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My Adventure to Camp
KRPAs Tomorrows Leaders Institute
My Adventure to Camp
KRPAs Tomorrows Leaders Institute
My Adventure to Camp
KRPAs Tomorrows Leaders Institute
TodayTodayTodayTodayTodayKANSAS RECREATION & PARK
ASSOCIATION
KRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAKRPAFALL
2015FALL 2015FALL 2015
KANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATIONKANSAS RECREATION &
PARK ASSOCIATIONKANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATIONKANSAS
RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATIONKANSAS RECREATION & PARK
ASSOCIATIONKANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATION
2016 Annual Conference
2016 Annual Conference
2016 Annual Conference
Get the Heck into Parks & Rec
Get the Heck into Parks & Rec
Get the Heck into Parks & Rec
Mayors for MonarchsMayors for MonarchsMayors for MonarchsMayors
for MonarchsMayors for MonarchsMayors for MonarchsMayors for
Monarchs
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Refill as you go....
Bottle Fillers
Contact: McGrory Recreation [email protected]
800-718-7740
Most Dependable Fountains, Inc.www.mostdependable.com
Visit our website or follow us on Facebook for the complete
line!
10135 SM
Bottle Filler Full Page 2015 - McGrory.indd 1 1/8/15 10:43
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 3
Our Mission To advance park and recreation opportunities that
enhance the quality of life through education, communication and
advocacy.
Our Vision The Kansas Recreation and Park Association is THE
SOURCE for information which advances parks and recreation in the
State of Kansas and beyond.
An affiliate of the National Recreation and Park Association
Kansas Recreation and Park Association 700 SW Jackson St. Suite
805, Topeka, Kansas 66603 www.krpa.org 785-235-6533
KRPA Board of Directors President Jimmy Gibbs
(Lawrence)President Elect Brian Bascue (Newton)Past President Diann
Henderson (Great Bend)Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Stewart (Gardner)
Administration Branch Chris Claxton (Leawood)Aquatics Branch
Jennifer Wegener (Shawnee County)Marketing/Customer Service Branch-
Nicole Asquith (Olathe)Park Law Enforcement Branch Kim Jones
(KDWPT) Park and Natural Resources Ramie Degraeve
(Shawnee)Recreation Branch Candi Fox (Winfield)Sports Branch Nick
Leon (Holcomb)TR/Aging Rhonda Pollard (Johnson County)
Members At Large West Eric Jantz (Holcomb)Central - Tony Finlay
(Hutchinson)East - Dave Smothers ( Merriam)
Committees/Ex Officio Awards Caite Kendrick (Ft.
Riley)Conference Planning - Brian Bascue ( Newton)Citizen Board Kim
Galbraith (Blue Valley)Professional Development Steve Herrig (Blue
Valley)Public Policy Scott Schoon (Winfield) / Nancy Wallerstein
(Johnson County)Colleges and Universities Janice Jewett
(Pittsburg)Parliamentarian Steve Friend (Baldwin City)KDWPT Linda
Lanterman (Pratt) KRPA Executive Director Erika Devore
Editorial Staff Managing Editor Erika DevoreContributing Staff
Bonnie Simon
This magazine is the official quarterly publication of the
Kansas Recreation and Park Association and is provided
complimentary as part of membership in KRPA. The editorial
committee encourages the submission of articles and photos for
publication. Articles of approximately 1,000 words or less may be
submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity.
Deadlines for articles, photos and advertising: Winter: December
15, 2015 Summer: June 30, 2016 Spring: April 7, 2016 Fall:
September 29, 2016
KRPA reserves the right to approve all advertising in Kansas
Recreation and Park Association. All requests for advertising
should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at
952-841-1111 or [email protected].
TodayKANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATION
KRPARefill as you go....
Bottle Fillers
Contact: McGrory Recreation [email protected]
800-718-7740
Most Dependable Fountains, Inc.www.mostdependable.com
Visit our website or follow us on Facebook for the complete
line!
10135 SM
Bottle Filler Full Page 2015 - McGrory.indd 1 1/8/15 10:43
AM
D. Gerber Commercial Pool Products and Service, LLC
NEMATO Filter Systems and Hair/lint strainers
Office: 844/402-6399 Cell: 620/222-8279 Fax: 620/402-6413
[email protected] P.O. Box 750 gerberpools.com Winfield, KS
67156
For Clean, Clear Water
ACID MAGIC
!
!
2015-2016 KRPA EventsDECEMBER 2015 5 BlueCHIP Award Application
Deadline
FEBRUARY 2016 2-5 Conference & Expo (Dodge City)
MARCH 2016 7-9 CPSI Playground Safety Inspector
APRIL 2016 7-8 AFO, Lawrence 21-22 AFO, Salina
Contact Bonnie Simon at [email protected] for registration
details.
ContentsPerspective: From the President
........................................4Around Kansas
................................................................
5-6Members on the Move
.........................................................8Mayors
for Monarchs
..........................................................9 2016
KRPA Conference & Trade Show .......................10-16 Are
We Having Fun
Yet?...................................................17My
Adventure to Camp
...........................................18-21
Shade Spots
...................................................................
22-23
AdvertisersMost Dependable Fountains .............. Inside Front
CoverD. Gerber Commercial Pool Products and Service. ........3John
Deere
.............................................................................7Musco
Lighting
..................................................................20Pilot
Rock
............................................................................21
Push Pedal Pull
................................................. Back Cover
Please support our advertisers, they make this publication
possible. For information on advertising, contact Todd Pernsteiner
at (952) 841-1111 or [email protected].
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Yep, its a bug and I dont often say positive things about any
other flying bug. But, the monarch has an important purpose and
that is to pollinate fruits and vegetables and flowers. Monarchs
are carefree and fun and generally make me happy as I watch them
effortlessly flutter from flower to flower. Small in size, yet
important and essential and has a lasting impact on an entire
community. All across Kansas, parks and recreation is much like the
monarchhappy, healthy, strong and essential. And, just like the
monarch, if we dont nurture it, it too will suffer.
Welcome to the fall issue of KRPA Today. In your hands (or on
your screen) is the latest edition supporting the best of the
recreation and parks profession across the entire state of
Kansas.
Coming up in this edition we recognize the need to nurture. I
mentioned monarch butterflies earlierthey desperately need our
help. Since 1996, the monarch population has declined a staggering
90%. Grassroots efforts to slow that trend are essential. The
National Wildlife Federation is determined to protect habitats and
remove barriers that could essentially destroy an entire species.
The Mayors Monarch Pledge is a step that is gaining awesome
momentum. Collin OMara, President and CEO of the NWF, believes
that, By working together, we can ensure that every American child
has a chance to experience majestic monarchs in their backyards and
communities. Be sure to read the story and find out how you and
your community can help.
We asked, you answered and now is our chance to act. A few weeks
ago, we asked you for your opinions about the benefits of our state
association. It came as no surprise that the highest rated item was
access to professional
development opportunities. Second in line was the annual
conference and trade show. You told us what was most important. As
the Board of Directors, we have a huge challenge to make sure you
get what you need to remain essential in your own communities.
Thats a big responsibility, and one that we take seriously. In
October, at our board retreat in Manhattan, we re-confirmed that we
are committed to guiding the association in that direction. The
2016 KRPA Annual Conference and Tradeshowshowcased in Dodge Cityis
a perfect chance to help nurture your professional growth and
expand your networking opportunities.
But why is that so important? To start, investing in yourself
(and your co-workers) through continuing educational opportunities
keeps you healthy, energized and hopefully reignites your
enthusiasm for the industry. Its good to get away from the office,
the ringing phone, emails and meetings. Its good to network and
actually talk to folks face-to-face. Its good to take time for
yourselfand nobody deserves it more than you!
So, now is your turn to act. Have you registered yet for Dodge
City? Dont wait too long! Early numbers are showing fantastic
excitement about heading out west. However you choose to get
thereby plane, train or covered wagonthe
conference is ultimately power-packed with something for
everyone. With over 70 dynamic educational sessions from which to
choose, recreation programmers to park law enforcement to board
members will have a robust selection to enrich their professional
growth. Along with the ever-popular trade show, the socials and
networking opportunities will definitely be remembered.
KRPA is excited to announce a few of our featured speakers
including Jody Urquhart and Susanne Gaddis. Jody is an acclaimed
stand-up comedian with a serious, yet hilarious message on how
humor can improve morale and create a more productive work
environment. Dr. Gaddis will show you how to attract and build
healthy relationships, fuel positive energy and succeed at
unbounded levels. And closing the conference well hear from one of
the most recognizable personalities in the sports industry, the
voice of the Kansas City Chiefs Mitch Houlthus!
