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Recovering Control Freaks
canstockphoto21400477 I think I used to be a control freak; OK, maybe I still am to a certain degree, but I think I am starting to loosen up a bit; life does that to you if you’re listening. I don’t...
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A Day To Remember
Life is a series of moments.canstockphoto1981090 All he wanted to do was scratch his leg. A simple reach down and a couple of rakes of his nails across his calf and it would bring so much relief. But...
View ArticleFall Chaos–Publisher’s Note
Next week, the kids go back to school—which means the seasons, they are a-changing. In our home, this change is abrupt. The languid pace of summer shifts quickly, literally overnight, to the barely...
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Pass It On
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., in the late 1960s and early 1970s, young girls like Jane Bailey didn’t have many opportunities to participate in organized sports. But times have...
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Thoughtful Planning For A Peaceful Park
Photos Courtesy of Parviz Izadjoo Evans Parkway Neighborhood Park in Silver Spring, Md., was originally built in the 1960s. The park provides a walk-to facility for residents of the single-family homes...
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LBWA — To Infinity And Beyond
Photos Courtesy of: Pacific Sports Turf Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and...
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Empathy Loves Company
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / Lighthunter On numerous occasions I’ve tried to teach my kids that their way of approaching a problem is just as—if not more important—than solving the problem. When...
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Keep Track of Your Successes
You have probably had more wins than losses.canstockphoto21742927 I was talking with a friend of mine the other day; we’ll call him Joe for purposes of this missive. He’s a guy I’ve known for many...
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Pool Closing—New approaches for new weather patterns
The world is changing and so are its weather patterns. Predictable seasonal weather is a thing of the past. When it comes to closing down pools for the season the traditional methods used in the past...
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The Clearest Thoughts Come Through A Cluttered Mind
canstockphoto21073599 Have you ever tried to meditate? Or hear about people putting in hours of prayer and concentrated study? I’ve given it a good shot. I had good intentions and put myself in a quiet...
View ArticleTrails Ticket To Reduce Youth Obesity?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As youth obesity levels in America remain at record high levels, health professionals and policymakers continue to search for solutions to this national health issue. Now, researchers...
View ArticleClearing The Lawn Of Leaves
WACO, Texas – The seasons are changing, and with fall comes leaves – often lots of them. Keeping a lawn leaf-free can be a daunting task for some homeowners. There are multiple ways to get rid of...
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Communication Gap: Pencil-Thin Line or Wide Chasm?
Close the communication gap.canstockphoto9163697 I got an interesting email from a Week-Ender follower and regular reader of my monthly “LBWA” column in PRB. This recreation coordinator from...
View ArticleFee-Free Day Sept. 27
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Forest Service is offering a fee-free day on Sept. 27, 2014 in conjunction with the 21st annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD), the Nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort...
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Can’t Go Back
Friday night lights.canstockphoto18858009 In 2007, my elder son graduated from high school and rode a partial football scholarship into his first year of college. As proud as I was, I hated to see him...
View ArticleOctober Pump Up! — Publisher’s Note
This is the time of year we start to hear about all the innovations parks and recreation vendors have been working on. New ads for these products and services hit the pages of our magazine. New exhibit...
View ArticleThis-N-That
Get Info On The Go With Turf Advisor Having trouble telling buttonweed from buttercup? Don’t know nutsedge from kyllinga? Need instant solutions to weed problems while on the job? You can now be as...
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Liquid Assets — LBWA
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / Voyagerix Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks...
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Man Up Like In The Movies
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / urfingus In 1953, George Stevens directed an American western for Paramount called Shane. The film was based on a 1949 novel of the same title, written by Jack Schaefer....
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Lifetime Achievement
Photo Courtest of NAYS Many years ago, Ken Koonce returned to his hometown of Kinston, N.C., for Christmas, where he received one of the best gifts a recreation professional could ask for—a thank you...
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History Filled With People Making Choices
Get young people excited about history.canstockphoto21727158 I periodically have the opportunity to speak with young men and women about history. I got into an informal conversation recently with some...
View ArticleSave $ With FMC’s Order Early Plan
PHILADELPHIA – With more products and incentives than ever before, the FMC 2014 Early Order Program offers significant savings, a Build Your Own Bonus program and extended terms on its most popular...
View ArticlePERC Donates Equipment To Yellowstone
WASHINGTON – Yellowstone National Park is reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions through a donation from the Propane Education & Research Council. PERC’s donation includes a propane-powered...
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Simply Satisfying
How do you find happiness?canstockphoto21978043 It’s been about 2 months since Robin Williams decided he didn’t want to hang around earth anymore. Seems the whole nation mourned his passing and...
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“What The Dickens” Does That Mean?
Joseph Heller coined the term in his 1961 novel Catch-22, which describes absurd bureaucratic constraints on soldiers in World War II.canstockphoto18257208 Last week I was standing in line at the local...
