Recreation Director’s Report
November 12, 2013
On Saturday, October 26, 2013, the Pittsford Recreation Department sponsored two activities at the Pittsford Recreation Area. The day began @ 9:00 am with a “Shot Gun Start” of the third annual Fall Disc Golf Tournament held on the Pittsford Recreation Area Public Disc Golf Course, an 18-hole venue. This fall we had 18 people take part in this benefit tournament. The Recreation Department raised $180.00 to go towards improvements at the disc golf course. Thank you to all that participated. Over the three years the Recreation Department has raised over $530.00.
The Pittsford Pumpkin Party was still the main attraction of the morning and was co-sponsored by the Maclure Library. Bonnie Stewart, Maclure Librarian and I would like to thank each and every one who helped us. Over 200 people ventured out on a cool and breezy morning to attend this event. Its great to see how year after year folks come out to the Recreation Area to take part in this Pittsford tradition. The Maclure Library staff & it’s volunteers do a great job setting up all the supplies the kids use to decorate their special pumpkin.
Thank you to Winslow Farms for supplying us with all the wonderful sugar pumpkins, apples and the delicious cider. Plus a special “thank you” goes out to the Winslow Family and their endless support of the Recreation Department.
Thank you the Pittsford Fire Department for delivering a hay wagon & stairs we used for our wagon rides after you’ve had a late night at the Haunted House. Kids can’t wait to take their turn on the wagon rides around the Recreation Area. These rides create long lasting family memories. Thank you to Rob Ketcham for being our #1 driver over the years. Mr. Ketcham is always available when the Recreation Department needs help one way or the other.
Thank you to Keith’s Country Store for their endless support of the Recreation Area and various programs we offer throughout the year. Thank you for the hot chocolate and cups this fall. These were necessary supplies that kept us all warm throughout the event.
On Thursday, October 24 (the 4th Thursday of the month), “Pittsford Seniors” sponsored their monthly luncheon at the VT Police Academy. 54 seniors pre-registered and took advantage of the program. The Sr. Luncheons are meant to give local seniors a nutritious meal at an affordable price ($4.50 for people 60 years old and older & $6.00 for everyone else) and an opportunity to out and socialize with neighbors and friends. The next monthly luncheon is scheduled for Thursday, November 14 @ 1:00 pm. (*Note due to the holidays the November & December luncheons will happen a week earlier than normally scheduled.) There are over sixty seniors signed up for the 11/14/13 event.
In November the Recreation Department has been cosponsoring with the Brandon Recreation Department a basketball program that will allows kids to get to know other kids from Neshobe and Lothrop Schools. On Mondays, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, & 11/25 kids in grades 1st -3rd will come to the Lothrop Gym for basic instruction of skills, games and fun. On Tuesdays, kids in grades 4th – 6th will go to Neshobe for some light instruction, and then pickup basketball. This is meant to be a nice transition for families as soccer ends in mid-October and the basketball begins in December. The Pittsford and Brandon Rec sponsored Otter Community Youth Basketball clinic success has exceeded our expectations. We have 56 Kids that have registered for the 1st – 3rd grade clinic that is being held at Lothrop School on Monday Nights in November. Because of the numbers, we had to change the format and times to allow for a better experience for the children attending. In the older group we have 43 Kids which totals 99 KIDS for the entire program! So going forward the times will shift depending upon the grade level:
Grades 1 and 2 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm & Grade 3 6:15 pm – 7:00 pm.
The Pittsford & Brandon Recreation Departments cosponsored a trip to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the world famous Rockettes in New York City on Saturday, November 16, 2013. There were forty tickets to see the 1:00 pm show. Transportation will be provided by Bristol Tours Luxury Motor Coach Charters. Thank you to Kathy Shortsleeves for all her work promoting this trip.
On Saturday, November 23, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Lothrop Gym the Recreation Department sponsored the annual Holiday Craft Sale. There where many unique items for folks to purchase. The includes an annual basket raffle to benefit “Pittsford Christmas for Kids”. In 2013 they donated $852 to the Pittsford Christmas for kids formally known as Santa Fund (2012/$1140.75, 2011/$848, 2010/$208).
Since the last week of October, the Recreation Department has been working on putting the Lothrop Basketball a expecting a large number of participants in our 1st – 6th grade program this winter and have tried to plan accordingly.
The next teen dance is scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2013 at the VT Police Academy 7:00 – 10:00 pm. We’re all looking for volunteers to help us that night.