Recreation Director’s Report
September 11, 2012
This fall the Recreation Department is offering our annual Hunter Safety Course. Pittsford resident Mr. Rick Hedding is the instructor for this class. He enjoys teaching his students knowledge & skills that most of them will retain and use for the rest of their lives. This is the 8th year he has taught this program for the Recreation Department. Mr. Hedding works for the State of VT Parks and is also a State of VT Deputy Game Warden.
The Youth Soccer Program kicked off another Saturday morning season on Saturday, September 8. Over 88 children 4 years old – 6th grade are participating. Participants numbers are down only slightly (94/2011, 112/2010, 110/2009, 92/2008, 98/2007, 93/2006, & 90/2005). Mr. Dick Williams, the former Otter Valley Girls Varsity Soccer Coach, and his own kids are assisting me again with the actual on-field instruction of the 4 & 5 year olds and the 1st& 2nd graders. Games for the 5th/6th grade teams are sponsored by the Lothrop Elementary School and practices typically begin the first week of September. An interesting thing has happened with Mr. West and the Lothrop School Soccer & Basketball programs. He has stated that there is to be no Saturday sports practices for the Lothrop teams this year. This will make things even tougher to schedule for Lothrop.
The Recreation Department sent a group of 15 Pittsford Seniors on a trip to the Weston Playhouse in Weston, VT on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 to watch Fiddler on the Roof. On Thursday, August 23, 2012 the Recreation Department & the Pittsford Seniors hosted our monthly luncheon at the Vermont Police Academy. Thirty-eight seniors from the local community attended the luncheon. August marked the 5th year anniversary of this popular program. In the past year the program averaged over 47 people per month. This compares to 44/2007-2008, 41/2008-2009, 45/2009/2010, 47/2010-2011. Wonderful food, good conversation and great support from the Vermont Police Academy helps this program prosper year after year. Each meal is made from scratch by the Chef Bob and his assistants, the same crew that prepares & cooks the meals for the Academy.
The Recreation Department is co-sponsoring a Halloween Teen Dance with Brandon Recreation Department on Friday, October 12, 2012 at the VT Police Academy, 7-10 pm. Other programs that begin soon include Men’s & Women’s Open Basketball. Cardio-Kickboxing will begin in mid-October and the Annual Holiday Craft Fair is scheduled for Saturday, November 17, 2012 in the Lothrop gym and cafeteria. The Recreation Department usually sponsors a Snowmobile Safety Class before the trails open in December. Family Fun Nights already have been scheduled for the winter.