My (cowboy) hats off to the conference planning and local host
committees! They have really raised the bar this year by exceeding
the challenge of designing meaningful topics presented by
recognized leaders. Whether you are learning about the 3 Cs of
Engaging With Your Staff or learning a line dance in Boot Scoot and
Boogie in Parks, interaction is key and the sessions are engaging.
The whole crew is excited to show off a fantastic conference in a
warm and welcoming community. And Im excited that youve made a
commitment to yourself, your profession and the communities you
serve. I cant wait to see you in Dodge City!
PerspectiveBy Jimmy Gibbs, KRPA President
Its just a butterfly. A monarch butterfly to be more specific.
And its an essential, beautiful, flying bug.
4 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 4 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
My (cowboy) hats off to the conference planning
and local host committees! They have really raised the bar this
year by exceeding the challenge of designing
meaningful topics presented by recognized leaders.
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 5
Around KANSAS
McPherson Scottish Festival HeldThe 22nd annual McPherson
Scottish Festival & Highland Games was held on September 26-27
in McPhersons beautiful Lakeside Park. The festival is a two-day
event that celebrates Scottish heritage and traditions, athletics,
music, and dance. One of the festivals goals is the educate adults,
youth and children to appreciate their own and other cultural
heritages. The event is open to everyone Scot or not! For more
information visit macfestival.org.
2015 Little Apple PaddleOn Sat., Aug. 1, Manhattan Parks and
Recreation, Tuttle Creek State Park and Manhattan CVB combined
efforts to host a new event dubbed Little Apple Paddle. More than
100 participants signed up with a minimal fee to paddle 10 miles
(3.5 hours) on the Kaw River. They enjoyed beautiful scenery on a
gorgeous summer day paddling at their own pace. We offered hot
dogs, chips, a drink and shuttle back to vehicles at the end of the
float. On Nov. 7, an evening Glow Paddle will be offered with a
shorter route, lanterns, glow sticks and Smores!
Fred Saabs Take Control with Exercise and Fast & FuriousFrom
Tracie Strain, Newton Recreation Wellness Director
In the summer of 2010, longtime consistent Newton Recreation
Wellness Center member, Fred Saab, said when I retire for the
second time, I want to work part-time for the Newton Recreation
Commission teaching an exercise class encouraging other to keep
their bodies healthy and moving. I had just attended the Arthritis
Foundation land based exercise leader workshop and to complete the
training, a leader must teach six classes per year.
Together we offered an initial four-week session in November.
After completing his Arthritis land training, Fred began his third
career,
leading an ongoing, twice-per-week class in January 2011. Due to
the classs popularity, in the fall of 2011 he began offering
classes three times per week. Since offering Take Control with
Exercise, Freds class attendance has been as high as 26 people! He
continues to have the highest average attendance of all our fitness
classes. Participants sent letters to the Arthritis Foundation
telling them how classes had improved their health and quality of
life.
In addition to Freds Newton Recreation commitment, he is
beginning his fourth year volunteering with the St. Matthews Payee
program assisting diabled and special needs person with financial
budgeting.
Fred brings an incredible high energy, ornery attitude with him
as he leads classes. Participants are mostly hist closest friends
whom he has personally recruited. Fred wears a leg brace as a
result of polio in adolescence.
Dr. Fred Saab began his third career at the tender age of 75; he
is currently 80 years young.
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6 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
Around KANSAS
Johnson County Park & Recreation District celebrates 60
years The Johnson County Park & Recreation District celebrated
six decades of having fun and making memories during a 60th
Anniversary Celebration event, which took place on Sept. 20 in
Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee and Lenexa.
Regional bands, food trucks, and giant colorful kites were all
part of this event, which drew an estimated 3,600 people for a free
six-hour celebration. JCPRD departments and facilities, as well as
affiliated organizations, presented an assortment of
family-friendly activities.
We wanted to thank folks who already use our programs and
facilities and show the variety of services we offer to those who
dont, said JCPRD Executive Director Jill Geller.
Creation of JCPRD stems from Feb.7, 1955, when the inaugural
board for the first, and still only, special park district in
Kansas, was appointed.
The event was so well received, discussions about the
possibility of presenting a similar community event fall 2016 have
already begun.
Edwardsville Parks & Recs Stadium Series Soccer event a huge
successEdwardsvilles Parks & Recreation Supervisor Mike Martin
envisioned their youth playing soccer on a big stage, so he went to
Chris Browne, GM of the Kansas City T-Bones and pitched his idea.
Eight months later, 38 teams, from 4 cities played 30 games inside
the over-6,000 seat capacity CommunityAmerica Ballpark in KCK. The
jumbotron, pictured, featured every players photograph displayed
during their game. Youth from Edwardsville, Turner, Basehor and
Piper played in the 2-day event. Each player was given a custom 3.5
commemorative medal after their Stadium Series game. More than
3,500 people attended the Inaugural Stadium Series. The event
offered the youth a chance to play on premier natural turf, in a
professional stadium.
Burnin Down Main Cook-OffSaturday, October 3rd was the Burnin
Down Main Cook-Off in Downtown McPherson at One Main Plaza Park
where 15 Chili and Soup contestants and 14 Dessert cooks competed
in the 14th annual Burnin Down Main celebration! Attendees were
able to sample all entries with the purchase of a $5 wristband
and
then vote for their favorite chili and soup as well as choose
the best team spirit team. After judges finished tasting all 14
dessert entries, samples were brought out to the crowd. Anyone who
was still feeling the need to eat was able to fill up on Wendys
chili, ensuring that no one left hungry!
Local businesses brought vehicles like dump trucks, road
graders, ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and tractors to
Touch-A-Truck where kids were able to interact with the vehicles
and the operators. Kids were also treated to free face painting and
pumpkin decorating. Partnering with other non-profits like the Boy
Scouts, who sold popcorn, and the McPherson Dog Park, who sold
concessions, allowed us to offer more options as well as help other
groups raise money.
A big hit was the Look Ma, No Hands pie eating contest where up
to 10 entries could gobble up a cream pie for cash prizes. Last,
but not least, our custom designed T-Shirts were available where
each shirt came with a free entry into a drawing for Blazin Bucks
to spend in 60 participating stores.
Young Professionals present at Pittsburg State UniversityKRPA
Young Professionals traveled to Pittsburg State University to
present to PSU recreation majors on Thursday October 15th.
Pictured at left are: Ticia Herd, Jaima Nicholson, Jeff Stos,
Jennifer Smith, Tanner Ford, and Audrey Gann.
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Ordering cant really get much easier.Welcome to John Deere.
Whatll it be today: A Gator Utility Vehicle? A versatile mower?
Would you like fex wing cutters with that? Whatever youre in the
mood for, streamlined purchasing and a range of fnancing options
make it easy to get what you want and get on your way. Drive up to
your John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/Local for a taste of
whats in store.
The object is simplicity. 59126
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8 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
Members ON THE MOVE
Marc Trent to retire from Hutchinson Recreation CommissionMarc
Trent, superintendent of recreation and sports for Hutchinson
Recreation Commission, is retiring in December 2015 after working
for 32 years in the recreation profession. Trent, a graduate of
Emporia State University, started his recreation career as a
program director for the McPherson YMCA and Recreation Commission
in 1982. In 1992 he was hired by Hutch Rec, where he as worked for
the past 23 years, with a majority of them being the superintendent
of adult/youth sports programs. Early on in his tenure with Hutch
Rec, Trent oversaw the wellness and aquatics programs. Most
recently, he became the superintendent of recreation and sports,
not only overseeing youth/adult sports programs, but also the
enrichment programs for the organization.
In 1987 Trent was awarded the KRPA Outstanding Young
Professional and has served on the KRPA Board of Directors as the
chairman of the Recreation Branch and as a board member at-large
for western Kansas. He also volunteers for various organizations
outside of work, including: Carey Park Golf Course Advisory Board,
Hutchinson CVB Sports and Recreation Committee, Hutchinson Noon
Optimist Club, and Hutchinson Civitan Club.
The thing I have enjoyed the most during my career is seeing
young kids come into sports programs and watching them grow, gain
knowledge and skill in a sport, and then seeing them compete at the
middle school, high school, and college levels, Trent says.
