MRPA Annual Conference, March 30 - April 1, 2011
Presentations and Workshops as of March 22, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 1:00 - 2:15
Networking with Maine After School Network Marshall Room
This session will explore the potential collaboration among MRPA members and Maine AfterSchool Network membership in their efforts to meet the out-of-school-time needs of Maine children and youth. How might these memberships best collaborate to support each other’s efforts and to support optimum youth development for Maine students through quality programming? Interactive presentation with exchange of ideas.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Deb Chase, Executive Director, Maine After School Network
Touchpads and Nature: Just the Beginning Seal Room
How can technology entice teens to participate in outdoor programs? Attendees will learn how to utilize the many natural resource agencies available in Maine and outside of Maine and their technologies to entice teens to explore the outdoors.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Neal Sleeper, Recreation Program Director, Town of Caribou Parks and Recreation Department
Grants and Community Recreation Grindle Room
Mick will present on two of the programs he manages for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. One is the Land and Water Conservation Fund that provides federal funding for towns, state agencies and schools for outdoor recreation. This could be for the development of land for outdoor recreation and also acquisition of property that will be used for outdoor recreation. Commonly funded projects include ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, boat launches, skate parks, town common areas and many other projects related to outdoor recreation. The second program he’ll discuss is the Recreational Trails Program. This program provides federal funding for the development or maintenance of trails, including both motorized and non-motorized trails. He also will touch briefly on similar funding from CDBG and DOT enhancement grants.
Track: Parks and Maintenance
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Mick Rogers, Manager, Grants and Community Recreation, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Parks & Recreation Working Together South Veranda
With tight budgets and increased demands to develop creative programs to promote lifetime skills, many schools are partnering with park and recreation departments to share resources and talent. This session will demonstrate examples of cooperative teaching experiences that are working. Attendees will leave with lesson plans and information that will allow them to consider working with schools within their community to propose cooperative programs that promote lifetime skills.
Track: Admin
CEU = .1 credit
Presenters: Dave Collins, Recreation Director, Town of Mars Hill ; Kathy Mazzuchelli, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, Town of Caribou; Mia Pangburn, Physical Education Instructor, Mars Hill
Wednesday, March 30, 2:45 – 4:00 pm
Youth in Motion Seal Room
One in five Americans lives with a significant disability. Many of those Americans acquired their disability—through accidents, injuries, or disease—when they were young. Youth in Motion provides disabled children with an opportunity to enjoy regular recreation activities, create friendships, and have fun with their peers in a safe, free, and friendly environment. The program is operated by volunteers in donated recreation space, and we’d like to teach you about ways to offer similar programs in your community.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Jeremy Libby & Gaelen Saucier, Alpha One
NH CATCH Kids Club Project: Putting an evidence based program into practice across NH Grindle Room
Getting kids to engage in physical activity can sometimes be a daunting task. Competition, low confidence levels, and lack of skills all contribute to the problem of inactivity in today's kids. In rolls CATCH Kids Club, an evidence based program that has NH after school and recreation programs up and alive with action! In this workshop we will discuss the NH CATCH Kids Club Pilot Project, why CATCH Kids Club is unique, and how you can get it in your organization. Be ready to be active, because experience is the best way to learn!
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Andy Bohannon, CPRP
City of Keene, Director Parks, Recreation & Cemeteries
Beyond the Catalog - Making the most of email, your web site and Facebook Marshall Room
The future is now. We're all in this together. As the hard copy catalog becomes a thing of the past, what are the best practices when it comes to online brochures; online registration; email outreach to the community; email database development; and creative uses of Facebook and other low cost tools for communicating with our target audiences? Our three panelists have been meeting with success and have lots to share about lessons learned and the simple steps you can take to increase enrollment and grow your programs through strategic use of technology.
Track: Administrative
CEU = .1 credit
Presenters: Kate Harris, Falmouth Community Programs; Gail Platts, Gorham Recreation Department; Matt Tobin, Pioneer Athletics. Facilitator: Matt Howe, Maine Recreation & Park Association
Promoting Outdoor Recreation for Maine Youth & FamiliesSouth Veranda
The fabric of New England communities is the commitment to its youth, and the strength of its families. Adventure Bound understands this commitment and provides programming that will enhance your summer recreation programs by providing well managed whitewater rafting, rock climbing and ropes course activities, in an environment guaranteed to be suitable for teens and their families. Looking for an Exciting Youth Program? Get outdoors! Go hiking, rock climbing, rafting and challenge the ropes course this summer. Choose one of these popular adventure packages, or build your own adventure to fit your needs!
Session will include a short hike - bring outdoor apparel!
