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Join your fellow KRPA members and friends at the 2022 KRPA Golf Tournament. It will be held Friday, August 19th at Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield. This event is a perfect opportunity for socializing, networking and reconnecting with other KRPA members and vendors in a fun and safe setting. For questions regarding this year's golf tournament, please contact Candi Fox at candifox@winfieldrec.com.
Tournament Details:· $60/golfer or $240/team· Includes 18 holes of golf, range balls, carts fitted with GPS, two drink tickets, donuts, lunch and mulligans (beverages can be purchased in the clubhouse)· 4 person scramble format· Registration and Range opens at 8:00am· Shotgun start at 9:00am· Lunch will be ready after completion of your round · Deadline to register is August 12, 2022.
As 2022 moves forward so do many projects and events that KRPA has been working on this year. KRPA staff and committee members are excited to share with you a plethora of exciting news from a new Recruitment Toolkit, upcoming KRPA events, and more. Join us on May 3rd at 3pm for a fun KRPA Family meeting. Zoom information below. Click here to add it to your calendar.
KRPA Member Call Zoom Information
Topic: Member Informational Call Date: Tue 5/3/2022 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Do you have an idea for a great educational session for conference? Do you have a skill that you could share with your fellow members? Please take a minute to share it with KRPA by turning in your Educational Session Proposal form (pdf). This form must be filled out completely (typed only) for the session to be considered by the branch board. Branch representatives will contact speakers to confirm or decline session proposals. The KRPA Office will finalize all contractual arrangements with selected paid speakers. Session Proposal forms are due by May 2, 2022.
Commercial companies MUST be a conference exhibitor at the $825 or higher to present a session at the conference. To become a conference exhibitor or corporate partner, please contact Jamie Reed.
In 1981, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration began the Legends of Parks and Recreation Program. The program creates and shares one-on-one video interviews of distinguished administrators, educators, citizen advocates and policymakers who have made outstanding contributions to the field of Parks and Recreation. They are seeking nominations to honor individuals for the 2022 Legends Program.
To nominate an individual, please consider the following criteria:
1. Experience (professional and/or volunteer related to the field of Parks and Recreation).
2. Explanation as to why this person is being nominated as a Legend (provide one or more of the following chief accomplishments):
i. Major project(s) completed.
ii. Instituted concept, idea, or support for same.
iii. Made advancements in outdoor recreation in their field.
iv. Significant positive changes for the betterment of parks and recreation through their leadership.
v. Applied research to the field of parks and recreation.
vi. Any other significant contributions.
Membership in the Academy is not required as a nominator or nominee. Return completed nomination form to Dan West and Leon Younger no later than June 4, 2022.
Legends Nomination - Nomination Form 2022.pdf
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Legends Chair, Dan West at danwest@broward.orgor Leon Younger, Legends Vice Chair at leon.younger@prosconsulting.com.
Share your park and recreation stories with us! From 'I can't believe that just happened..." to "Only in park and recreation, would you hear..." we want to hear all your stories.
At the 2022 KRPA Conference in Manhattan a few weeks ago, we asked attendees to share their "Tall Tales" from parks and recreation. Here are some of our favorites:
To share your story, click here to fill out a short form. You may stay anonymous if you like. If you share your name with your story, it would be for us to follow-up for more details if needed.
Below you will find some prompts to get you started:
Before You Head to Manhattan
Be prepared. Make the most of your time and resources at the 2020 KRPA Conference and Trade Show by sitting down and formulating a plan first.
1) Download the conference app
The KRPA conference app contains all of the essential information that you will need while attending conference. It has the schedule, the speakers, the vendors, maps for the conference center, and more. You should have received an email inviting you to the app from Crowd Compass. If you did not, please click here to learn how to access the app. Don’t forget to allow push notifications from this app during your time at conference so you don't miss out on any important updates.
2) Review the schedule.
This one’s a no-brainer. Set a goal for what you’d like to learn at the conference, and use the schedule to devise a plan to meet your goal. Log-in and create a customized agenda within the conference app. Make sure to attend conference-wide events such as the keynote speakers. If you prefer a hard-copy, please remember to print the schedule-pdf before you arrive at conference.
Also, make sure you are registered on the KRPA website for the park tour, the Olympic, and Painting social.