Lawrence Parks & Recreation hires Josh MaikeI worked with
Manhattan Parks and Recreation for 6 years after graduating from
Bethany College with a degree in Sports Management. I recently got
engaged and Lawrence provided me with a better opportunity to be
closer to my family. - Josh Maike
Manhattan Parks and Recreation hires Randi Clifford as new
DirectorRandi Clifford has been hired as the Director of Recreation
at Manhattan Parks and Recreation. Clifford has over 30 years of
experience in the recreation field including his most recent
positions as YMCA Branch Executive and Recreation
Superintendent in Dodge City. He has previously served as an
administrator for recreation agencies in St. John, Coffeyville and
Salina.
Theres a place where suppliers
& KRPA members connect. Here.
KRPA TODAY magazine is published quarterly by Kansas Recreation
& Park Association (KRPA). It features industry trends,
upcoming events and editorial content related to the park and
recreation industry. This is your opportunity to market directly to
the people who need your products, services, classes and
facilities.
Contact Todd Pernsteiner for advertising information at:
[email protected] or (952) 841-1111.
Contact Todd Pernsteiner for advertising information at:
[email protected] or (952) 841-1111.
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 9
The monarch butterfly is in trouble and cities, counties and
communities of all kinds have a critical role to play in helping to
save the monarch butterfly. Public parks, schools, median strips,
homes and businesses can all provide critical habitat. Simple,
common sense changes in landscaping ordinances or school policies
can make a big difference for the monarch. Educating citizens about
how and where to grow milkweed is also a critical piece of the
puzzle. This is why the National Wildlife Federation has launched
the Mayors Monarch Pledge to engage mayors and local government
chief executives in the effort to help save the monarch butterfly!
www.nwf.org/MayorsMonarchPledge.
Monarch Butterflies in Decline
Twenty years ago more than one billion monarch butterflies
migrated to Mexico from the Eastern U.S. In the winter of 2014,
only 60 million made the trip. The North American monarch
population has declined by more than 90 percent in the past two
decades. This is due to decline in summer breeding habitat in the
U.S. and decline in winter habitat in Mexico. One third of the
monarchs summer breeding habitat has been destroyed, largely in the
Midwest. Expansion of row crop agriculture and, to a lesser extent,
development, has destroyed 90 percent of our nations native
grassland ecosystems, on which monarchs depend. Milkweed, the only
host plant for monarch caterpillars, had declined in the U.S.
due
to overuse of herbicides by commercial agriculture and
conventional gardening practices in suburban and urban areas.
Cities, Towns, Counties & Communities to the Rescue
Cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods and homeowners
associations all have programs and policies that impact the monarch
butterfly, native bees and other pollinators (which are also in
decline). There are numerous actions that Mayors and local policy
makers can take to support the monarch. A review of policy
responses to date uncovers a variety of initiatives ranging from
proclamations to innovative landscaping ordinances to environmental
education programs. Each of these responses is valuable, but all
and even more are necessary if we hope to have a fundamental and
lasting impact for the monarch butterfly.
Kansans Are Taking Action
Kansas is right in the middle of the Central Monarch Corridor, a
critical area in the central U.S. where monarchs need the most
habitat. Fortunately, Kansas is also the home base of Monarch Watch
(www.monarchwatch.org), a cooperative network of students,
teachers, volunteers and researchers dedicated to the study of the
Monarch butterfly. Monarch Watch has many initiatives that might be
of interest to municipalities. Their Monarch Waystation program
helps create places that provide necessary habitat (especially
milkweed) for monarchs to produce successive generations and
sustain their migration. Many cities and towns in Kansas have
already created monarch waystations from Lawrence to Kansas City to
Lexana and beyond. Park departments are also working to engage and
educate citizens about the monarch. One such example is the City of
Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department which held a monarch
education and tagging event at the Prairie Park Nature Center.
Tagging monarchs helps scientists to better understand the monarchs
migration.
Take the Mayors Monarch Pledge
In late September, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
launched the Mayors Monarch Pledge a campaign to get mayors AND
other local government chief executives to commit to help save the
monarch butterfly by improving habitat and engaging citizens.
Cities and municipalities of all types and sizes are encouraged to
take the pledge. It only takes about two minutes to take the pledge
at www.nwf.org/mayorsmonarchpledge. Mayors will be asked to sign
the pledge statement and assign a staff member to follow up with
NWF on the specific actions you will undertake in your community.
These actions range from issuing a proclamation to changing mowing
practices to creating a demonstration garden at city hall. If you
have any questions, please contact NWF at
[email protected].
Mayors for
MonarchsBy Patrick Fitzgerald
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10 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
ScheduleMONDAY FEBRUARY 1
8:00am - 6:15pm Registration United Wireless Arena and
Conference Center
9:00 - 10:00 am Meeting Room A
2016 KRPA Board of Directors Orientation
Presiding: Jimmy Gibbs, KRPA President, Lawrence Parks and
Recreation Department and Brian Bascue, KRPA President Elect,
Newton Recreation Commission. 2015 KRPA Board of Directors will
conduct their board orientation. It is mandatory that all newly
elected board members attend this orientation meeting.
10:00am - 12:30pm Meeting Room A
2015/16 KRPA Board of Directors Meeting and Lunch
Presiding: Jimmy Gibbs, KRPA President, Lawrence Parks and
Recreation. Board Meeting for 2015 Board Members. 2016 KRPA Board
Members are encouraged to attend.
12:00 - 5:30 pm Meeting Room D
Student Summit
1:00 - 3:30pm .2 CEU Meeting Room B
Maximizing the benefit of advocacy for Recreation & Parks
Melissa Ness KRPA Lobbyist, KRPA Public Policy Committee
Learn about how KRPA set its advocacy agenda, advocacy benefits
we provide our members and the 2016 legislative platform. Hear from
experts on the political and policy environment, state budget and
how you can use your advocacy efforts more efficiently. There will
be guest speakers who will talk about legislation passed in the
2015 legislative session on Ad Valorem, KPERS, and the Machinery
Equipment tax.
1:00-5:00pm Small Communities Recreation Workshop
How do you define a mill levy? What are the statutes for
recreation commissions? How do you hold a sports league with a
small community? Have these questions answered and more at the
small communities recreation workshop. We will be covering
operations (budgets, mill levy, statues, policies, etc) and
programming ( rules, supplies, set up, etc).
4:00 - 5:15pm .1 CEU Meeting Room C
General Session: Master your moments, Master your life Dr.
Susanne Gaddis
In this powerfully moving, life-affirming keynote, Dr. Susanne
Gaddis shares insights and strategies that will potentially
change
you to your CORE. If youre ready to attract and build healthy
relationships, fuel positive energy, and succeed at unbounded
levels, then you wont want to miss this empowering
presentation.
5:15 - 6:15pm Meeting Room A
Meet and Greet
New to KRPA? Never been to conference? Interested in meeting
other park and recreation professionals? Come meet the KRPA board
at an informal meet and greet. Learn about KRPA, how to get
involved, and the best way to experience the conference. We will
not have a formal presentation. This will be a time for attendees
to ask questions and meet new friends.Refreshments provided.
6:15pm Social
Barnyard Olympics Western State Bank Expo Center bus will pick
up attendees at 6:15pm and 6:45pm at the Conference Center. Shuttle
will run one early and one late route back to hotels. Dinner will
be provided.
2016 KRPA Conference and
Trade Show
February 1-4, 2016
United Wireless Arena and Conference Center
Dodge City, Kansas
Hospitality Suite Open Sunday, January 31
7:00-10:00pm 1st floor Hampton Inn
Snacks and beverages provided
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 11
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2
7:30am - 4:30pm Registration United Wireless Arena and
Conference Center
8:00am - 5:30pm Arena Concourse
Hospitality Room open
8:30 10am .1 CEU Arena
Opening General Session Keynote: Jody Urquhart The Nerve to
Serve, Say Hello to Humor and Goodbye to Burnout
Sponsor - Landscape Structures/Athco, Matt Cline
Humor helps. The ability to laugh at life helps us deal with
daily disappointments and setbacks. Humor gives professionals the
nerve to serve in our increasingly complex and challenging
environment. Join us as we demonstrate how humor helps you stay in
control, stay positive, and maintain balance and perspective.
Laughter and humor effectively and inexpensively counter stress,
improve morale, and create a work environment that is friendlier,
less stressful, and more productive.
