Recreation Director’s Report
December 10, 2013
In November the Recreation Department cosponsored with the Brandon Recreation Department a basketball program that allowed kids to get to know other kids from Neshobe and Lothrop Schools. It ran on Mondays, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, & 11/25 for the kids in grades 1st -3rd at the Lothrop Gym for basic instruction of skills, games and fun. On Tuesdays, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, & 11/26 kids in grades 4th – 6th went to Neshobe for some light instruction, and then pickup basketball games. This was a smooth transition for families as soccer ended in mid-October and the basketball began in December. This Otter Community Youth Basketball Clinic exceeded all our expectations. We had 56 kids who registered in the 1st – 3rd grade clinic. In the older group we had 43 kids which totaled 99 KIDS for the entire program! The next event OCY will sponsor is the Winter Basketball Clinic at OV on 12/28 & 12/29.
On Thursday, November 14 (usually takes place on the 4th Thursday of the month), “Pittsford Seniors” sponsored their monthly luncheon at the VT Police Academy. 62 seniors pre-registered and took advantage of the program. Which ties the very first luncheon in August 2007 with the highest number of meals served. 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, December 19 @ 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 December event.
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. We also sold off some of the extra seats on the bus for families and individuals who wanted a ride to the city and back but didn’t want to attend the show. Transportation was provided by Bristol Tours Luxury Motor Coach Charters. Thank you to Kathy Shortsleeves for all her work promoting this trip. From day one she was the driving force behind this successful trip. Many folks who attended have gone out of their way to inform me what a wonderful job Kathy did as the trip leader and liaison for the Recreation Department, including the Town Manager Mr. Haverstock who noted she was very knowledgeable and was able to answer questions as they came up. The Recreation Department also received a “Thank You” note in the mail from Marion Ferguson and her family for coordinating this trip. The next bus trip that the Recreation Department is cosponsoring is the Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawk trip scheduled for Tuesday, 12/31/13. There are seats still available. Contact the Recreation Director if you’re interested in attending.
On Saturday, November 23, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Lothrop Gym the Recreation Department sponsored the annual Holiday Craft Sale. There were many unique items for folks to purchase. Each year it includes an annual basket raffle to benefit the “Pittsford Christmas for Kids”. In 2013 they donated $852 to the Pittsford Christmas for kids formally known as the 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. With the assistance of the coaches I was able to preschedule all the practices for each group. After last year’s success doing that we knew we wanted to begin do it every season now.
On Friday, December 6, 2013 the Pittsford Recreation Department & Brandon Recreation Departments co-sponsored our annual Winter Freeze Teen Dance at the VT Police Academy. 105 teens in grades 7-10 participated in this event. I’d like to thank the parent chaperones who volunteered to take time out of their hectic schedules to help us keep a close watch on everything. Thank you to Sue Danforth, Melanie Laraway, and Devon Fuller (Brandon Select Board Chairman). I’d also like to extend a “special thank you” to Melissa Brown and Kathy Shortsleeves who operated the concession stand. I’m thankful, as were the teens, for the services they provided to the event. The kids look forward seeing Mrs. Shortsleeves. The next teen dance is scheduled for Friday, March 14, 2014.
UP COMING EVENTS:
Pittsford Shoot Out, 12/ 27/13
Winter Basketball Camp @ OV, 12/28 & 12/29