrictPast President James “Corky” Ebeling, OwatonnaSecretary Jay Hutchison, Albert LeaTreasurer Dale McCamish, RochesterRSC Chair Scott Breuer, Apple Valley

Sandy Breuer, New Brighton Erica Chua, PlymouthJennifer Fink, Anoka CountyHolly Heitkamp, MoorheadRegina Michaud, PlymouthWayne Mooney, BrainerdRick Schaber, Saint CharlesDan Schultz, RosemountNicole White, Eden Prairie

This magazine is the official quarterly publication of Minnesota Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary to members as part of their MRPA membership. The editorial board encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication. Articles of approximately 500-700 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity. Contact Michelle Snider, MRPA, at 763.571.1305 x100 if

interested in submitting an article for a future issue.

Deadlines for Articles and AdvertisingSpring ..........February 18 for the Spring issueSummer ...........April 15 for the Summer issueFall .............................July 15 for the Fall issueWinter .......... October 15 for the Winter issue

MRPA reserves the right to approve all submitted advertising in MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952.841.1111 or [email protected].

An affiliate of National Recreationand Park Association

As the Editorial Board meets to set the publishing agenda for the maga-zine in 2011 there comes a feeling of trepidation. Are we meeting the needs of the reader? Are we engag-ing the reader? Are we covering rel-evant topics? Some of that trepidation was eased when I read the editor’s note in the November issue of Parks and Recreation. Phil Hayward recalled a sto-ry John Crompton told within a session he at-tended at NRPA’s Con-gress and Exposition. The story was about a student that referred to the recreation department as ‘romp and play’ when giving a tour to prospective students at Texas A&M University. Hayward points to Crompton’s challenge for us to reposition our departments.

In this issue, the first in a four-part series, Winona State University fac-ulty and students delve into students’ perceptions about recreation and whether or not they are choosing rec-reation as a potential career path. This research is certainly a different topic

than Crompton’s works; yet relevant. Are we positioned to attract new leaders to our profession?

The research indicates that students are having an over-whelmingly positive experience with their hometown park and recreation department. Just

imagine if we took the affect of the positive experience and merged it with the perceptions of what recre-ation provides for a community. The end seems to be lifelong advocates for recreation.

WHAT’S INSIDEBy MRPA Magazine Editorial Board

Are we positioned to attract new leaders?In this issue we explore college students’ perceptions about recreation and their career paths.

MINNESOTARecreation and Parks

Get your spaces in front of meeting and event planners!The spring 2011 issue of MINNESOTA magazine will again feature the annual meeting planner feature. The issue will mail to over 900 statewide members of the Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE) – event planners and meeting organizers.

Place an ad by contacting Todd Pernsteiner at 952-841-1111 or [email protected]. Also, get your space listed free in the planning chart by completing the form on page 11 or online at www.pernsteiner.com/meetingspaceform.html by February 11.

4 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org

Park & Trail System PlanPark Master PlanPark DesignFunding & Implementation

866.830.3388 [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s Inside ................................3From the Board President ...........5Keeping Up ...................................6MRPA Programming ....................7MRPA In Action .............................7Legacy Funds ................................8

Corporate Connections ............10Celebrate Winter ........................12Take The Plunge .........................17Survey Says .................................18What’s Going On .......................26

ADVERTISER INDEX

Advanced Coating Systems .................. Inside Back Cover

Bonestroo .......................................................................... 10

Broyhill .................................................................................. 7

Clearwater Recreation ...................................................... 16

JRK Seed ............................................................................ 25

Landscape Structures ........................................Back Cover

Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground .................................... 4

Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation .................. 11

Pernsteiner Creative Group, Inc. ..................................... 11

St. Croix Recreation .............................. Inside Front Cover

SEH ....................................................................................... 4

Thank you to our advertisers for your help in supporting

MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. We kindly ask

members to please support our advertisers.

Interested in advertising? Contact Todd Pernsteiner at

952.841.1111 or [email protected].


For many reasons this year was truly a high-light of my illustrious career. Okay, so it’s re-ally about my only positive accomplishment of note. Okay, so everyone else did the work - but I was there cheering! There is also relief that my worst fears were not realized over the past 347 days (but who is counting).

Fear is a great motivator. One of many ter-rifying thoughts that haunted me through the year was that our budget would be in the red after my tenure. Fortunately, they kept me away from the books and out of federal prison and we had a great year in spite of the economy. Treasurer Dale McCamish did a great job with the math and our finances are in excellent shape. Executive Director Michelle Snider, the staff, the board, and the many members who contributed their time and talents truly brought the association through a challenging budget year.

Related to that fear was the fear that our state conference would take a large hit due to Congress being in town. The conference committee put together such an outstanding program and package that everyone could not resist. Revenue exceeded expectations and became the primary reason the 2010 budget is so healthy. “Thank you” to the con-ference committee led by Mark Themig and Jamie Polley.

The Big Fear this year was the NRPA Con-gress. Would we lose money and somehow mar national delegate’s experience here in Minnesota? No need to fear, the Local Host Committee was here. They stepped up big time as did hundreds of volunteers from more than 50 agencies across the state. I never really doubted them, it was me who might mess things up.

President-Elect Cris Gears is leading the charge to develop the next five-year strate-gic plan for the association. My fear there was that I would leave the association without a plan. The board will have a new plan, based upon your input, sometime in 2011. Fear not.

One of my platform issues was to begin to look at coloring our profession. Not the “stay within the lines” type of coloring that Eric Carlson enjoys, but mentoring and develop-ing professionals of color who will improve our connection with the diverse communities we serve. We need to be relevant in many dif-ferent ways in order to keep our importance

within the minds and hearts of our commu-nity members. Please intentionally seek out promising young people of color that show an interest in parks and recreation. Mentor them using the mentorship resources found at MRPA’s website under “Education and Training.” I am afraid of what our profession will be if we fail to do so.

The idea about forming park districts was raised and discussed. Information has been presented to inform members about the concept. The legislative committee is con-sidering the best plan of attack. For now we will continue to educate and work at build-ing support from a variety of perspectives for this and other funding options. This most likely will be a lot of work before becoming a reality. I am not afraid of pledging to work towards that day.

I cannot close without acknowledging the great MRPA staff. Michelle Snider, Gerry Turnberg, Deb Weinreis, and Bethani Ger-hard do super work each and every day. They are a tremendous support to the board, the sections, the committees, the members, and especially the president. Working closely all year with Michelle has provided me with an even better glimpse of how awesome she and the staff of MRPA are at moving us for-ward. We have nothing to fear with our asso-ciation in their hands.

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENTBy Jon Oyanagi, MRPA President

Fear is a great motivator…Every president probably says the year flew by. I am no exception. The year 2010 was full of tremendous accomplishments and great involvement by our members.

Got space?The Spring 2011 issue of MINNESOTA magazine will mail to over 900 event and meeting planner members of the Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE). Get your meeting and event spaces in front of these key decision-makers. Complete the form on page 11 to have your space(s) included.

INCREASE RENTAL REVENUES. ADVERTISE YOUR SPACE.To advertise (special rates for MRPA members), contact Todd Pernsteiner at 952-841-1111 or email [email protected].

We need to be relevant in many

different ways in order to keep our

importance within the minds and

hearts of our community members.


New logo. Accreditation x 2. Academy Award.“Keeping Up” is a new feature that will highlight MRPA member events, news, people and more. To contribute to

this section, please send a 125 word or less brief and photos to Michelle Snider at MRPA ([email protected]).

KEEPING UP

Two Member Agencies Earn Distinguished AccreditationNational Recreation and Park Association named Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Plymouth Parks and Recreation as two of its newly accredited agencies by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). This distinction was announced during National Recreation and Park Association Congress this fall in Minneapolis. There are currently only 97 CAPRA-accredited agencies in the nation.