10:15 11:30am .1 CEU Meeting Room A
Community Assistance Fisheries Program, Brian Sowards, KDWPT
The Community Fisheries Assistance Program was designed to
remove barriers to fishing access and to provide family friendly
fishing areas close to where people live. What does that mean for
your recreation agency and how can you participate? Bryan Sowards
will speak about the CFAP program and the partnership with
Salina.
Meeting Room B
Follow Me Im Right Behind You! How to Lead and Influence Others,
Jody Urquhart
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not
authority. With todays rapidly evolving workplace, strong leaders
must work harder than ever to influence and engage others. Great
leaders consistently ignite the fires of hope in others. Leaders
today need tools to both influence, energize and engage staff
members and keep their own fires of hope burning. Through humor,
insight and inspiration Follow Me Im Right Behind You provides a
lively, interactive look at how to inspire a spirited and resilient
workforce that stays focused and productive.
Meeting Room C
The Power of Positive Communication, Susanne Gaddis, The
Communications Doctor
Behavior. Words. Actions. Attitudes. All can POSITIVELY affect
or NEGATIVELY infect your organization. This exciting and
interactive wellness check is designed to improve the way you
communicate. You will learn how to diagnose and treat common
communication breakdowns, and to motivate the people you work with
every day.
Meeting Room D
Small Town to MLBThe Stories of Todd Tichenor
Come and enjoy this fun and upbeat session. Todd will share his
experiences from both a youth participating in rec sports and how
those lessons stuck with him through life. Hell also share some
humorous experiences from the Minor and Major Leagues. Dont miss
out!
Meeting Room E
Concealed Carry Updates, Charles Klebe, Kansas Attorney Generals
Office
Carry Concealed laws and how these affect Kansans today.
Discussion will follow the presentation.
Meeting Room F
Building Partnerships to Bring Economic and Community
Development Together Through Entertainment and Recreation, Joann
Knight, Dodge City/Ford County Development Association
This session will feature the process and outcomes that have
brought together successful economic development to a community
originally struggling to provide quality of life and workforce
needs. See how the community worked together to build entertainment
facilities that changed the face of their community. The purpose of
Why Not Dodge is to fund areas of tourism and recreation for the
future of Dodge City. On June 10, 1997, the residents of Dodge City
and Ford County voted to approve the adoption of a combination
one-half cent county retail sales tax and a city one-half cent
retail sales tax to fund four specific public projects. The initial
projects were installing air-conditioning at the Dodge City Civic
Center, an Outdoor Motor Sports Complex, Field Sport Facilities
(baseball/softball and soccer) and a Special Events Center. The
latest Why Not Dodge project is a $12.3 million destination
Aquatics Park that will open in May of 2016.
High Plains Room
User Groups, are they putting you at risk? Chris Goodman,
SSCI
Do you issue facility use permits? Are you Concerned about
keeping know high risk individuals from gaining access to children
on public facilities under your control? Pitfalls uncovered and
policies in place help keep the deep pockets of public agencies
protected from substandard background screening procedures.
11:45am - 1:00pm Arena
Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Kansas Honors Lunch
Honoring our BlueCHIP Healthy Community Award winners and Kansas
Wildscape OK Kids program winners.
Presiding: Jimmy Gibbs, KRPA President, Lawrence Park and
Recreation;
Presenting the Blue ChipAWARD: Marlou Wegener, Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Kansas
Presenting the OK Kids Award Winners: Charlie Black, Kansas
Wildscape
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12 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2
1:15 - 2:30pm .1CEU
Meeting Room A
Maintaining Liquid Assets, Steve Blackshire, Otterbine
Barebo
Understanding the cause and effect of poor water quality and how
to address the issues with a simple solution will give nature a
boost and harness the natural processes for maintaining a healthy
water body. Once you have Identified the causes of poor water
quality you will be able to implement a sound long lasting solution
that will help maintain ponds and lakes as assets and not let them
become eyesores or a public health hazard.
Meeting Room B
I Love My Job, Its the People I Cant Stand! Jody Urquhart
You can learn to handle the most difficult situations and the
most challenging people and how to get through to others without
giving in. Never again fall victim to those who love to make life
miserable for the rest of us! Knowing how to deal with difficult
people at work will allow you to approach your job with more
enjoyment and your coworkers with greater confidence.
Meeting Room C
Connectivity and Communication: How to use verbal and non verbal
skills to connect at a higher level, Susanne Gaddis, The
Communications Doctor
Its written all over your face! Did you even hear a word I said?
Fact: We communicate every moment we interact with others in a
thousand different ways we dont even realize. And MIS-
communication runs
rampant when were not in tune with how we connect with those
around us. Did you know that 70-90% of everything we communicate is
NON-verbal? Master verbal and non-verbal communication skills to
keep people talking and unlock the hidden meanings in the word
choices of those around you.
Meeting Room D
A Formal Approach to Doing More with Less, Dion Louthan, Salina
Parks and Recreation
Every parks and recreation agency claims to subscribe to the do
more with less mantra but few have made it a formal way of
doing
business. The City of Salina has adopted a formal approach to
identifying the most efficient ways to achieve success by following
a specific model. Dion Louthan, Director of Parks and Recreation
for the city of Salina will discuss some of the savings his
department has realized through following a continuous process
improvement program. Attendees will learn techniques that they can
take back to their own agencies that will save them time and
money.
Meeting Room E
Investing and Planning for your Retire-ment: Social Security,
KPERS and Beyond, Aric Harrington, Waddell & Reed
This is an educational presentation about how proper investing
and planning can help you have a sustainable retirement through
Social Security, KPERS, and other investing options.
High Plains Room
Little Black Book of Aquatics Programs, Sara Vacca and Kim
Vogel, Pittsburg Parks and Recreation
This presentation will cover a variety of special events that
are held at various aquatics facilities throughout the state;
events will be submitted throughout the season and post season and
will be compiled into a powerpoint presentation. We will also
present on our local youth TRYathalon (main event) that takes place
at the Pittsburg Aquatic Center and review various collaborations
and partnerships to organize this type of event.
1:15 - 5:15pm
Meeting Room F
Officer Survival Mentality and Use of Force Considerations, Mike
Willis, United States Deputy Sheriffs Association ( Session is
Closed to KPLEA Members Only)
This presentation will discuss officer tactics, conduct and
professionalism. There will also be demonstrations and a few
exercises dealing with weapons handling and safety utilizing
training replica firearms
2:45 - 4pm .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
The Economic Benefits of Parks and Recreation, Jill Geller and
Bill Maasen, Johnson County Parks and Recreation District
Park and recreation agencies not only provide valuable
greenspace and recreational opportunities, but generate numerous
economic benefits within local communities.
The Johnson County Park & Recreation District commissioned a
study by The Trust for Public Land to identify these benefits,
including increased property values, storm water reduction, air
pollution removal, tourism, direct use value, health promotion, and
economic development. Learn the results of this study, and develop
a whole new appreciation for the value of parks and recreation.
Meeting Room B
Whats new with Toro and Caterpillar? Tracy Bales, Toro and Tony
Mana, Caterpillar
Join us for a conversation about new equipment and products from
Toro and Caterpillar. Come with your questions!
Meeting Room C
Leave No Art Gadget Behind, Kari Baesel, Johnson County Parks
and Recreation District and Jenny Smith, City of Mission Parks and
Recreation
Jump in on a hands-on session utilizing supplies to expand your
program by exploring projects using art gadgets and equipment. A
portion will include developing 10 projects using a list of only 10
supplies.
Perfect opportunity to take back tons of ideas to your
community! Take home your very own Book of Ideas!
Meeting Room D
HR as a Template, John Washington, Garden City Parks and
Recreation
What is human resource development and Why do you need it? Human
resource development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees
develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and
abilities. Now, if I was 21 years of age and in my first job, and I
find myself in charge of interviewing, hiring, and firing, I need
to know about my role in human resource development. Today you will
learn about legal ways to conduct interview, What did you say
moments towards harassment, opportunities for employee training,
career development, performance management, coaching and
mentoring.
Meeting Room E
Leadership The Essence of our Profession, Clint Longacre,
Emporia State University
This session is for anyone at any level aspiring to be a true
leader. The session will take a close look at the leaders message
and methods. This section of the session will take a close look at
replicating the leader, the central
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 13KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 13
message of the leader, and the challenge of teaching aspiring
leaders. The session will also examine the art of sharing the
positives of an organization, how to share the good news, and
recognizing opportunities. Training is the backbone of leadership
and will be the subject to round out the session.