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: John Philbrook
4pm - 6pm - Open Recreation
Thursday, March 31
Breakfast 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
9:00 – 10:30 Conference Keynote with Jeff Yalden
Sponsored by Landscape Structures
CEU = .1 credit
MRPA welcomes Jeff Yalden as our keynote speaker. Jeff is a charismatic, nationally recognized expert on how to motivate teens. He is a Certified 
Speaking Professional and author. Through his presentations and educational resources, Jeff specializes in helping teens feel positive about themselves, build character, learn teamwork, respect others, appreciate diversity, practice kindness and become leaders. He has spoken to over 3,000 audiences worldwide and was featured in the popular MTV reality show, MADE. For more information on Jeff visit www.jeffyalden.com Jeff's involvement in our conference is made possible by a generous grant from Landscape Structures.
Thursday, March 31, 11:00 - 12:15
Preventing Childhood Obesity: Let’s Go! 5210 Goes After School and the Role You Can Play Marshall Room
Join Emily Walters and Molly Lee, of Let’s Go!, to learn what role an after school program can take in addressing concerns around obesity in our children. They will discuss the 5-2-1-0 message and how after school programs can provide opportunities for increased healthy eating and physical activity for youth. They will also introduce the 5-2-1-0 Goes After School intervention and share information on how you can get involved.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenters: Emily Walters and Molly Lee, Maine Medical Center/Kids CO-OP
Managing employees: How do you engage our associates?
Seal Room
Trying to engage your associates? Is engagement important? How does an engaged workforce impact your business and bottom line? When you think of a shoe manufacturing company, do you think about Best Places to Work in Maine? Come hear about how associates at New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. are engaged, how they impact the company and what is done to promote engagement.
Track: Administrative
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Chris Arsenault, HRBP Domestic Manufacturing, New Balance Shoe
Campardy! The game show that keeps kids moving Grindle Room
Campardy is a high-energy, confidence-building game incorporating kid-friendly dance music, physical challenges, and healthy competition to keep kids motivated throughout. Mike will provide an overview and demo of the game and its physical challenges, allowing plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Track: Program
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Mike Mahoney, owner, M&M Entertainment
Playground Equipment Accessibility Standards and Guidelines - 2010 Updates South Veranda
The ADA is here to stay and has steadily become accepted as an everyday part of life. Let’s be sure that individuals with a disability are afforded their equal rights when it comes to the enjoyment and participation of outdoor recreation leisure interests, specifically playgrounds. In addition to addressing common accessibility issues with equipment, etc., we will also look at safety surfacing and the critical impact it has for complete accessibility. Now that the Dept. of Justice signed the October 2000 regulations into law (July 2010) – timing is critical to ensure compliance. Participants will acquire a basic working knowledge of the history of the ADA and Play Areas; have basic working knowledge of technical accessibility standards for Play Areas, including both equipment and resilient surfacing; and be able to identify the regulatory group, and other agencies that have the technical knowledge, resources and support to ensure you have all of the most current information.
Track: Parks and Maintenance
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: John LaRue, Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI),
President/Owner, J.P. LaRue, Inc, Playground Design/Consultant Company
12:15 – 1:30 Lunch and MRPA Annual Meeting
Thursday, March 31, 2:00 – 3:15
Autism Specturm Disorders, Come Join the Conversation Marshall Room
This session will provide you with an understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders including the characteristics that define Autism, methods of diagnosis, and strategies for teaching, working with, and socializing with individuals with this unique diagnosis. Many people have Autism. Few understand it. Come join the conversation and the exploration.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Karen Gorris-Hicock, Autism Information Specialist, Autism Society of Maine
"The Way Life Should Be" Seal Room
Maine has the best things to offer outdoors and it is right in your community! Maine's outdoors and wildlife are often overlooked as an asset to your alternative programming. Sportsman's Alliance of Maine is Maine's largest sportsman's organization. SAM assists with programs, and promotes and educates on field sports, wildlife conservation and wildlife management. Working together with the SAM, you have the ability to promote your local resources and develop new programs and opportunities in your community. Come learn how they can assist you, get new program ideas and learn how you can assist with the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine's goals.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Matt Dunlap, Executive Director, Sportsman's Alliance of Maine
Adventure Program Panel Grindle Room
Collaborative opportunities launched to get people moving utilizing the natural world and creating unique opportunities in your community. See what other communities are doing and hear about the Mt. Bike opportunities at Back Country Excursions.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenters: Denise LeBlanc, Director of Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Dept.; Angela O’Connor Title, Recreation Programmer, Kennebunkport Parks & Recreation Dept.; Kevin Osgood, Back Country Excursions, Parsonsfield, ME
Character Education through Creative Recreation South Veranda
A variety of research shows that nationwide, children today are lacking core values such as kindness, respect, self-control, integrity and accountability. The importance of instilling character education in today’s youth needs to be at the top of the agenda for school professionals, childcare providers, parents, and other decision makers. It is our responsibility to give our youth opportunities to become people with character. One way to achieve this is to allow children to be in control of their own play in a structured environment which requires meaningful social interaction. We will review both the components of character education and learn how creative, interactive play can be utilized to help instill core values. Participants will acquire an understanding of the components of character education and why it’s necessary to address them; why today’s youth are living passive lifestyles (with little pure play) and what the effects are; and will participate in creative recreation and be able to understand how it addresses health and social concerns as well as character education.