National accreditation through CAPRA is an extensive multi-year process. According to NRPA, accreditation is based on an agency’s compliance with the 144 standards for national accreditation. To achieve accreditation, an agency must comply with all 36 fundamental standards, and at least 92 of the remaining 108 standards.

CAPRA-accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community. Accreditation is valid for five years, after which an agency may select to proceed with the re-accreditation process.

Bierscheid Named to AcademyThe American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) welcomed Bob Bierscheid, former Saint Paul Parks and Recreation director, as a new member during National Recreation and Park Association Congress this fall in Minneapolis.

AAPRA is an organization of distinguished practitioners and scholars committed to the advancement of the park and recreation profession. The Academy was formed to: advance knowledge related to the administration of parks, recreation, and conservation; encourage scholarly efforts; promote broader public understanding; conduct research; and provide services to advance the profession.

The Academy membership is comprised of practitioners and educators who have served for at least 15 years. Membership is limited to 125 practicing professionals at any one time, of which no more than 25-percent may be educators.

DNR Unveils Legacy Amendment LogoMinnesota Department of Natural Resour-ces (DNR) Commissioner Mark Holsten has selected a vibrant logo design to identify all projects funded by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The selected logo was designed by Bernadette Stephenson of St. Cloud.

“The decision was tough because we had so many great entries to consider,” said Holsten. “We feel this logo is memorable, distinctive, and sophisticated. It also clearly illustrates the four funds.”

All Minnesotans had an opportunity to submit a design in a contest that took place Nov. 8 through Dec. 7. In total, 76 entries were submitted.

“We very much appreciate the efforts of Bernadette and all the other artists,” added Holsten. “The winner does not receive a prize, but will receive the admiration and appreciation of Minnesota citizens for many years to come.”

COMMISSION FOR ACCREDITATION OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION

STANDARDS

- Fourth Edition - Revised April 2009

Sponsored by National Recreation and Park Association

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Plymouth Parks & Recreation

Minneap

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hoto © M

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hoto courtesy Plym

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The MRPA Administrative Section gained new momentum in 2010. The goal was to encourage any member who may be interested in the meeting topic to attend. This forum provides for a beneficial blend of members’ experiences.

The section held quarterly meetings throughout the year, with a focus on topics that were relevant to today’s times and economy. The section also co-hosted a social media workshop earlier in the year. The response was extremely positive, with more than 100 participants attending.

The momentum will continue in 2011. If you have any hot topics ideas, please contact Tracy Petersen at [email protected].

The next Administrative Section meeting will be held on February 3, 2011 in Eagan. Mark your calendars and watch for more information to come as the meeting nears. You or your staff won’t want to miss these opportunities to gain new information and share agency experiences.

< Meet Aimee Peterson

Aimee Peterson’s professional full-time experience in parks and rec-reation began after college gradu-ation when she accepted a job with Bloomington School District, Community Education working as a site supervisor with their Kids SAFARI program from May 2000 to September 2002. She then began her city park and recreation career

working for the City of Chaska Parks and Recreation as a recreation coordinator from September 2002 to today.

Peterson became involved with MRPA shortly after she began her job with Chaska. She has been an active member, one who is involved with several sections and committees. Peterson was the program-ming section secretary in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007; and became the programming section chair for the 2007-2008 year. She also was a programming section summer leadership workshop member from 2003 through 2005; and became the workshop chair in 2006.

Additionally, Peterson was a member of the annual conference so-cial/entertainment committee in 2009. She is currently a member of the awards committee and the annual conference 2011 planning team. MRPA recognized Peterson’s efforts by selecting her as the first MRPA Horizon Award recipient.

“I have gained so much from MRPA. I enjoy being around other rec-reation professionals and sharing ideas, issues, and stories. I have found friendships and work relationships that only came from get-ting more and more involved with MRPA,” says Peterson.

What makes the parks and recreation profession special? Peterson says, “I have always enjoyed recreation and parks as a child and throughout my life. While choosing a profession I was thrilled with the idea of choosing a career that allowed me to help create recre-ational experiences for others. Recreation can create so many long-term memories, and if I can help a family begin a tradition or enjoy a fun family experience, that truly makes my day!

MRPA Administrative Section

Peterson was the first recipient of the MRPA Horizon Award

MRPA members are the heart of our organization. They are involved and committed to advancing the parks and recreation programming. MRPA in Action is a new magazine feature which will highlight one section/committee and one professional per issue.

MRPA IN ACTION

In November 2008, Minnesota voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the state sales tax by 3/8ths of 1-percent. Proceeds from the new tax are being directed into a new program called the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Fund. The fund is expected to raise about $250 million per year, which works out to $6.25 billion during the 25- year life of the amendment. I’ve been told this is the largest per capita state amendment for conservation and arts in the nation’s history. This isn’t chump change folks!

The Legacy Fund proceeds are being directed to four programs of statewide significance: Clean Water, Wildlife Habitat, Arts and Culture, and State and Regional Parks and Trails. The last portion - which has the greatest effect on our profession - will receive 14.25-percent of the proceeds, or about $35 million per year. The parks pie is being split up between state parks and trails, metro regional parks and trails, and a smaller portion to regional parks statewide. Already, those of us in the state/regional systems are beginning to see the landmark scale of this dedicated funding source.

And while the parks legacy program is the obvious benefactor to the services that park agencies provide, a few local governments (like Anoka County) have been dabbling in some of the other funding pots as well. In 2008, Anoka County applied for funding from the wildlife fund, also known as the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council Fund. This fund receives 33-percent of the new money, which works out to about $65 million a year. The Heritage Council has an open competitive process for grant

applications and all counties, cities, school districts, and even non-profit conservation organizations are eligible recipients.

In the first funding cycle in 2009, Anoka County seized the opportunity and applied for $3.8 million in Heritage funds to acquire a 550-acre farm estate on the Rum River and Cedar Creek in west-central Anoka County. Containing over two miles of river shoreline, this site features a rolling topography characterized by native woodlands, prairie, and wetlands. The site also holds great promise to restore more than 200 acres of farmland back to tall grass prairie. In order to make the site eligible for funding

consideration, the Anoka County Board agreed that it would manage the site similar to a state wildlife management area and keep it open for hunting and fishing.

Following months of testimony and lobbying at the capitol, Anoka County was among the first local governments in the metro area to receive funds under the Outdoor Heritage Council portion of the legacy program. This was a significant step outside of the traditional “parks and trails” funding that has historically been used by

cities and counties to finance land purchases. The county helped break new ground with the council by securing funds for locally controlled hunting and conservation areas; a use of funds normally reserved for federal or state wildlife management agencies. With the state’s decision to fund the county’s grant application, along with a handful of others, a precedent has now been set to fund similar projects statewide.

In addition to working with the council, the county brought in the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to assist in the purchase negotiation process. This was the first time the county had partnered with

Legacy Amendment Funds County Conservation AreaBy John K. VonDeLinde, Director, Anoka County Parks

Following months of testimony and lobbying at the Capitol, Anoka County was

among the first local governments in the metro area to receive funds under the

Outdoor Heritage Council portion of the legacy program.



the TPL in the 40+ year history of the park system. The TPL’s primary purpose is assist federal, state and local park agencies in negotiating difficult or complicated land purchases. After months of stalled negotiations, the TPL was able break a stalemate with the landowner/developer group, thereby significantly reducing the purchase price and leading to a “quick” land purchase agreement.