Meeting Room F (Continued from 1:15 session)
Officer Survival Mentality and Use of Force Considerations, Mike
Willis, United States Deputy Sheriffs Association ( Session is
Closed to KPLEA Members Only)
This presentation will discuss officer tactics, conduct and
professionalism. There will also be demonstrations and a few
exercises dealing with weapons handling and safety utilizing
training replica firearms
High Plains Room
Cost Recovery A new approach, Susan Hentzler, Shawnee County
Parks and Recreation
The guiding principles of the cost recovery policy are based on
a clear understanding of what the total service cost is to provide
the level of benefit and exclusivity to users. Trough
implementation of our master plan Shawnee County Parks and
Recreation established a policy and worksheet that enables staff to
determine direct and indirect cost, pricing standard, cost recover
target, lifecycle placement, programs/services progress or decline.
Join the discussion on viewing parks and recreation with a business
approach, while continuing to efficiently offer the most
diversified recreation and cultural services.
KRPA Trade Show 4:00 - 8:00pm - Trade Show 7:00-8:00pm - Dinner
Arena
Silent Auction 4:00 - 7:30pm Winning bids announced at
7:30pm
KRPA Social 8:30-11:30pm Meeting Room B and C
Branch Networking Social 8:00-9:00pm Meeting Room B and C
Dueling Pianos 9:00-11:30pm Meeting Room B and C
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3
8:00am - 4:45pm Registration United Wireless Arena and
Conference Center
8:30-9:45 .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
Round Up for Students and Professional Interaction, Janice
Jewett and Laura Covert, Pittsburg State University
Roundtable discussion between recreation students and
professionals. Learn from one another. Bring your questions and
prepare to have them answered.
Meeting Room B
Healthy Parks By Design, Delores Silkworth and Michael Bell, RDG
Planning
Do you consider health and well-being when you design or
renovate your community park? Do your assessments and
recommendations put healthy living at the forefront? This
presentation will include a case study of a design and decision
making process that considers community health as a main goal. We
will provide a blue print for park and recreation professionals to
integrate healthy living principles into their physical park
plans.
Meeting Room C
Camp Memories, Experiences, and Challenges, Kari Baesel, Johnson
County Parks and Recreation District and Jenny Smith, City of
Mission Parks and Recreation
Design your camps to help make dreams come true and not just an
everyday experience. Journey with us as we explore start-up plans,
day to day operations and ways to make lasting memories. Whether
you are new to camps or it is your twentieth year this session will
open up endless possibilities. By the end even you will want to go
back to camp.
Meeting Room D
Succession Planning, Noel Rasor, KU Public Management Center
Succession planning describes those efforts designed to ensure
the continued effective performance of a division, department or
workgroup by planning for the development, replacement and
deployment of key people over time. These are activities that we
all know leaders ought to be prioritizing. But the reality is that
succession planning falls in the important-but-not-urgent category
of tasks that its hard to make time for. In this session well
identify three key steps you can take to support the need for
succession planning that will simultaneously support more effective
day-to-day performance among staff in your unit. Youll leave
knowing how to get started on succession planning and you might
even be excited to do so.
Meeting Room E
Inject Energy and Excitement into Youth Sports and Award Nights,
Mike Martin, City of Edwardsville
Add excitement and creativity to youth sports, with special
events and innovative awards nights. Discuss ways in small and
large communities to use local resources to offer youth unique
special events and recognition nights. Use global resources to
offer one-of-a-kind awards on a limited budget. Present creative
sponsorship ideas to help fund special events, scholarship pools,
etc. Design a play-for-FREE program to help community members lower
their cost to zero, while not reducing your revenue. Open dialogue
to explore what other towns may be doing that offer a variety to
the ordinary.
Meeting Room F (8:30-11:30)
Prescription Drug Abuse, Mark Gonzalez and Shane Tiernan,
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, or
NADDI, is a non-profit membership organization that works to
develop and implement solutions to the problem of prescription drug
diversion. NADDI advocates for the responsible use of prescription
drugs by people who need them, and at the same time, works with law
enforcement and state regulatory agents to pursue those involved in
related criminal activity. Our primary focus is training and
education for our members, which include law enforcement personnel,
regulatory agents, health professionals, health care fraud
investigators, advocacy and treatment professionals and the
pharmaceutical industry.
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14 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3
High Plains Room
Cost-Effective Aquatic Solutions: A Renovation Guide to Getting
the Most Bang for Your Buck, Jeff Bartley, Waters Edge Aquatic
Design
There are many ways to design an innovative aquatic facility
with a range of exciting features on a limited budget. Waters Edge
Aquatic Design has many years of experience with communities and
municipalities creating successful facilities on a tight
budget.
10:00-11:15am .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
Hiring Professional Design Services, PJ Novick, Confluence
Attendees will learn how to craft a Request for Qualifications /
Request for Proposal tailored to their specific project. They will
learn how to best evaluate the submittals and choose the right
design professional for their project. Finally learn the options
for scope, fee and contracts for their project.
Learning Objectives 1. How to develop an RFP that best meets
your specific project needs 2. How to choose the right design
professional for your specific project 3. Learn options for scope
of services, fee development and contract options
Meeting Room B
Branding Why it is Key, Amy Conkling, Hutchinson Recreation
Commission and Angie Sutton, Manhattan Parks and Recreation
Join Amy Conkling and Angie Sutton as they take you through the
process and importance of building and maintaining a strong brand
and how it affects your agencys entire image.
Meeting Room C
American Discovery Trail, Brian Anderson, Leawood Parks and
Recreation and Eric Seaborg, President of the American Discovery
Trail Society
Information about the American Discovery Trail that crosses
Kansas for 570 miles. Learn about current issues and the status of
the ADT and its history. There are currently a US House and Senate
bill to give a new national trails designation to the ADT.
Meeting Room D
Building a Strengths Based Workplace, Noel Rasor KU Public
Management Center
Research has established a strong link between employee
engagement and organizational performance. That is, the more
employees feel passionate about their work and the organization,
the more likely they are to put discretionary effort into their
work; when they do this, it translates into better organizational
outcomes. So how do you build employee engagement? One approach is
to build a strengths-based workplace where deliberate effort is
invested in aligning each individuals responsibilities with their
natural strengths. While this may sound difficult or unrealistic,
in fact there easy ways to not only identify employee strengths,
but also to take this into account when creating project teams and
assigning tasks. Youll leave this session with an understanding of
how a strengths-based workplace can help staff thrive in this do
more with less environment and how you can start to build one.
Meeting Room E
Sports Lighting: Moving Ahead While Maintaining, Brad Thompson,
Musco Lighting
Discussion about the use of LED vs. HID for sports lighting and
how it relates no and in the future. We will have examples of each
type of fixture in the room and there will be time for questions
about each, along with handouts. Lastly, a short discussion about
the use of LED in other applications.
Meeting Room F (continued from 8:30 Session)
Prescription Drug Abuse, Mark Gonzalez and Shane Tiernan,
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, or
NADDI, is a non-profit membership organization that works to
develop and implement solutions to the problem of prescription drug
diversion. NADDI advocates for the responsible use of prescription
drugs by people who need them, and at the same time, works with law
enforcement and state regulatory agents to pursue those involved in
related criminal activity. Our primary focus is training and
education for our members, which include law enforcement personnel,
regulatory agents, health professionals, health care fraud
investigators, advocacy and treatment professionals and the
pharmaceutical industry.
High Plains Room
Muffin Top to Six Pack, Troy Fitzgerald, KC Running Company
Looking to start a 5K/10K in your community or spice up your
existing one? Making your first time event a success or your
current event bigger than ever is your mission? Learn the logistics
from timing, management to marketing from Troy Fitzgerald of the KC
Running Company.
11:30am 1:30pm
Arena
Awards of Excellence Lunch
Presiding: Jimmy Gibbs, KPRA President, Lawrence Parks and
Recreation; Caite Kendrick, Warrior Zone, Awards Committee
Chair
Awards to be presented: Hall of Fame; Distinguished Fellow,
Distinguished Professional; Distinguished New Professional;
Distinguished Public Service; Distinguished Board or Commission
Member, Distinguished Service, Tomorrows Leaders Class of 2015 and
Presidents Award.