Track: Therapeutic Recreation
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: John LaRue, CTRS, Vice-President and co-founder of Character Education through Creative Recreation, Inc
Thursday, March 31, 3:30 – 4:45
How to get Sponsorship money for your programs Marshall Room
This session will discuss how individual parks and recreation departments can try and drive additional revenue through sponsorships. We will discuss understanding your assets, what has value, creative ideas, packaging inventory, communicating and locating potential sponsors and how to approach them.
Track: Admin
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Steve Rex, Front Row Marketing, Gorham, Maine
Are Parks and Recreation an Essential Service? Seal Room
You Betcha!
This session will demonstrate how parks and recreation play a key role in the U.S. Center For Disease Control’s strategy to fight obesity. Attendees will leave with a sense of how to reframe parks and recreation as an essential piece of developing healthy lifestyles and with a tool box of goals and objectives they can use within their departments justify their existence and importance within their communities.
Track: Programs
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: Doug Beck, BS, CPRP, Physical Activity Coordinator, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Healthy Weight Program, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
New Games: The Foundation of Cooperative
& Non-Competitive Play & Games South Veranda
Where has basic play and gamesmanship gone? Has technology and social issues overtaken the child’s inherent right to simply play with their peers? Has imaginative play disappeared? Has the competitive nature of traditional sports and games limited the type of child who can participate and be accepted by their peers? In New Games, everyone plays – everyone wins – the way we play together creates an environment that’s “just for the fun of it”. Participants will experience different types of games and different ways to play, which include: ice breakers, trust play, creative play, initiative tasks as well as aggressive (but controlled) play, formerly know as soft war. The session also identifies leadership techniques required to be an effective cooperative play facilitator. These skills include; Roles, Responsibilities, Qualities, Techniques and Freedoms. Discover first hand how basic play is critical to effective human interaction and its role in balancing today’s technology-based games.
Track: Therapeutic Recreation
CEU = .1 credit
Presenter: John LaRue, CTRS, Vice-President and co-founder of Character Education through Creative Recreation, Inc.
Mountain biking made simple, safe, and fun! South Veranda
Today’s bikes are light years away from those we used to ride in the past. This section will provide a basic understanding about how a mountain bike is fitted for safe, fun, and confident riding. We will brake down and simplify biking while taking the scary/mystery out of pedaling . In doing so, we will offer simple explanations of how the onboard equipment, components function while sharing the latest safety and riding techniques/ skills. The end of the session will be going for a short ride. The Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Department has provided Mt. Bikes for everyone, please be sure to wear proper footwear and attire.
Track: Programs
CEU Credit: .1
Presenter: Kevin Osgood, Mountain Bike instructor, bike shop owner, and guide at Back Country Excursions
6:30 pm - 8pm: Awards Dinner
Followed by Amazing Race & Fireworks
Friday, April 1st
Breakfast 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
9:00 – 10:00 - Roundtables
10:30 - Noon - Conference Endnote – Dave McGillivary
As the founder and president of DMSE Sports, Inc., a special-event management company, McGillivray has produced or consulted on more than 900 mass-participatory athletic events throughout the world, including 23 Boston Marathons; the 2004 and 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials; the 1990 Triathlon World Championship, the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. 
Founded by McGillivray in 1981, DMSE Sports is a world leader in sports event management. DMSE specializes in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. McGillivray is also an accomplished motivational speaker. More than 1,600 audiences from corporate executives to high school students have experienced McGillivray’s signature ability to engage and inspire listeners. His 30-year career in the sport of road racing and triathlon earned him the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award,” presented to him by Competitor Magazine. McGillivray was also presented with the prestigious "Race Director of the Year" award by Road Race Management, Inc., and sponsored by Running Times Magazine. In 2005 he was inducted into the Running USA Hall of Champions. There is an intrinsic relationship between McGillivray and the sport of running. He is not only one of the world’s finest race directors, he himself is an accomplished athlete, perhaps best known for his extraordinary run across the United States from Medford, Oregon to his hometown of Medford, Massachusetts in 1978 covering a total distance of 3,452 miles, benefiting the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Conference adjourns at Noon on Friday – Lunch on your own