Today, the new conservation area is in the hands of Anoka County and is protected for all future generations. Sitting directly across from Rum River Central Regional Park, this new conservation/park area encompasses more than 1,000 acres of the most pristine wild land in Anoka County. It protects one of the last and most significant parcels of undeveloped land in Anoka County, and perhaps in the entire metro area. And, all of this was accomplished with only $300,000 in county park funds matched with $3.8 million in outside funding.

The takeaway from this experience is that all local governments and conservation organizations in the state should consider the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council program as a potential

option for conservation and open space acquisition. If Anoka County can do it, so can everyone else. For those interested the link to the Heritage Council is at www.lsohc.leg.mn. The next round of applications will be underway soon with a likely deadline in the summer of 2011. The Conservation Partners Program, also run by the council, will be soliciting their next round of

applications in fall 2011.

As a professional organization, MRPA should also be pressing the Arts Legacy Program and the Clean Water Program to frame the grant eligibility guidelines to leverage local park and recreation agency involvement. These programs will be delivering about $110 million per year for the next 23 years, and we need to get in on the action!

Thanks for the opportunity to comment on our successes in Anoka County. If you should have any questions about our Heritage

Council Grant, please feel free to contact me at Anoka County Parks; 763.767.2860 or [email protected].

For more information on the Legacy Amendment funds, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ website at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

In the first funding cycle in

2009, Anoka County seized

the opportunity and applied

for $3.8 million in Heritage

funds to acquire a 550-acre

farm estate on the Rum River

and Cedar Creek in

west-central Anoka County.


MINNESOTA RECREATION AND PARKS

Corporate MRPA members are invited to submit CORPORATE CONNECTION briefs, up to 125 words or less, along with a photo (optional) of new products or services, company news, special events or anything related to the profession of parks and recreation. Consideration will be given for future issues of MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks magazine. We reserve the right to edit content. Submissions placed based on when submitted and space availability. Send your article and photos to [email protected] two months prior to publication date.

CORPORATECONNECTIONS

Stuck with no budget to replace a playground that is not only unsightly, but also a safety hazard? Let Advanced Coating Systems show you how they can prep and repaint your existing playground, waterpark or locker room equipment at a fraction of the cost of buying new. They carry a wide selection of standard colors, or they can custom match colors to your community’s branding guidelines. Give Kevin a call to discuss your options today at 651-221-0050.

Clearwater Recreation, LLC provides a variety of products and services for your recreation and park environments. Products include play equipment by Play & Park Structures, Americana shelters, Murdock drinking fountains, thermoplastic coated steel and recycled plastic site furniture, climbing rocks, and bleacher systems. Design service by CPSI certified staff, and installation by certified installers is also available. Memberships include MRPA, ASLA, and CPSI certified.

It’s not too early to begin planning for Olympic Day in 2011! From June 18-26, 2011, communities across the U.S. will celebrate Olympic Day through educational programming and activities. Olympic Day promotes Olympic values and participation in sports across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.

This year host your very own Olympic Day celebration and support fitness and well-being in your community! To help you stage a memorable Olympic Day in your city, the United States Olympic Committee will provide a number of complimentary services and resources. Register to host an Olympic Day in your community. For information visit www.teamusa.org/about-usoc/olympic-day or contact Keith Bryant at 719-866-4535.

Spruce Up Your Existing Playground with a Fresh Coat of Paint - Even Match Your New Equipment

When it Comes to Playground Variety, the Choice is Clear

Build Community, Celebrate “2011 Olympic Day”


Hosting an Olympic Day Celebration

Olympic Day is a celebration for youth around the world to observe the Olympic values of Fair Play, Perseverance, Respect and Sportsmanship.

To help you stage a memorable Olympic Day in your city, the USOC will provide the following complimentary services and resources:

• Assistance in contacting a local Olympian, Paralympian or hopeful to speak at your event • Assistance connecting with community-based organizations (i.e. Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA)• USOC account managers are available to assist you in planning your event. Please call:

+1.719.866.4535 or e-mail: [email protected] for assistance • Olympic Day Toolkit including:

o Olympic Education Materials (scripts and DVD) for one of the following topics: Fairplay, Respect, Perseverance, Sportsmanship

o Recommended Olympic Day Agenda

o U.S. Olympic Flag o Certificate of Participation

o Olympic Day Mayoral Proclamation Template

o News Release Templates o Team USA Logo and Guidelines for

Collateral o User-Generated website for posting

photographs of your Olympic Day Event

To Register for Olympic Day or for more information on Olympic Day visit our website at www.teamusa.org/olympicday or contact our Olympic Day hotline by calling: +1.719.866.4535 or emailing us at: [email protected].

2009 Olympic Day in Honolulu: 10,000 children at 63 parks in Oahu participated in a week long Olympic-themed Summer Fun program. On June, 20, 600 people participated in a fun run and celebration in honor of Olympic Day hosted by Mayor Hannemann and guest of honor Misty May-Treanor and local Hawaii Olympians.

2009 Olympic Day in Pasadena: Local swim team athletes celebrate with Olympians John Naber and Inger Miller & Mayor Bill Bogaard.

BEFORE AFTER


CONNECTIONSMINNESOTA Recreation & Parks MagazineMeeting Space Questionnaire for Spring Issue 2011

The Spring 2011 issue of MINNESOTA magazine will mail to over 900 event and meeting planners, members of the Midwest Society of Association Executives. We will again run a chart and listings of meeting and event spaces available at Minnesota parks and sites.

Please complete this form to have your organization listed in the Spring 2011 Meeting Planning issue. Once completed, either print and fax to 952-841-3460 or mail to: Pernsteiner Creative, 5115 Excelsior Blvd, #128, St Louis Park, MN 55416. You may also complete online at www.pernsteiner.com/meetingspaceform.htmlPlease call 952-841-1111 to confirm receipt of your submission.

Optional: Submit a high quality photo of your space to: [email protected]. Forms/photos due by: Friday, February 11 for inclusion in the Spring issue.

To advertise in the next issue (MRPA member rates available), call Todd Pernsteiner at 952-841-1111 or email [email protected].

Community/Organization

On Site Catering? Yes No

Open Catering Yes No

Kitchen Rental Yes No

Number of Meeting Room(s) Available ________________________

Max Meeting Capacity - Classroom Style ___________ # of Attendees

Max Meeting Capacity - Theater Style _____________ # of Attendees

Max Meeting Capacity Total ______________________ # of Attendees

Cocktail Reception Capacity ______________________ # of Attendees

Convention/Exhibit Hall Yes No

Convention/Exhibit 10x10 Booth Capacity _____________ # of Booths

Alcohol Permitted Yes No

On Site AV Rental Yes No

On Site Maintenance Yes No

Pool/Water Park Rental Yes No

Pool/Water Park Capacity ___________________________ # of People

Outdoor Space Rentals Yes No

Amphitheater Rental Yes No

Amphitheater Seating Capacity ______________________ # of People

Theater/Arts Center Yes No

Theater Seating Capacity ____________________________ # of People

Floor Plans Online? Yes No

Contact (will not print in magazine) ____________________________

Contact Phone (include area code) ____________________________

Fax ________________________________________________________

Email _______________________________________________________

Website ____________________________________________________

Mailing Address _____________________________________________

Mailing Address _____________________________________________

City _______________________________ State ____ Zip ________

Want to Teach Kids About Health – and Possibly Win a Program to Do Just That?Do you work with kids ages 6-11? Want to make a huge difference in their lives by teaching them how and why to live a healthy life, and how to get outside and start exploring nature? The Säjai® Foundation’s Wise Kids programs are an easy-to-implement family of programs that come complete with everything you need to run them, including training materials. Programs include:

Wise Kids: a nine-week program teaching kids the basics of Energy Balance: why the calories they take in through food and drink need to be balanced with calories burned by daily living and physical activity. Lessons include Food Labels, The Food Pyramid, The Heart, and The Body.