Swearing In of New KRPA Board of Directors: TBA, Officiating
1:45-3:00 pm .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
JCPRD U and the Future of Wellness, Sarah Shaw, Lockton
Keeping our youth healthy and well goes beyond providing them
with physical activity programs. As Park & Recreation
professionals, we have an opportunity to provide programming that
will help our youth learn healthy habits they can carry with them
throughout all areas of their life. From physical to intellectual
to mental health many programs and partnerships exist to assist
with holistic wellness or wellbeing. How these programs are
packaged and marketed can make a significant impact to the success
of the program. During this session, we will discuss the importance
of incorporating long term wellness programs into our communities;
dive into one example of a holistic youth wellness program, JCPRD
U; as well as discuss ways to incorporate more wellness programming
into recreation offerings and employee wellness.
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 15
Meeting Room B
Communication Tips and Tricks for Low to No Cost, Amy Conkling,
Hutchinson Recreation and Angie Sutton, Manhattan Parks and
Recreation
Building on the popular 60 in 60, this session will bring great
tips to success communication and marketing to help increase brand
awareness and program success
Meeting Room C
There are No Bullies, Joe Coles, Joe Coles Consulting and
Rachels Challenge
The 3 Rs in knocking out bullying behavior Recognize, Respond,
Relationships. A common sense approach to stop bullying
behavior.
Meeting Room D
ALICE training, Mo Loridon, Shawnee Police Department
This session will focus on the ALICE program and what we can do
in crisis situations at a workplace. We focus on an intruder based
scenario and how to use the information you get to make a informed
decision and course of action. We will discuss past incidents and
how we can use those situations to help us in the future.
Meeting Room E
3 Cs of Engaging with your staff: Coaching, Communicating &
Connecting, Chad Beasley, Midwest Pool Management
Come explore language and techniques to connect with your staff
in a coaching format vs. stale old supervisory format. Generation
of teens today expect more from their employer and we will discuss
ways to do that. We will top it off with a round table
discussion.
Meeting Room F (continued from 8:30 Session going until
3:45)
Prescription Drug Abuse, Mark Gonzalez and Shane Tiernan,
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
2:00 - 5:00pm .1 CEU
Park Tour
3:15 4:30pm .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
Picture our Parks: A Master Plan Journey, Susan Henzler, John
Knight, Olivia Mayer, and Mike McLaughlin
Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Department is combined city
and county park system that was developed to service the needs of
the city of Topeka and Shawnee County residents. Let us share our
departments process of implementing a Master Plan to guide the
combined departments. The guiding principles and objectives that
developed this Master Plan are as follows:
Sustainably grow the best practices and quality services of the
department
Serve the relevant park and recreational needs of existing City
of Topeka and Shawnee County residents who help support the Shawnee
County Parks and Recreation Department in meeting those needs.
Ruther position the county as a regional and statewide
destination, while protecting the accessibility of city and county
facilities for residents
Support the county to qualify for enhanced partnerships and
funding opportunities in both the public and private sectors
Leave a positive legacy for current and future generations of
Shawnee County.
Meeting Room B
Programming 101, John McClain, Raymore Parks and Recreation
Back to the basicsin this interactive session discover how to
set up a successful program. Take a closer look at such tactics as
a catchy name, finding the right instructor, planning, effective
marketing, ideal percentages for direct costs, ratios, and
equipment needs. Work smarter, not harder!
Meeting Room C
Partnering with the Bureau of Health Promotion to Increase the
Education and Physical Activity Opportunities for People with
Chronic Disease, Amanda Bridges, Kansas Department of Health and
Environment
Topics discussed will include: what is the Kansas Arthritis
Program, education on chronic diseases, and programs and activities
to help people with chronic disease.
Meeting Room D
Sports Roundtable, Nick Leon, Holcomb Recreation Commission
Discussing key issues in youth and adult sports in a casual
setting. Participants should bring ideas and topics to discuss with
the group.
Meeting Room E
Boot Scoot and Boogie in Parks, Janice Jewett and Laura Covert,
Pittsburg State University
Participate in country western line and partner dancing and see
how you can incorporate dance in many recreation programs and
activities.
Meeting Room F (continued from 8:30 Session going until
3:45)
Prescription Drug Abuse, Mark Gonzalez and Shane Tiernan,
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
High Plains Room
Administrators Roundtable, Chris Claxton
Attendees will have the choice of several different topics to
discuss and explore during this session.
Social 6:00 - 9:00pm Boot Hill Museum Dinner and Variety Show
Meal times at 6:30pm and 7:45pm.
Buses will pick up from Conference Center at 6:00pm and 6:15pm
and return at 9:00pm. Buses will then drop off at each of the
conference hotels.
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16 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
7:45 - 11:30am Registration United Wireless Arena and Conference
Center Thursday February 4th
8:00 9:15 am .1 CEU
Meeting Room A
The Value of Agency Accreditation, Jill Geller, Johnson County
Parks and Recreation District and Dion Louthan, Salina Parks and
Recreation
The accreditation process can be a daunting task. Is it worth
it? Learn both the pros and cons from KRPA professionals who have
been through the process, and what accreditation has meant to their
agency and their community.
Meeting Room B
Golf Gets a Kick in the Butt! Troy Houtman, Wichita Parks and
Recreation
This session will explain the efforts placed by the Wichita Golf
Division to increase golf revenues. This will include marketing
strategies, selling of sponsorships, introduction to Foot-Golf,
tournaments, course improvements, new target market, lessons and
focus on the future teaching kids.
Meeting Room C
How is a tiny snake saving a forest? Matt Garrett, Johnson
County Parks and Recreation District
How is a tiny snake saving a forest? Learn how JCPRD and KDWPT
collaborated on an ongoing restoration project to improve 46 acres
of a degraded Oak-Hickory forest in Shawnee Mission Park. Learn how
staff leveraged volunteer assistance and about the management
techniques used including prescribed fire, timber stand
improvement, invasive plant control, and deer management. Most oak-
hickory woodlands are at a breaking point in KS, learn techniques
to improve your seedling recruitment and evaluate success.
Meeting Room D
AmeriCorps NCCC: A Surge Force to Accomplish Your Goals,
Geoffrey Hickox, AmeriCorps NCCC and Michelle Campbell, KDWPT Perry
State Park
Do you have a vision for new trail or restoring existing
infrastructure? Do you have a backlog of projects that you just
havent had the manpower the tackle yet? Imagine what you could
accomplish if you had a dedicated team of 10 young adults working
45 hours a week to complete your projects. Come to this session and
learn about AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and
you can turn these possibilities into reality as early as this
April.
Youll come away from this session with a strong understanding of
what an NCCC team can accomplish and concrete action steps to
submit a competitive request for your own team. Finally, youll hear
from past AmeriCorps NCCC Sponsor, Perry State Park, and their tips
for successfully hosting a team accomplish your goals.
Meeting Room E
The Green Fair, Bill Gaskill and Mark Neubrand, Discover Salina
Naturally
The subject of going green is a hot topic these days, but lets
go beyond that and talk sustainability. The Salina Natural Fair
started as a small event that looked at self- sustainable
practices. The fair now incorporates 70 presenters/exhibitors that
want to get their word out with their ideas and efforts to help
people/communities get their green on. The presentation will cover
exhibitors, funding, sponsors, and volunteers that all make this
event happen.
Meeting Room F
Bait and Hook How to Attract Baby Boomers, Michelle Alexander,
Johnson County Parks and Recreation District and Bettie Partington,
Lenexa Park and Recreation
This session will begin with a brief overview of the baby
boomers. From there learn easy & fun marketing tips to engage
them into participating in your programs and activities. Get ideas
on how to involve the community to make your programs more enticing
to boomers. Dont forget about volunteerism as an opportunity to get
boomers started with youdevelop jobs to interest them. Finally,
learn about trips, trips and more trips a sure fire bait & hook
to attract boomers.
High Plains Room
Aquatics Forum, Jennifer Wegener, Shawnee County Parks and
Recreation
Members of the KRPA Aquatic Branch will discuss hot topics in
the aquatic industry and field questions aquatic professionals may
have.
9:30 11:30am .1 CEU Arena
Closing Keynote: Mitch Houlthus, Voice of the Kansas City Chiefs
Going Back to Schooland Getting all Fs
When does achieving all Fs on your report card put you on the
honor roll? This inspiring presentation takes a total person
approach to success. You could be magna cum laude and have all Fs
instead of all As!
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 17
Some people say, Ill play when I feel better. As parks and
recreation professionals we know that you feel better when you
play!
The power of our work in parks and recreation is that we help
maintain our parks and create meaningful recreation programs that
help and encourage our communities to play. As we work in an
industry where we get paid to play- The importance of play can
never be underestimated.