3) Bring some extra cash
- Silent Auction Purchases. Don’t forget there will be a silent auction at the Trade Show and run via Facebook. Andy from Manhattan Parks and Recreation has done a great job gathering items for this year's silent auction. It will be full of items from vendors, apparel, gift cards, and more. You will find a treasure that you might want to take home, so be prepared. - "Great Scotch" Spirit Pull. Bring your cash and your luck to the Branch Award Social. The conference planning committee will host the "Great Scotch" spirit pull at the Branch Award social on Wednesday, January 19th. The "Great Scotch" fundraiser is a blind draw where every ticket buyer wins. A variety of spirits are placed in individual bags so the labels can’t be seen. The spirits range from beer, wine, scotch and more. The wrapped bottles are numbered. Each person who buys a $20 Great Scotch ticket then selects a number that corresponds to a bag which could contain anything from a bottle of smooth Glenlivet Scotch or a case of Natty Light. - Trade Show Raffle. The "Save the Scholarship Fund" fundraiser will be a raffle drawing for great prizes like the Oculus Quest 2, gifts cards, cash and more throughout the Trade Show. Purchase 10 tickets for $20 from a KRPA Board member or at the registration table. Participants then enter the raffle by placing their tickets in prize can of your choice placed through the Trade Show. Is it better to put all your tickets into one drawing, or distribute them over all the drawings? The choice is up to you. The winning ticket for each prize will be drawn at 2:30pm. Winners do not have to present at the time of drawing.
4) Watch the 80's Classic "Back to the Future"
Here's a special tip for this year's conference. Grab some popcorn and take a break before next Wednesday to watch "Back to the Future." Whether you grew up dreaming of riding a hoverboard or wonder "What's a DeLorean?", this movie is worth your watch!
5) Bring the right gear
· Pack enough business cards. Make sure you have some business cards handy to share with new contacts.
· Bring layers of clothes. Conference center rooms notoriously fluctuate in temperatures because of the location or number of session attendees, so dress in layers and you will be prepared for any situation
When You Arrive
6) Come to the registration desk
Don’t get stuck at the registration table and miss your first session. Visit Jamie Reed and her awesome volunteers early to pick up your nametag, your CEU form (if needed) and get any questions answered.
7) Divide and conquer
If you’re attending with coworkers, try and see as much as possible. Splitting up for sessions will maximize how much you’re able to learn and ensure that each of you has unique insights to take back to your company. On your own? Discovering how your agency fits into the larger Kansas park and recreation field and how other agencies run, is an invaluable insight. A conference provides a unique opportunity to pick the brains of fellow members and agencies, which leads us to Tip #8.
8) Connect with fellow KRPA Members Networking with other professionals in your field is a highlight of the KRPA conference and our association. Make time to connect with fellow members. Attend the branch social and meet people in your field of expertise. Exchange information--- when you have questions and need help later in the year, you’ll have the new connections to contact for support.
When you are home and waiting for the 2022 KRPA Conference in Overland Park
9) Gather your thoughts
All that information you gathered from sessions and new contacts from the conference and the trade show can quickly be forgotten if not organized right away. Write down your key takeaways. Enter new contacts into your address book. Fill out the KRPA post-conference survey which will be on the app and sent out via email.
10) Prepare to share your Ideas for future when you arrive home
Send follow-up notes and LinkedIn requests to your new contacts while the conference is still fresh in your mind. Include a personalized message to accompany your request on LinkedIn. Remember to make yourself memorable by reminding your new contact what you discussed.
Schedule a team meeting for the week or two after conference. Share the insights you gained at conference that are likely to be useful to your agency. Or, write an email to document the most valuable information. There’s no better place than a conference to take stock of the state of your agency and your profession.
2021 Kansas Esports State Championship Winners Announced
After two tournament days, we have the winners of the inaugural Kansas Esports State Championship. Competition was held for 4 games: Rocket League, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Fortnite and Super Smash Brothers.
Participants from 6 agencies across Kansas competed on October 22-23, 2021 virtually to be crowned the winner. Join us in congratulating Logan of Lenexa Parks and Recreation as the Mario Kart champion, Anthony of Lenexa Parks and Recreation as the Super Smash Brother champion, Luke of Maize Recreation Commission as the Fortnite champion, and Anthony & Andrew of Lenexa Parks and Recreation as the Rocket League 2v2 champions.