Wise Kids Two: a nine-week follow-on to Wise Kids, Wise Kids Two explores some of the Wise Kids lessons in more depth. Lessons include Goal Setting, Daily Needs and Serving Size, Water, and Muscles.

Wise Kids Outdoors: a 20-lesson stand-alone program that combines the healthy living approach of Energy Balance with getting kids back outdoors, learning how to safely explore nature and how much fun it can be. Lessons include The Three Rs, Critters, Habitats, and The Water and Weather Cycle.

Even better, the Säjai Foundation kicks off 2011 by offering a scholarship program. There will be 10 scholarships available, good for any of the Wise Kids kits. The scholarship will cover most of the program costs, although a nominal agency contribution will be required. The application period begins January 10 and closes January 31, with winners notified by February 11. For more details and requirements, please see the website (www.sajaifoundation.org) or contact Amy Rea, [email protected], or by phone, 952-288-3364.


By Bethani Gerhard Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Snow, ice, freezing

temperatures – no problem.

In Minnesota, many winter events are

not cancelled due to the weather.

In fact, winter weather can sometimes

even positively enhance an activity.

Celebrate Winter Recreation

Style Recreation

Style Recreation

Style

Recreation

Style Recreation

Style Recreation

Style



Could you imagine the Saint Paul Winter Carnival without any snow or ice? This is the 125th year that the Saint Paul Winter Carnival will be dazzling guests with their popular torchlight parade, ice carving and snow sculpting competitions, and frozen 5K and half-marathon.

The 2011 Winter Carnival is set for January 27 through February 6 and typically attracts 350,000 visitors a year. According to their website, there is a $3.5 to $5 million economic impact to Saint Paul and the State of Minnesota each year.

But not every city can compete with the grand scale of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Every city event can be just as important to promoting a sense of community to the public.

For the past 16 years, on the first Saturday in February, Chanhassen has held their February Festival. The highlights of this event include a horse-drawn hayride, ice skating, bingo, a bonfire and an ice fishing contest with more than 800 holes drilled on Lake Ann.

Typically, this one-day event draws 1,500-2,000 participants and spectators each year. “It all depends on the weather, but this event is pretty close to being self-sufficient,” says John Stutzman, recreation supervisor for the City of Chanhassen. “We rely heavily on donations to support it and charge only for the fishing contest.”

Not only does winter recreation give people interesting ways to keep busy, it can also provide health maintenance. “Winter activities can also maintain or improve citizen health, ultimately reducing health care costs for both the individual and state,” says Ingrid Schneider, Tourism Center director at the University of Minnesota.

Saint Paul Winter Carnival’s Vulcans entertain the crowd

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ter

Car

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of V

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Sleigh ride at Chanhassen’s February Festival


“Most people think of tourism as being strong only in the summer,” Schneider adds. “But it’s also strong in the winter with cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. It’s important for parks and recreation to provide marketing that is weather-resistant.”

The weather doesn’t stop Fairway Freezer’s Ice Bowl (see sidebar), an annual disc golf tournament in January that benefits Keystone Community Services. This is one of the most popular tournaments we have in the Twin Cities,” Ice Bowl director Mike Snelson says. “For those who’ve been thinking about checking out disc golf, the Ice Bowl is a good place to start because the emphasis is on fun and charity rather than pure competition.”

If tough, winter enthusiasts are looking for disc golf leagues, there are three to choose from in the metro area: Roseville, Inver Grove Heights and South St. Paul.

“The Chilly Dog is a singles league that can command 100 players on a nice sunny day,” says Snelson, “The tougher the weather - the more fun it is.” And disc golfers still trench through the dark, throwing their discs taped with lights or glow-in-the-dark discs to guide the way.

In Minnesota, people get outside and enjoy their sports, activities, and events, no matter what season it is.

“Most people think of tourism as being strong only in the summer,” Schneider adds. “But it’s also strong in the winter with cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. It’s important for parks and recreation to provide marketing that is weather-resistant.”

The weather doesn’t stop Fairway Freezer’s Ice Bowl (see sidebar), an annual disc golf tournament in January that benefits Keystone Community Services. This is one of the most popular tournaments we have in the Twin Cities,” Ice Bowl director Mike Snelson says. “For those who’ve been thinking about checking out disc golf, the Ice Bowl is a good place to start because the emphasis is on fun and charity rather than pure competition.”

If tough, winter enthusiasts are looking for disc golf leagues, there are three to choose from in the metro area: Roseville, Inver Grove Heights and South St. Paul.

“The Chilly Dog is a singles league that can command 100 players on a nice sunny day,” says Snelson, “The tougher the weather - the more fun it is.” And disc golfers still trench through the dark, throwing their discs taped with lights or glow-in-the-dark discs to guide the way.

In Minnesota, people get outside and enjoy their sports, activities, and events, no matter what season it is.

Ice fishing at Chanhassen’s February Festival

Fairway Freezer’s Ice Bowl


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What is an Ice Bowl? Throwing a golf disc in the basket, or at least within the chains during the winter months, can be quite challenging. But it’s the challenge that keeps the spirit of disc golf alive during the gloom of winter.

The first Ice Bowl was promoted as a day of disc golf solidarity and was held in Columbia, Missouri in the late 1980s. Official Ice Bowls are played at courses in the United States, Canada and Europe. Typically they run from January 5 through February 24.

Each Ice Bowl event usually supports a local charity. In 2010 there were over 225 Ice Bowls throughout the world. More than $260,000 was raised for local charities and approximately 33 tons of food was donated. Worldwide, the goal for the Ice Bowl for 2011 is to raise over $275,000.

The 7th annual Fairway Freezer Disc Golf Ice Bowl was held Sunday, January 9 at the Acorn Park Disc Golf Course in Roseville.


By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association

Anywhere there is cold water people seem to be taking the plunge, leaping in to help raise funds for local charities. Typically, Polar Plunges are hosted by local law enforcement agencies to help support the Special Olympics.

Jumping into icy waters got the catchy name “Polar Plunge” in the early 1900s. Supposedly it was Gustav Marx and his friends that plunged into Lake Michigan in the middle of January. In 1916, the local Michigan newspaper dubbed these so-called brave men: polar bears. After that, anyone that jumped in to cold water was said to have taken a “Polar Plunge”.

The largest Polar Plunge in the United States is the Plungapalooza, in Maryland. About 10,000 people participated in 2010 to raise more than $3.5 million for the Special Olympics. It has become one of the largest annual fundraisers in the state of Maryland.

On a local level, Minnesotans can find a Polar Plunge event at www.plungemn.org. Locations vary from Alexandria to Grand Rapids to the Twin Cities. In 2011, the first event starts January 29 and the last event is held March 12. So join your friends and take the plunge to support local charities.

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In this issue, the first in a four-part series, Winona State University faculty and students delve into students’ perceptions about recreation and whether or not they are choosing recreation as a potential career path. Survey conducted by: Begum Aybar-Damali (Asst. Professor), Roger Riley (Professor), Lily Wellenstein (Student)

While everyone is concerned about budget cutbacks and the subsequent reduction in public parks and recreation services, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association’s Editorial Board has been concerned about another issue. Their perception is that many undergraduate recreation majors are not considering public parks and recreation as an option for future employment. Based on other conversations the authors have had with professionals, this perception is echoed throughout the country.