Play is valuable because it brings about whole brain thinking.
Using the logical left brain and creative right brain together
enables you to see the big picture. In the book IN SEARCH OF
EXCELLENCE the authors state, Success is a function of ones ability
to innovate, which in turn is a function not of ones capacity for
focused, analytical logic - but freewheeling flights of fancy. This
is the kind of thinking people indulge in when they think
humorously.
Roger Von Oech, author of the book A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE
HEAD has this view: If necessity is the mother of invention, play
is the father. Its when youre not taking yourself seriously that
your defenses are down, your mental locks are loosened, and there
is little concern with the rules, or being wrong.
Another perspective on the value of play comes from Dr. George
Sheehan: We need play to leaven what we do. Without play, work is
labor; it is doing something for money. But if we have work thats
play then we have beaten the system.
Healthy people tend to be the most productive and laughter
contributes to good health - mental and physical. Laughter improves
circulation, fills the lungs with oxygen-rich air, stabilizes blood
pressure and causes beneficial changes in the chemistry of the
body. Dr. William F. Fry has been studying laughter for more than
40 years. He says that 20 seconds of intense laughter, even if
faked, can double the heart rate for three to five minutes, an
accomplishment that would take three minutes of strenuous rowing
exercise. Also, according to Dr. Fry, laughter stimulates the
production of catecholamines, the alertness hormones.
Why we need to have more fun while working:- Studies on Employee
satisfaction report
staff want to work in a fun, lighthearted environment
- Humor and Fun increase energy and enthusiasm for the job
- Laughing ignites whole brain thinking that enhances creativity
and productivity
- Laughing instantly decreases stress
- Happy employees create happy customers
- Fun broadens your perspective
- People with a good sense of humor are easier to get along
with
- Humor builds self confidence when you are able to laugh at
yourself it makes you less afraid to communicate mistakes
- Well placed humor softens criticism
- Humor and Laughter defuse tension
As Parks and Recreation Professionals it is important to keep
our own work environment fun. Here are some things to remember:
Humor should always feel good (happy, relaxed, and
effective)
Humor should poke fun at stressful situations not people
Humor has very little to do with jokes (less than 12% of what we
laugh at is joke like) and more to do with laughing at common
stresses
Humor should not be used to insult or sarcastically get away
with inappropriate comments
Consider starting your meetings with humor. As humor becomes
more a part of your routine, the more it will be perceived as
acceptable. With humor in every meeting there would be a portion
that everyone would look forward to. Humor, as a natural part of
communication, also helps.
The best way to use humor is to have the self confidence to
laugh at yourself. Make sure people understand why you are
encouraging humor, most people have only one way to deal with
stressful situations and it is a negative response you are training
them to see things in a positive way.
By Jody Urquhart
Are We HavingAre We Having
YET?YET?
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18 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
KRPAs star, Bonnie Simon, is always sending out a variety of
informational emails in regards to sessions with professional
development opportunities, grants, surveys, informative lectures,
golf tournaments, luncheons, and a plethora of other Recreation and
Parks related activities. Bonnie, I dont think people realize how
much time you spend on KRPA items, but Id like to give you a shout
out and huge THANK YOU for all that you do.
When I saw Bonnies email about the Tomorrows Leaders Conference
I got curious and began to do some recon on it. Once I saw the
agenda Ice breakers, ropes courses, and speakers - Oh My! I was all
in and couldnt stop pestering my supervisor if I could go.
Thankfully he gave in and said yes! I began talking with fellow
programmers about who else is going from our department, and the
boys werent nearly as excited about the ice breaker sessions as I
was. The suspense and excitement built as the first day of camp
approached. Concerned about not being in the best of shape for the
ropes course I began doing additional work outs to prepare. A
few Tomorrows Leaders Conference alums in our department noticed
my excitement and attempted to rain on my parade by talking about
the presentation portion of the conference and to be prepared for
how intense and brutal it was going to be. I soon began to stress,
but my positive outlook on this conference wasnt going to be
crushed.
Day 1: I coordinated in advanced with one of the other lucky
ducks who was attending conference form my department, Mr. Robert
Wilson, aka Bobbie or Bob. We planned to arrive at the Tall Oaks
Conference Center not right as registration opened, but to be
fashionably late. I began taking us on the scenic route towards
Linwood, confident in my ability to read the map and printed out
directions list I had on hand. Long story short- EPIC FAIL, I have
no sense of direction even with printed out directions. Bob
finished leading the way to
our adventure and we made it to the check in with plenty of
time, and we were still fashionably late as planned.
As we pulled in I saw a few familiar faces, Ryan Crowley of
Spring Hill Recreation Commission and another Danny Huntsinger of
Lenexa. I was off to a good start. Walking in we saw some of the
Big Dogs aka other department directors and KRPA board members,
this is always a bit intimidating but also comforting knowing that
they took time out of their day to come see us. Bob and I finished
checking in and then split our separate ways to go find our rooms.
As I went into my room I was graced by the presence of a girl Ill
never forget, previously we had tag teamed the mock interviews a
few years earlier at another KRPA conference, the one and only Ms.
Meghan McFee of Garden City Recreation Commission.
After check in everyone gathered at the tables in the meeting
space off the
side of the lobby, the tables were sprinkled with a variety
of
candy the chocolate items went quick. During
announcements I noticed there
My adventure to CampKRPAS TOMORROWS LEADERS CONFERENCEBy Alison
Dudley, Recreation Center Programmer, City of Lawrence Parks and
Recreation
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 19
were a lot of folks that had some unique accents that made me
wonder, where are they from and why are they in Kansas? I soon
found out that half of our group attending was from Oklahoma City;
mind blown- what on earth were they doing in Kansas? We soon got
over it and just rolled with it, they all turned out to be very
nice people, even Frank the Tank!
Our first speaker, Dennis Tyner of Ottawa University, how to
increase your odds of a successful future really set the tone of
the conference with his opening question to the group, what makes a
leader? A few folks chimed in but it wasnt what he was looking for.
Puzzled the room got silent, only a few brave souls mumbled answers
(hoping Tyner wouldnt hear them- I was one of them). Some of the
key points he made were things weve all heard before, but he went
deeper. Tyner was truly passionate about what he was preaching to
the group which then spread through the crowd like a contagious
smile. No matter what type of person you are, you will be noticed
whether youre good or bad. Adapt to survive and may the odds be
ever in your favor.
After our first speaker we meandered over to the lunch hall for
our home cooked meal. The spread was pretty filling and satisfying.
Some of us gorged ourselves while others were cautious of what they
ate, nervous about the upcoming ropes course. Following lunch we
herded ourselves down a gravel road towards our doom (mosquitos,
ropes courses, and ice breakers). The Tall Oaks staff went through
introductions and tried talking over the few chatty individuals in
our group, no matter what, any parks and recreation event Ive gone
to, it is almost impossible to get everyone to stop talking to
listen to the
directions. The first icebreaker we did was something I hadnt
seen before. Then it got interesting with the next icebreaker where
we ended up in Conga lines? It was hard to resist and not do a foot
kick and sing some cha-cha song. The second ice breaker broke some
folks out of their comfort zone and started to show some of the
more outgoing personalities in the group as they shouted out one of
the commands.
We broke off into our assigned groups for the ropes course and
began heading to our first challenge as a group. Luckily I had a
super awesome group! Everyone
was creative and wanted to be involved, however as the
challenges went on you could tell who was mentally and physically
exhausted, and then the stubborn sides of us came out. I did want
to apologize to my group for volunteering us for the extra
challenge at the end instead of going back early to rest up; and
thank you Mike Dizney of Johnson County for having pity and being
my partner for the last gruesome challenge of the day (we dominated
it by the way in case anyone was wondering). Thank you Marlene of
Oklahoma City for staying positive and cheery throughout the
experience, you were like a pink shining star and very fun to be
around. There were also three particular gentlemen on
our ropes course team that made things really happen; Alex
Goossen, Mike Dizney, and Matt Lamb of Manhattan Parks and
Recreation. During our challenges, their creative out of the box
thinking helped us dominate through the stations. After the ropes
course we were all in agreeance that the Tall Oaks staff have the
best patience, as leaders that is a must. We gained a lot of new
respect for the Tall Oaks staff after that activity.