Special thanks to all our participants and the KRPA esports committee for bringing this tournament to fruition. KRPA partnered with Mission Control to host this state tournament. We look forward to holding another esports tournament next year. More information to come.
This Won’t be the Off Season We Were Hoping ForSponsored Post by Kathy Stanley, Commercial Aquatic Services
As one of the most challenging pool seasons we’ve experienced comes to an end, our initial reaction was one of relief. And before the sigh could escape, more hits have started coming.
We received notification from one of the chemical companies that prices will be increasing 15% – 30% in the coming weeks. We’re seeing equipment prices increasing by 10% – 50%. This, after watching the prices climb all year, across every product line.
These increases are due to escalating costs of raw materials, freight problems, packaging components, labor shortages, increased labor costs, and most recently – Hurricane Ida. All of these factors have created the ‘Perfect Storm’ if you will, with no end in sight. We’re still suffering the devastating effects of the Winter Storm Uri that brought severe destruction to much of the southern states. All available inventory was snatched up for repairs of the facilities, that were not prepared for the freezing temperatures they had to endure for days on end.
The resin industry initially was struggling from COVID-19, when Winter Storm Uri hit, and the latest hurdle now being Hurricane Ida. These resins are needed for plastic processors across the country. Without the necessary supply, factories are unable to manufacture injection molded parts. The already short supply, coupled with the high demand, has our industry feeling the pain in every nook and cranny.
The chemical supply chains are suffering as well. This goes beyond the chlorine production plant fire in 2020. We all thought if we could just get through 2021 summer season manufacturing would be able to catch back up again. But these supply problems are so closely intertwined. Without the molded plastics, we don’t have buckets, or jugs, or drums to hold the chemicals. With the rail damage from the hurricane, we don’t have a way to ship product out. If we can’t get the ingredients, we can’t manufacturer the products. The plants had to shut down for the hurricane, if they suffered damage in the storm, the damages have to be repaired – but where will the parts come from? This vicious circle is exhausting.
This post isn’t to cause panic for our industry, but rather an awareness. And through that awareness, maybe, just maybe, bring more preparedness. Budgets will have to be adjusted, prices will need to increase for everyone, and it’s up to us to communicate this information as early, and as frequently as necessary to make sure that everyone understands what we’re facing.
The 4 Recreational Trends Hitting the Region Sponsored Post by: Landworks Studio, 2021 KRPA Women's Leadership Summit Sponsor
As we’ve created city-wide parks and recreation master plans over the last few years, we’ve noticed a series of recreational trends. No matter the size of the community these items are highly valued by residents in all areas. In fact, over the last year, the cities of Andover, Kansas; Joplin, Missouri; and Smithville, Missouri all shared similar wants and needs when it came to planning for parks and recreation.
The four primary trends we identified included:
While these four items were popular in the region, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) identified a few other trends. The first is a focus on health and health equity. Technology is another, as parks and recreation departments determine how to not only make facilities more technologically advanced, but also better utilize the data they collect. Navigating climate change and creating virtual programming are other concerns.
One timely trend is the integration of Insta-worthy parks. In an effort to further increase facility usage, NRPA reports that many cities are incorporating photo opportunities. This tactic provides natural, grassroots promotion, as residents and visitors share their experiences online.
In addition to these trends, parks and recreation facilities saw a surge in usage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing practices created an increased need for outdoor spaces and recreational activities. In fact, not only did some city parks experience 50 percent¹ more visitors than previous years, but there was also a record-breaking number of bicycle sales in the year 2020. The number of leisure bike sales skyrocketed 121 percent compared to 2019². This increased need for outdoor space and recreational activities influenced trends in Andover, Smithville, and Joplin. After going through the master planning process with all three communities, it was clear the parks and recreation departments were attempting to keep up with the change in demand. They looked to our studio to help them do it.
To learn more about our master planning process or how to incorporate these trends, contact our team at www.landworksstudio.com.
¹ WHYY, PBS, NPR – Philly Parks Dept: City parks saw 50% more visitors in 2020, December 26, 2020 ² New York Times- Thinking of Buying a Bike? Get Ready for a Very Long Wait, May 18, 2020
Meadowbrook Park, Prairie Village, KS - This park was master planned and designed by Landworks Studio, once built, it acted as the catalyst for the adjacent residential and commercial development. (Images by: Landworks Studio)