There are competing concerns in this arena. The first concern relates to the front-end baby boomers who start their 65+ retirements next year. Although the boomers were sidetracked from early retirement by the current economic crisis, the reality is that many of them will be leaving the profession soon, causing a loss of political influence and institutional knowledge. The second concern relates to students who are graduating with park and recreation degrees. There is a feeling among recreational practitioners that graduating students do not see public parks and recreation as their foremost professional goal. It is thought that graduating students historically focused on the public parks and recreation but now their focus has moved elsewhere.

Should the above concerns be true, public parks and recreation is losing a wealth of knowledge and expertise through retirements and not replenishing them with recently graduated students. With these concerns in mind, the MRPA Editorial Board decided to investigate. In four articles, over four issues, we will look at students and their professional aspirations.

Each survey article will address the perspective of a different constituency group:

1) Results of students surveyed at Winona State University, Minnesota State University – Mankato, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and the University of Minnesota.

2) Interviews with recreation faculty at the same universities.

3) Practitioners’ perspectives from public parks and recreation departments.

4) Results of a literature review about the issue.

For this article, surveys were sent to four universities with recreation programs and convenience samples were gathered. A convenience sample refers to those students who were available and accessible at the time. Although convenience samples are not optimal for making conclusions, it should be pointed out that each school had over two-thirds of their undergraduate majors participate in the survey for a total of 350 responses. A sample group of over 66-percent is very good. Missing from this survey were students who were completing their internships and therefore, we lost the perspective of the most recent group to join the workforce. Ultimately, to be methodologically sound, we would have randomly selected students from each university but time constraints did not allow this to happen. The four universities were chosen by the Editorial Board because of their regional significance to MRPA agencies.

A. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

1. Gender Female = 47.1% Male = 50.9%

Gender percentages in this survey run counter to a national trend towards a majority of females on U.S. college campuses. Females are expected to increase in American colleges and universities over the next few years causing concerns about the future of the young male population. Our sample group had more gender equality because 70.7-percent of all respondents at Mankato were males. Without the large percentage of male respondents at Mankato, our sample group would be similar to national numbers.

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2. Year in School of Respondents Freshmen = 4.9% Sophomore = 23.7% Junior = 29.1% Senior = 30.0% Super Senior = 12.3%

Figure 1. Participating Schools and Students’ Year in School

Across the nation, chairs of recreation departments label their degrees as “discovery degrees.” They lament that students rarely declare recreation as incoming freshmen and “discover” the degree when they get to campus. Our survey would suggest the same is true in Minnesota and Wisconsin universities. It is said that high school guidance counselors know little about our field and parents are reluctant to encourage their college-bound sons and daughters into professions-that-play. Approximately ten-percent (10.3-percent) of respondents declared recreation as an incoming freshman with 17.2-percent at Winona being the highest and 0-percent at Minnesota being the lowest. Another 33.1-percent were on campus as undeclared majors when they decided to get a degree in recreation. Not surprisingly, the University of Minnesota reported higher percentages in this category when compared to other schools. Continuing with the “discovery” theme, 26.9-percent of respondents changed from another major while on campus and another 16-percent transferred into the recreation department from another university. Therefore, at minimum, 75-percent of all students “find” recreation departments after they have started college.

B.REASONS FOR DECLARING

RECREATION MAJOR

When asked the question about what attracted students to a recre-ation degree, just over fifty percent (52.9-percent) said that recreation “fit with their personal goals.” The write-in comments suggested a vast array of personal goals and a variety of those goals are listed below.

“My dad is a disable Vet and I want to find a way to help”

“More fun than business courses”

“Worked seasonal in the industry and loved it”

“I found it in the book [course catalog]”

“Went to a majors fair”

“Ability to learn how to educate others on good life”

Of the ten possible responses to this question (check all that apply), four responses were checked by at least 30% of the students. Those responses were “worked part-time in a recreation related field and liked it (39.7%),” “participated in recreation programs prior to college and like it (39.4%)” “it seemed like a fun way to get a degree (35.4%)” and “attracted by taking a course in the major (30.6%).” These findings seem to suggest that practitioners are doing well when making positive impressions on younger people prior to college. The findings also seem to suggest that colleges are doing a good job attracting students through their entry-level classes and word-of-mouth.

Table 1. Reasons for Declaring Recreation Major

What attracted respondent Total Out of 350 to recreation respondents

Fulfilled Personal Goal 185 52.90%

Attracted by Part-Time work in Recreation 139 39.70%

Participated in Rec. Programs and Liked It 138 39.40%

Fun Degree 124 35.40%

Attracted by Course in Program 107 30.60%

Met with Faculty of Program 76 21.70%

Friend or Roomie Suggested 61 17.40%

Family/Friend in Recreation Field 59 16.90%

Recommended by Guidance Counselor 54 15.40%

Other 24 6.90%

Least Scary Option 16 4.60%

A closer look at reasons for choosing recreation as a major suggests that U of M students and to a lesser extent UW La Crosse students, reported higher rates of “prior part-time work” in the field and “participated in recreation programs prior to college.” Winona and Mankato students were more likely to have “met with a faculty/staff member of the department” before joining the major. U of M students were less likely than students at other schools to report “fun way to get a degree,” “met with a faculty/staff member…” and “friends, roommates recommended it.”

C. ALL UNIVERSITIES - TOP TEN

PROFESSIONAL CHOICES

Of high interest to recreational practitioners will be the professional aspirations of students at the four schools. The professional categories in the survey were an adapted version of a career brochure written by the recreation chairperson (Roger Coles) at Central Michigan University. Each respondent was asked to rank the 10 job options (of 17 choices) that most interested them. The item stated, “Rank the 10 jobs that most interest you.”

It must be stated that each school and faculty member has their own areas of specialty and these specialties naturally draw students. Apart from UW La Crosse, therapeutic recreation was a smaller major at each of the institutions when compared to a general recreation degree. Therefore, therapeutic recreation results have been clustered separately in this article.

As Figure 2 below shows, the majority of the students (80.9%, out of 350 students) reported Community Recreation as one of their top 10 choices. It was the overall top choice. Community Recreation was followed closely by Adventure/Risk Recreation (75.4%), Resort Recreation (75.1%), and Special Event Management (74.8%), Outdoor Recreation (74.6%), Youth Services (71.7%), Travel and Tourism (67.4), Natural Resources Management (57.7%), Commercial Recreation (53.4%), and Facility Management (52.3%). Only small number of students listed Employee Services (41%), Correctional Recreation (35%) and Military Recreation (37.7%) among their top 10 choices.

Figure 2. All Universities - Top 10 Professional Choices

When the therapeutic recreation results were isolated, the TR-Residential and the TR-Community job were equally rated (36.8% and 36.6%) and TR-Clinical followed closely (30.6%).

Figure 3. All Universities - Therapeutic Recreation Professional Choices

D. ALL UNIVERSITIES – TOP FOUR CHOICES

Delving a little closer, we isolated each student’s top four job choices to see where the most interest lay. That is, while they could rank 10 jobs in the previous table, we were interested in their highest choices, in isolation. The results were compiled by summing all first, second, third, and fourth preferences for each professional category (therefore, rankings five through ten were

not considered). Any missing data was excluded from our analysis, thus these numbers are be slightly different than what is provided in the figures previously reported. In the following graph, results show that Community Recreation, Resort Recreation, Youth Serving Organization, and Outdoor Education do not only attract students overall, they also take a place in their “high priority list.” On the other hand, while everyone likes, Adventure/Risk Recreation, it does not receive the highest priority. The ratings also placed Community Therapeutic Recreation first, Clinical Therapeutic Recreation second and Residential Therapeutic Recreation third and once again, percentages are very similar between job options.

