Greetings from Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. This is our e-newsletter for December.  We hope it helps you have fun and achieve good health this holiday season. If you do not want to receive this, click on the UNSUBSCRIBE icon at the bottom. If you know anyone else who would like to receive it, send them to www.parkandrec.com to click on the SUBSCRIBE icon.
 

Ray hopes you took time to Recreate All Year with Park and Rec.
 

OUR SPECIAL WISHES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED PARK AND REC THIS YEAR
We hope the holidays bring joy to you and your family. We also want to send special thanks to all who helped us this year--by serving on the Park and Recreation Commission, on one of our advisory boards, as volunteers who helped present programs and activities or prepared and cleaned facilities, to those who contributed to Partners for Parks, and to voters who passed the bond referendum for expanding facilities and clean water. To all who helped make us a better Park and Recreation Department, we say "Thank you" this holiday season.
 

SANTA AND RAY HELP LIGHT COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE IN FREEDOM PARK DECEMBER 8; EVERYONE IS WELCOME

Come help us light our Christmas trees in Freedom Park to get ready for the holiday season!

Get a great start on the holidays with the third annual Christmas Tree Lighting and toy/clothing drive Sat., Dec. 8, 4-6pm at Freedom Park, 1900 East Boulevard. Trees will be lighted around the "bandshell," beside the lake at about 6pm. Guests may donate an ornament for the trees. Event sponsored by Art Institute of Charlotte with Park and Rec. From 4pm-5:45pm there will be musical entertainment and caroling, Santa's workshop (crafts), face painting and hayrides around the lake. Santa and Ray, Park and Rec mascot, will greet children. Limited refreshments. Toy/clothing drive will benefit the Salvation Army's Center for Women and Children.  For more information contact Jackie Hemingway at 704-353-1246. 

 

SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE, BALLOON RELEASE DEC. 8 AT OUR CHILDREN'S MEMORIAL WALKWAY IN FRAZIER PARK
Our Children's Memorial Walkway invites anyone grieving the loss of a child or friend of any age to attend the National Children's Memorial Day Service Sat., Dec. 8, 2007. Service is at 2pm on the walkway in Frazier Park, 1201 West 4^th Street. This is on National Children's Memorial Day, declared by Congress as a time to remember children who have died. Service features a release of balloons carrying the names of departed children. Family of each child will be presented a yellow rose. Solemn music and special uplifting speaker. This is the first service since the walkway was completed. In case of bad weather, service will be in Ray's Splash Planet, 215 North Sycamore Street. For more information check www.ocmw.org.

 

PARTNERS FOR PARKS OFFICIAL IS BOARD TREASURER OF NATIONAL PARKS BOARD
A longtime supporter of parks and green space in Mecklenburg County, Doug Youngblood, has been elected Board Treasurer of the National Recreation Park Association Board of Directors. Youngblood, a local CPA, is Executive Director of Partners for Parks, Inc., a local non-profit corporation which promotes parks and greenways. "Serving on the NRPA Board of Directors provides national recognition for Partners for Parks as well as financial and educational resources that assist us in building and promoting parks in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding region,"  says Youngblood.  For more than 40 years, NRPA has advocated the importance of thriving, local park systems, the opportunity for all Americans to lead healthy, active lifestyles, and the preservation of great community places.
 

ROBINSON ROCK HOUSE RUINS MAY BE DESIGNATED ON HISTORIC REGISTER

Park and Rec is seeking a national designation for the Robinson Rock House ruins in Reedy Creek Nature Preserve. The state has declared the ruins  "regionally significant" and recommends that the site be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the remains of a stone house, circa 1780s, which was similar in construction to the Hezekiah Alexander House at the Charlotte Museum of History on Shamrock Road. The Robinsons were farmers, among the first settlers in Mecklenburg County. The ruins are in the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve, and can be seen at the end of a 15 minute walk through the woods.

Take a walk to the ruins of Robinson Rock House in Reedy Creek Nature Preserve.  Check at the Nature Center for directions.

 

COME SEE OR CHEER IN THE TENTH ANNUAL COUNTY-WIDE HOLIDAY CHEERLEADING CLASSIC 2007
Mecklenburg Park and Rec. and Accessories Plus Etc., are recruiting cheerleading squads to compete in the annual County-wide Holiday Cheerleading Classic  Championship. The event will be held Sun. Dec.16, 2007 at 2:30 pm in Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Drive.  Registration open to ages 4-18. Residents of Mecklenburg and surrounding counties may compete for trophies and medals. Cheerleading squad registration fee: $5/participants. Admission at door: $4/person.  Parking is $1/vehicle. All interested squads, call to register:704-353-1251 or 704-890-4487. 
 

PASS, DRIBBLE, SHOOT IN LOCAL REGIONAL, NATIONAL BASKETBALL SKILLS COMPETITION.  SIGN-UP NOW! 

Youngsters with superior basketball skills are invited to the Junior-NBA/WNBA Skills Challenge sponsored by SINGULAIR. This event will be held locally at Amay James Recreation Center, 2425 Lester St. Sat., Dec. 29, 1pm -4pm.

This will be one of 250 competitions across the country this winter. Local winners may advance to the regional championships and national finals in Orlando, FL in May.  To participate in this challenge is FREE.  Boys and Girls ages 7 -14 compete separately. Every youngster has the opportunity to showcase his/her passing, dribbling and shooting skills by age groups:  7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14. (Age is determined as of May 16, 2008)  For more information or to sign-up call: 704 336-3053.