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ASBA Announces 2014 Technical Meeting
ELLICOTT CITY, MD –The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the trade association for those involved in the design, construction and supply of materials for athletic facilities, has announced...
View ArticleNSPF Awards Nine Scholarships and Fellowships
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Nine university students have been awarded a total of $14,000 in Scholarships and Fellowships by non-profit National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) Board of Directors for the...
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Longing For The Red Pop Of The Past
Ah, the good old days.canstockphoto19334256 Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, Oh what a relief it is, Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, Oh what a relief it is, Oh what a relief … it is. I can’t believe I ate the whole...
View ArticleSTMA To Host Annual Conference In Denver
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the professional organization for 2,600 men and women who manage sports fields worldwide – will host its 26th annual Conference &...
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Smile, Though Your Heart Is Breaking
Share a smile.canstockphoto2100545 Smile though your heart is aching Smile even though it’s breaking When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by If you smile through your fear and sorrow Smile and...
View ArticleNearly Half of Americans Participate in Outdoor Recreation
WASHINGTON, DC – Almost 143 million Americans, or 49.2 percent of the US population, participated in an outdoor activity at least once in 2013. Although the actual number of outdoor participants...
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Operation Enduring Change
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / edharcanstock The verb “sur·vive” 1. To remain alive or in existence. 2. To carry on despite hardships or trauma; to persevere. 3. To remain functional or usable. 4. To...
View ArticleNumbers Never Lie — Publisher’s Note
The family truckster, or in our case, a Chevy conversion van, stopped for gas somewhere between Ohio and Florida, causing my 12-year-old self to groan, inwardly, at what was coming. My Dad jumped out...
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Stay The Course
Photo Courtesy Of NAYS When Patrick Senn stepped onto the campus of FranklinCollege in Indiana more than a decade ago, he was like most other college freshmen—he had his whole life ahead of him and no...
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Public-Public Partnership
Photos Courtesy Of Daviess-Martin Joint County Parks & Recreation Department As public land managers across the nation examine new ideas to solve growing budget problems, a variety of old schemes...
View ArticleRevamp Marketing Materials
Marketing collateral may be the hardest-working member of a team, representing a park or recreation department even when its employees cannot. Therefore, it is important that the copy on websites,...
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Recruiting Selfless Services
Photos Courtesy Of Oakland County Parks and Recreation To save on staff costs and expand programming and special events, Oakland County Parks and Recreation (OCPR) in Southeast Michigan began a...
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Maintenance By The Numbers — LBWA
Photos Courtesy of Oakland, MI Parks and Recreation Department Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in...
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The Feel Of A Memory
People will never forget how you made them feel.canstockphoto7258936 I was 34 when I lost my dad to a sudden heart attack. That was 19 years ago last week. I’ve heard all the expected comments since....
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It’s Just So Noisy Out There!
Enjoy the silence.canstockphoto0093195 So I am up in a deer stand at a friend’s expansive private property in way-south Georgia. Well, it was more a deer-press-box. I mean it had all the comforts of...
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The Freshman Five: The First Chapter Of Adulthood
So we’re visiting college campuses lately. The final fledgling is getting ready for his solo flight from the mothership beginning fall 2015. It has all the same feel as before; mom is worried about...
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Being Grateful For What I Have
canstockphoto22485062 It is easy to forget about the little things in life that really count and to be grateful for them. Thanksgiving is the time of year when we highlight the things for which we are...
View ArticleAre You In The Crazy Column? — Publisher’s Note
I was standing at our kitchen island packing my lunch and mentally organizing my day when I heard my older 7-year-old daughter say to her twin sister, “Isabel. I’m in the crazy column!” Isabel didn’t...
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Excellence Equals Inclusion
Illustration: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / PureSolution In early August, I was informed that my division had achieved the Excellence in Procurement award from the National Procurement Institute. It was the...
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Give “Hondo” A Hand
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Al “Hondo” Handy had only been with the OceanCity (Md.) Recreation and Parks Department for two months when he was asked to coach the department’s all-star team in a basketball...
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Eye-Popping Possibilities
Photo Illustration: Marvel Architects These conceptual designs for “frog” restrooms serve the playground in the new Mill River Park in Stamford, Conn. The park’s master plan called for the service...
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LBWA — From The Ground Up
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dinhhang This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and rec leader...
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Teetering On The Edge Of Life
Some moments have a little too much reality.canstockphoto10486489 If you peel off of Route 91 at Cannon Road coming out of Solon, Ohio, you find yourself in a flat out descent to the bottom of a...
View ArticleASBA Honors Distinguished Sports Facilities
Forest Hill, MD – The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities, has announced the winners of its annual...
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Looking Forward To A Better New Year
Practice kindness.canstockphoto22744607 You know how sometimes seemingly random things happen in a certain sequence that just seems like one was destined to follow the other? It happened to me the...
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