Table 2. All Universities - Students’ Top Four Choices (Total respondents = 350)

Job Categories Number of students who says this job area is one of their top four choices

Resort Recreation 145 (41.4%)Community Recreation 142 (40.6%)Outdoor Education 129 (36.9%)Youth Serving Organizations 128 (36.6%)Special Event Management 116 (33.1%)Adventure / Risk Recreation 115 (32.9%)Natural Resources Management 93 (26.6%)Travel and Tourism 78 (22.3%)Facility Management 64 (18.3%)Military Recreation 37 (10.6%)Commercial Recreation - Local 35 (10%)Correctional Recreation 33 (9.4%Employee Services / Industrial Recreation 31 (8.8%)Therapeutic Recreation – Community 60 (17.1%)Therapeutic Recreation – Clinical 57 (16.2%)Therapeutic Recreation – Residential 54 (15.4%)

E. ALL UNIVERSITIES - REALISTIC

LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING A JOB IN

PROFESSIONAL AREA

When reviewing the table below, you will recognize some disconnects between interest in a professional job option and the realistic likelihood of getting a job in that area. Community Recreation was ranked highest in terms of interest and also was ranked highest in terms of likelihood of getting a job. Resort Recreation ranked second in the top ten choices but fell slightly to fourth in terms of likelihood to get a job. In an opposite movement, outdoor education went from fourth in interest to second in job likelihood. While Military Recreation was not a popular job, people who identified it in their top four choices were very confident about likelihood of getting a job that area. Although many students rated Youth Serving Organizations in their top four choices, their confidence of gaining a job was lower. Most surprising was the job category Adventure/ Risk Recreation. Whilst it was relatively popular in terms of interest, students perceived much less likelihood of gaining a job in this area.


Table 3. Likelihood of Getting a Job

Job Categories Number of students (“n” indicates the reported the number of students who realistic likelihoodplace this category among of getting a job their top 4 choices and within that job rated job likelihood) category as “Most likely OR Likely” (%)

Community Recreation (n=128 ) 91 (71%)Resort Recreation (n=119 ) 65 (54.6%)Youth Serving Organizations (n=119) 62 (52.1%)Outdoor Education (n= 97) 59 (60.8%)Special Event Management (n=94) 49 (52.1%)Natural Resources Management (n=76) 39 (51.3%)Adventure / Risk Recreation (n=89) 36 (40.4%)Travel and Tourism (n=61) 27 (44.2%)Facility Management (n=49) 22 (44.8%)Military Recreation (n=31) 18 (58%)Commercial Recreation – Local (n=25) 11 (44%)Correctional Recreation (n=27) 7 (25.9%)Employee Services / Industrial Rec (n=21) 6 (28.5%)Therapeutic Recreation – Community (n=60) 50 (83.3%)Therapeutic Recreation – Clinical (n=57) 40 (70.1%)Therapeutic Recreation – Residential (n=54) 28 (51.8%)

When considering therapeutic recreation options, the order was not consistent when comparing student interest in a job area and students’ perception of the likelihood to gain a job. The ratings placed Community Therapeutic Recreation first, Clinical Therapeutic Recreation second and Residential Therapeutic Recreation third. Importantly, all three therapeutic recreation options had favorable ratings in terms of likelihood to get a job, when compared to the perceptions of their general recreation counterparts.

F. INDIVIDUAL UNIVERSITY - RECREATION

JOB INTEREST & JOB LIKELIHOOD

As stated before, each of the universities have some areas of disciplinary strength or faculty members who have specialty areas that resonate with students. In this regard, the findings below are likely to be influenced by those factors and they are worth exploring further.

1. Interest in Job Areas and Job Likelihood: MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY – MANKATO

For Minnesota State University - Mankato students, the top four professional “interests” lay in Resort Recreation, Community Recreation, Outdoor Education, and Natural Resource Management with the least popular options being Correctional Recreation, Local Commercial Recreation and the Military. (We ranked, 1-13, both the “interests” and the “likelihoods” so that readers could more easily interpret the differences)

In terms of “likelihood to get a job” Local Commercial Recreation, Adventure / Risk Recreation, and Correctional Recreation were the biggest ”losers”, where more than 60% of the students thought that getting an entry level job in these areas was low. Surprisingly, the Community Recreation ranking in terms of job likelihood was significantly lower than the ALL UNIVERSITIES ranking (dropped from 1 to 7).

In the therapeutic recreation areas, professional interest was evenly spread but students rated Clinical and Community Therapeutic Recreation options much higher in terms of job likelihood.

Table 4. Minnesota State University - Mankato Results (Total respondents = 81)

Job Categories Among the Top 4 Choices Number of students reported the realistic n (%) - Rank likelihood of getting a job within that job category as “Most likely OR Likely”

Resort Recreation 42 (50.6%) – 1st 20/34 (58.5%) – 6th Community Recreation 39 (48.1%) – 2nd 17/33 (51.5%) – 7th Outdoor Education 33 (40.7%) – 3rd 13/19 (68.4%) – 2nd Natural Resources Management 29 (35.8%) – 4th 16/27 (59.2%) – 5th Adventure / Risk Recreation 22 (27.1%) – 5th 6/16 (37.5%) – 7th Youth Serving Organizations 22 (27.1%) – 5th 12/20 (60%) – 4th Special Event Management 20 24.7%) – 6th 7/12 (58.3%) – 6th Travel and Tourism 15 (18.5%) – 7th 6/10 (60%) – 4th Facility Management 15 (18.5%) – 7th 6/9 (66.6%) – 3rd Employee Services / Industrial Recreation 11 (13.6%) – 8th 2/6 (33.3%) – 8th Commercial Recreation - Local 8 (9.8%) – 9th 0/4 (-)Correctional Recreation 8 (9.8%) – 9th 1/7 (14.2%) – 9th Military Recreation 5 (6.1%) – 10th 4/4 (100%) – 1st TR - Residential 15 (18.5%) – 1st 6/11 (54.5%) – 2nd TR - Community 12 (14.8%) – 2nd 7/9 (77.7%) – 1st TR - Clinical 10 (12.3%) – 3rd 7/9 (77.7%) – 1st


22 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org Winter 2011 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 23

2. Interest in Job Areas and Job Likelihood: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Interpretation of the University of Minnesota data is more limited because they had fewer respondents than the other schools. Special Event Management, Community Recreation, Youth Serving Agencies, and Outdoor Education garnered the highest professional interest. (once again, for ease of readability, we ranked each professional option in terms of “interest” and “job likelihood”).

Community Recreation, Outdoor Education and Youth Serving Organizations generally maintained their rankings when it came to “likelihood to gain a job”, but Correctional Recreation, Local Commercial Recreation, Military Recreation and Employee Services were impossible to interpret due to low numbers. Out of 44 respondents, only two students placed TR Clinical options among their top 4 choices, and only 1 student placed TR Community on their high priority list. The TR Residential option did not gain any votes. With numbers so low in therapeutic recreation, interpretation of this data was not wise.

Table 5. University of Minnesota Results (Total respondents = 44)


Special Event Management 26 (59%) – 1st 12/24 (50%) – 7th Community Recreation 26 (59%) – 1st 19/24 (79.1%) – 3rd Youth Serving Organizations 22 (50%) – 2nd 9/22 (86.3%) – 2nd Outdoor Education 19 (43%) – 3th 11/18 (61.1%) – 5th Adventure / Risk Recreation 19 (43%) – 3rd 9/16 (56.2%) – 6th Resort Recreation 19 (43%) – 3rd 3/14 (75%) – 4th Travel and Tourism 16 (36.3%) – 4th 6/15 (40%) – 8th Facility Management 11 (25%) – 5th 3/10 (30%) – 9th Natural Resources Management 9 (20.4%) – 6th 2/8 (25%) – 10thCommercial Recreation - Local 2 (4.5%) – 7th 1/2 (50%) – 7th Military Recreation 1 (2.2%) – 8th 1/1 (100%) – 1st Employee Services / Industrial Recreation 1 (2.2%) – 8th 0/1 (-)Correctional Recreation 1 (2.2%) – 8th 0/1 (-)TR - Clinical 2 (4.5%) – 1st 1/1 (100%) – 1st TR – Community 1 (2.2%) – 2nd 1/1 (100%) – 1st TR - Residential 0 0

3. Interest in Job Areas and Job Likelihood: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – LA CROSSE

The top four professional areas of interest at University of Wisconsin – La Crosse were largely the same as the other schools. In order, they were Youth Serving Agencies, Resort recreation, Community Recreation, and Special Event Management.

Once again, there was little movement in the rankings regarding likelihood to get a job but Special Event Management took quite a large drop. Although there is high interest in Adventure/Risk Recreation it also took a large ranking drop in terms of job likelihood. Correctional Recreation, Employee Services, Local Commercial Recreation and Military Recreation received little professional interest and were varied in terms of job likelihood.

As with students at other schools, the Therapeutic Recreation interest options were fairly even. Regarding the likelihood of getting a job, Community Therapeutic Recreation was rated higher than either Clinical Therapeutic Recreation or Residential Therapeutic Recreation.

4. Interest in Job Areas and Job Likelihood: WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY

The top four areas of professional interest for Winona State University students were Outdoor Education, Adventure/Risk Recreation, Community Recreation, and Resort Recreation. Of the lowest interest were Employee Services, Correctional Recreation, Local Commercial Recreation and Facility Management.

When ranking the likelihood of getting a job in the area of interest Adventure/Risk Recreation and Youth Serving Organizations took large drops while Outdoor Education, Community Recreation and Resort Recreation remained relatively stable.

Consistent with other schools, the Therapeutic Recreation options were relatively equal in terms of interest but Residential TR was much lower in terms of job likelihood.


Table 6. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Results (Total respondents = 129)


Youth Serving Organizations 53 (41.1%) – 1st 31/49 (63.2%) – 4th Resort Recreation 52 (40.3%) – 2nd 28/43 (65.1 %) – 3rd Community Recreation 44 (34.1%) – 3rd 37/43 (86%) – 1stSpecial Event Management 44 (34.1%) – 3rd 16/34 (47%) – 8th Outdoor Education 40 (31%) – 4th 17/31 (54.8%) – 6th Adventure / Risk Recreation 37 (28.7%) – 5th 10/30 (33.3%) – 11th Natural Resources Management 30 (23.2%) – 6th 13/22 (59%) – 5th Facility Management 29 (22.4%) – 7th 10/24 (41.6%) – 8thTravel and Tourism 20 (15.5%) – 8th 6/16 (37.5%) – 9th Military Recreation 15 (11.6%) – 9th 9/14 (64.2%) – 2nd Commercial Recreation - Local 14 (10.8%) – 10th 6/12 (50%) – 7th Correctional Recreation 13 (10%) – 11th 3/11 (27.2%) – 12th Employee Services / Industrial Recreation 8 (6.2%) – 12th 3/8 (37.5%) – 9th TR – Community 33 (25.6%) – 1st 26/32 (81.2%) – 1st TR – Clinical 32 (24.8%) – 2nd 19/31 (61.2%) – 2nd TR – Residential 28 (21.7%) – 3rd 15/26 (57.6%) – 3rd

Table 4. Winona State University Results (Total respondents = 96)


Outdoor Education 37 (38.5%) – 1st 18/19 (94.7%) – 1st Adventure / Risk Recreation 37 (38.5%) – 1nd 11/27 (40.7%) – 9th Community Recreation 33 (33.3%) – 2rd 18/28 (64.2%) – 2nd Resort Recreation 32 (33.3%) – 3th 14/28 (50%) – 5th Youth Serving Organizations 31 (32.2%) – 4th 10/28 (35.7%) – 11th Travel and Tourism 27 (28.1%) – 5th 9/20 (45%) – 6th Special Event Management 26 (27%) – 6th 14/24 (58.3%) – 3rd Natural Resources Management 25 (26%) – 7th 8/19 (42.1%) – 7th Military Recreation 16 (16.6%) –8th 4/12 (33.3%) – 12th Employee Services / Industrial Recreation 11 (11.5%) – 9th 1/6 (16.6%) – 13th Correctional Recreation 11 (11.5%) – 9th 3/8 (37.5%) – 10th Commercial Recreation - Local 11 (11.5%) – 9th 4/7 (57.1%) – 4th Facility Management 9 (6.9%) – 10th 3/6 (50%) – 5th TR – Residential 21 (21.8%) – 1st 7/17 (41.1%) – 3rd TR – Clinical 19 (19.8%) – 2nd 13/16 (81.2%) – 2nd TR – Community 19 (19.8%) – 2nd 16/18 (88.8%) – 1st

As stated before, each of the universities has some areas of disciplinary strength or faculty members who have

specialty areas that resonate with students.


G. EVER WORKED FOR? - ALL UNIVERSITIES

To assess students’ level of familiarity with Public Parks and Recreation, the students were asked if they had ever worked in the following three areas of recreation – Non-profit, Public, For-Profit. As readers might imagine, there were a greater proportion of the students that had worked for Public Parks and Recreation than the other two sectors. In part, the variation in numbers between universities could reflect the range of public recreation opportunities that surround the students’ campuses. Overall, students were much more likely to have worked for a public sector provider than they were to have worked for Not-For-Profits or For-Profit providers.

Table 8. Students’ Level of Familiarity with Public Parks and Recreation

Non-profit Public For-profit

Minnesota State University - Mankato 41% 45.8% 39.8%University of Minnesota 34.1% 65.9% 31.8%University of Wisconsin – La Crosse 48.8% 52.7% 43.4%Winona State University 36.6% 50.5% 37.6%Overall 42.0% 52.0% 39.4%

As a follow-up question about familiarity with Public Parks and Recreation, the authors asked students to write-in, what socio-economic groups were served by public providers, not-for-profit providers and for-profit recreation providers. For public recreation providers, the students overwhelmingly replied with “low class/income”, “poor” and those with “special needs” like the “elderly” or “people with disabilities”. The “general public” was also a common response, but was not as popular as the “low class/income” response.

When breaking out the content analysis of the write-in responses by universities, Winona State University, Minnesota State University – Mankato, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and the University of Minnesota had similar beliefs in what socio-economic groups were served by each of the sectors asked about in the survey, non-profit, public, and for-profit recreation.

With the exception of UWL, all universities were on common ground about who they believed was served by the not-for-profit recreation sector. The recurring themes included “people of lower income”, “people with specific needs”, and “the general public”. Students at UWL also believed that “people of higher income” were served by this sector.

For those served by for-profit organizations, the students were once again in correspondence with two themes, “people of higher income” and “the general public”. Although the U of M students only identified “people of higher income.”.

H. POSITIVE PUBLIC PARKS AND

RECREATION EXPERIENCE

The final question of the survey asked students if they had positive encounters with their hometown parks and recreation department. Overwhelmingly, students stated they had received a positive experience at home. If a student had worked for Parks and Recreation, the percentages were approximately five points higher.

Table 9. Public Parks and Recreation Experience

Positive Experience

Minnesota State University - Mankato 86.7%University of Minnesota 95.5%University of Wisconsin – La Crosse 83.7%Winona State University 77.2%Overall 83.7%

I. DISCUSSION

Public Parks and Recreation Still Popular BUT - Based on the feedback from current students in recreation programs at the four “feeder” universities, public parks and recreation is ranked the highest of seventeen professional options in terms of student interest in the profession. When students were asked their realistic likelihood of getting a job within public parks and recreation, they were optimistic about their prospects. The concern expressed by professionals at the start of this article may not be due to lack of interest by current students but to the widening array of professional options now available to them. Whereas once, public parks and recreation departments and youth serving agencies were some of the few professional choices, professional options such as resorts and special events management compete for the students’ professional preferences. At the other end of the professional interest spectrum are options such as military recreation, local commercial recreation, correctional recreation and employee services. Because there are not a lot of jobs in each of these areas, they probably do not receive much attention within university classes.

If current practitioners are worried about the pool of applicants for future jobs they may well consider growing their already good reputation amongst students, who report overwhelmingly good experiences with this branch of public sector providers. Job mentoring high school students, through work summer programs, may be one way to ensure a pool of pre-identified professionals because it would appear that the profession receives little help of high school vocational counselors.

Gender Issues - Although this MRPA survey does not directly mirror the national statistics regarding the numbers of men and women in college, it is should be a concern for public parks and recreation professionals. With young male participation in colleges continuing to fall, there will be a concern for future gender diversity within the profession. If young males continue to be non-participants, gender diversity within the profession will be forced into inequality. It should be pointed


out, however, that while the educational and lower ranks of the recreation profession are well served by females, they are yet equal in the upper ranks and women are still underrepresented at the Director level. With the boomers retiring, it may be found that the next generation of executive directors will be women who have been waiting to fill the vacuum.

Discovery Degree - Yes, recreation is still a “discovery degree” and this was illustrated by the MRPA survey. Students do not know about this professional option in high school or they are not considering it when choosing their colleges and the degrees they will complete. To address this issue, greater awareness must be developed in high school guidance counselors but it can also be fostered through parks and recreation departments within each hometown.

Therapeutic Recreation - In the therapeutic recreation arena, clinic and community jobs were clearly more interesting to students than residential therapeutic recreation. Students’ assessment of job likelihood was also higher in these two categories, however, with changes in the health system at the national level, there is much speculation as to how clinical settings will react to the health laws recently passed under the Obama administration. The students’ perception that jobs are more likely in clinical settings also belies the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010-11) that points to residential settings being the main employment vehicle as they serve the rapidly aging population. There is also some evidence to suggest that people would like to be able to “age in place”, and today they have more ability to live in their homes as long and comfortably as possible with the help of innovative design principles, telecare, and assistive technology. Thus there is and will be more need for community recreation TR specialists.

Could this be why undergraduate recreation students are not considering the public park and recreation departments as potential employers? Are they too concerned that they are not going to make money in a public/non-profit sector of the recreation field? It seems that students may feel that public park and recreation departments are not the areas of recreation where they can make money in the recreation field.

Based on the feedback from current students in recreation programs at the four “feeder” universities, public parks and

recreation is ranked the highest of 17 professional options

in terms of student interest in the profession.


WHAT’S GOING ONBy Chad Ubl, Community Services Director, City of Winona

It is a long story but I fell asleep on Friday and woke up on Sunday.

It that short time, my minor concerns went from raking the lawn, storing the kayaks in the garage, and putting a cover on the air conditioner to who shoveled our drive-way and this snow is not going to melt for another 120 some odd days. Just like that winter came. Another 120 days of trading 45 minutes of getting dressed for 10 minutes of fort building. Trading 45 minutes of put-ting on long underwear, boots, snow pants, jacket, hat and mittens for 5 minutes of play before someone needs to use the bath-room. Another 120 days of opening the ga-rage door, driving in and closing the garage door with nary an interaction with anyone in the neighborhood. 120 days of not picking up bikes, trikes and scooters from the front yard. There are times those 120 days seem like 15 years went by. When did the kinder-gartener next door get his driver license?

Winter seems to force two effects on us: hibernation and weather related hypochon-driacs. Sometimes the two intermingle - I think it is safe to say that the weather anchors are in bed with the local grocer. “There is a slight chance of flurries tomorrow but if this Alberta Clipper moves south prepare for 30 inches of snow and cease all travel except to the store to stock up on three weeks of toilet paper and don’t forget the milk….then stay inside as this is going to be the storm of the century.” When was the last snowfall in Min-nesota when you were not able to get to the store in 30 hours or more importantly, has it happened multiple times in your lifespan? How many times have you not been able to travel for days at a time? How many times have you looked at the forecast and seen 20 inches forecasted and decided to pack up the car? If you answered yep to any of those then you need to check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has a list of 23 items you should have in your car for winter ‘survival.’ The only thing not listed was a MNDOT snow plow driver. To the point of this article….the CDC also has a list for safe winter recreation:

Be Safe During RecreationNotify friends and family where you will be before you go hiking, camping, or skiing. Do not leave areas of the skin exposed to the cold. Avoid perspiring or becoming overtired. Be prepared to take emergency shelter. Pack dry clothing, a two-wave radio, waterproof matches and paraffin fire start-ers with you. Do not use alcohol and other mood altering substances, and avoid caf-feinated beverages. Avoid walking on ice or getting wet. Carefully watch for signs of cold-weather health problems.

Doesn’t quite fit into most recreation de-partments’ vision and mission. “If you are thinking of going outside this winter try not to sweat as a matter of fact it may be best for you to stay inside and finish eating another pound of holiday cookies.” I’ll be honest, it was a tough lesson for me, I wanted to get out and blaze a trail, try the new snowshoes, get some fresh air, a little exercise, but in the rush to feel the fresh powder I forgot my paraffin fire starters and my family hasn’t forgiven me to this day! This list makes me think that Fox News is going to have a color coding system for winter weather but with the standard wintry colors of course. It would look something like this:

Certainly if weather anchors aren’t trying to scare us inside how about the innovation created from winter. The plastic film for win-dows has had to net 3M a few dollars. Ny-Quil, has made a fortune on the winter flu season. The electric blanket and automatic car starter have kept us warm when we don’t have the patience. I’m going to assume the attached garage had something to do with winter. And lest we forget the most impor-tant invention the electric shovel - when you are too lazy to shovel and too cheap to buy a regular snow blower.

Despite the do not sweat type warnings, winter at times needs to be taken seriously. We know that serious injuries and death occur throughout winter due to weather conditions. We can be thankful that no one was injured when the Metrodome roof col-lapsed. Yet, in general, despite the electric shovel, winter makes recreation folks more creative and tough.

Question: How difficult is it to plan for a pro-gram in the middle of January in Arizona? Answer: Not as difficult as cutting a hole in the ice so a couple hundred people can jump into to a body of chilly water; never-mind what we do with them once they exit.

Question: Ever participated in a freeze yer gizzard blizzard run in Florida? Answer: Only if the temperature fell below 60.

Question: Any pond hockey teams in Los Angeles? Answer: Not from any ponds created by mother nature.

So I say this to all of you and the CDC, ignore the warnings – GET OUTSIDE! Try to greet your neighbors more than just ev-ery time you need to blow snow. Sweat. Hit the slopes. Go for a walk. Snag an eelpout. Embrace winter; don’t hibernate.

LOWLow risk of winter weather; its fall-like weather

GUARDEDRisk of winter weather is normal.

It could happen at any time.

HIGHHigh risk of snowfall, some may be heavy. Wear your

hat and mittens if you venture outside, however I would stay inside if I were you.

ELEVATEDSnowfall will be heavy across the region and temps

will be below 32 degrees. Only venture to the grocery store if you need to travel.

SEVEREBlizzard conditions, temps well below zero, wind gusts above breezy. Seek immediate bomb shelter. If you do

not have a bomb shelter, good luck!


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mrpa minnesota magazine winter 2011

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