In the evening some of us ventured back to our cabins to get
some R&R for the next day while the others kept ourselves
preoccupied with other activities. I wont go into details about
our extracurricular activities but just list some of them:
bonfires, baseball games, rapping, racing coyotes, card games,
sharing stories, attempting to be a DJ, and then at the end of the
night we all came together as group to divide and conquer.
Day 2: Up and rolling nice and early the next day we started off
with an awesome breakfast in the dining hall with light
conversation about whats to come for the next activities. Our
next speaker Laura Howard, the Director of KU Public Management
Center was a champ with the back to back presentations on budgeting
followed up by how to deal with elected officials and boards in the
work place. Granted, like I said earlier its almost impossible to
get a room full of park and recreation employees to stay quiet for
too long, even during a speaker, thankfully for those folks Laura
got us involved with group conversation and we were able to discuss
prior experiences on the topics. This was more educational for some
of us who had never dealt with a Recreation Commission but instead
only with a department.
continued on page 19
My adventure to CampKRPAS TOMORROWS LEADERS CONFERENCEBy Alison
Dudley, Recreation Center Programmer, City of Lawrence Parks and
Recreation
-
20 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
After sitting still for two sessions we got an extra-long break
before lunch to enjoy recreational activities around the grounds
and also to talk amongst each other about the different
programming, policies, current issues and to share ideas. After
talking with Steve from Oklahoma City, he informed us that they
actually have security guards at their sites because the crime rate
is so high. Hearing that really made me thankful that any of the
problems weve had in Lawrence are nothing in comparison to theirs.
Networking and sharing experiences with the other parks and
recreation professionals truly was one of the best aspects of this
conference; everywhere you go someone has a different set of
problems, but were all here to do the same thing, provide services
to our communities.
Lunch again was amazing of course; the staff at Tall Oaks really
knows what theyre doing in the kitchen. The pink stuff they had out
on the salad bar was awesome! However we then learned of the tree
nut allergy that poor Manni had, (Manuel
Carmona of Johnson County). This information then led up to many
bad jokes about Mannis nut allergy, but thankfully he was a good
sport and joined in on the fun. Even though we were all a little
tough on each other, we all made sure we were never laughing at
someone, but always laughing with them. During the obstacle course
after lunch, we learned that our group was by far the most peppy
and supportive of each other with us being voted most spirited
team! Even though we had the slowest time, we had a super positive
experience. As the other groups went through the course we also
learned the multiple ways to accomplish some of the stations, and
each group improved by learning from the previous group. After
speaking with many other campers, everyone agreed that so far the
obstacle course and ropes course were the best parts of the
conference so far.
After wearing ourselves out, being super competitive on the
obstacle course, we started back in with another presenter who
really opened our eyes when it came
to learning styles and personalities. Jana Dawson, Director
Corporate Communications of Westar, gave by the far the most
interesting and accurate presentation Ive ever attended. She
started out by having us complete a questionnaire so we could use
the results to place ourselves into a category in regards to our
learning styles. I ended up being an upper left; as Jana explained
the personality traits of each quadrant a lot of us were shocked as
if she was a fortune teller weve never met but she knew everything
about us, super eerie! As she continued on about the different
learning styles and how they dont always jive up she then offered
solutions to those who have issues with conflicting learning
styles. After stepping back and looking at the bigger picture,
everything made sense now. I even took an extra copy of the packet
to use back in Lawrence! Jana got a huge round of applause for her
presentation; it was awesome and kept everyone engaged!
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 21
Roger Steinbrock, the Marketing man of the Lawrence Parks and
Recreation Department followed up with another hands on and crowd
engaging activity. The Adjective Project; we go around the room and
list words to that we use to describe us, how the public views us,
and so forth. This project got many of folks in the crowd talking
amongst themselves about the subject at hand. It was a rude
awakening for some of us to see the reality of it, others already
knew but the positive descriptive words we tried to focus on.
After dinner we gathered to get our team presentation
assignments. Im pretty sure everyone was dreading this, I know I
was. This was the part all the alums were talking about how well
get grilled and its not a fun experience. After meeting with our
team I noticed all the different types of quadrants we had in our
group, one from each quadrant; it was interesting to say the least.
Thank goodness for Meghan (Garden City Recreation) for keeping it a
positive experience and stepping up to lead the group. Alex Goosen
(Meade State Park) really knew what he was talking about when it
came to the maintenance portion of our presentation. After the
group discussion everyone had awesome ideas and input, but we had
to finally put it all together.
That evening groups were still preparing for the presentations.
Finally after all the chaos of the presentations settled we were
able to partake in some social activities to let loose and network.
We participated in similar activities as the previous evening,
minus the coyotes joining in this time, thank goodness.
Day 3: The next day during presentations got intense, there were
different twists and turns and everything they warned me about
before camp came true. At the end it didnt turn out as nearly bad
as I expected, even though I studied extra and was more or less
freaking out instead of getting my two cents in, I got maybe half a
cent in. another epic fail. Overall everyone agreed that this was a
good experience for all of us. Id like to send a big thank you on
behalf of all of us at conference to the professionals, Big Dogs,
who were grilling us and took the time out of their day to come
help us grow from this experience. Another thank you to everyone
who came to learn and grow from this experience and being you, with
all the different quadrant personalities this conference experience
wouldnt have been nearly as memorable as it was. I was able to gain
some real world experience and firsthand experience that will
prepare me for this journey Im on in the field of recreation. Stay
positive, be proactive versus reactive, build your employees up
versus tearing them down, dont sweat the small stuff, be able to
see the bigger picture and the purpose, and always remember why
were in this field to provide enjoyable opportunities for all to
lead a healthy lifestyle through recreation.
-
22 KRPA Today - www.krpa.org
We have survived the heat of another Kansas summer. For some,
however, survival may come into question years or even decades from
now.During a sunny hot day there are few things more pleasing than
the comfortable protection in the shadow of a beautiful old tree
where the sensed ambient temperature can be 20 degrees cooler. As
children we enjoy the intricate play systems which have been
provided by many municipalities. We enjoy cool pool water which has
not been overheated by the sun, as often occurs in shallow kiddy
pools. As we mature we continue socializing in the ambiance of a
pool or keeping a watchful eye on our children or grand children as
they enjoy the water or playing ball. Unfortunately, a large shade
tree is seldom available at playgrounds, ball field bleachers and
pools.
The comfort we seek is the immediate gratification of shade.
But, just 8.4 light
minutes from Earth is a raging inferno on the surface of a mass
of materials which represent 98% of our total solar system. We can
see Sun Spots where every second 700 million tons of hydrogen is
converted to helium ash. This process produces a constant radiating
heat of 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Earth as we know it could not
exist without this constant source of energy.
However, there is a darker side to this source of light and
heat. The American Academy of Dermatology and American Cancer
Society researchers agree that one sunburn as a child can result in
skin cancer thirty or more years later and five or more sunburns in
youth can double the risk of developing skin cancer. In 1930, 1 in
5,000 Americans were likely to develop melanoma during their
lifetime. By 2004 those odds had increased to 1 in 65. Today, 1 in
5 Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. This is
a rate of 1,250,000 million cases diagnosed each year and of those
50,000 cases will be melanoma, the most aggressive and deadly form
of skin
cancer. Another startling statistic is that one person dies of
melanoma each hour.
The Handbook for Public Playground Safety, Publication # 325,
recommends that utilizing existing shade, designing play structures
as a means of providing more shade, or creating more manmade
structural shade are all potential ways to protect childrens skin
from the sun. Natural shade can require a lifetime to produce and
is accompanied by issues such as cleaning up debris, liability, and
trimming limbs. Manmade structures can take the form of permanent
structures which are expensive and often hold heat rather than vent
it. Frame and canopy structures are much less expensive, require
minimal maintenance and with the proper canopy material, are
capable of venting heat up and out. These structures will maintain
the same perceived cooling effect of up to a 20 degree differential
just like mature tree. Shade structures can also make a significant
architectural statement.
By: Richard D. Hamilton, CPSI
SPOTSShadeShade
C O M M E R C I A L H I G H L I G H T
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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org 23
Although the shade structure market is very diverse there are
only two basic designs. The first is a canopy supported by frame.
These are almost unlimited in design from simple single column
structures with canopies stretched on rafters supported only on one
end, to complex octagon structures with eight columns and no center
support. Regardless of complexity, these designs are almost always
symmetrical, with canopies tightly tensioned by plastic coated
stainless steel cables or other no stretch low abrasion rope
embedded into seams along each outside edge. There are designs
available in higher grade systems which can provide square mega
span designs which can shade up to 60 X 60 with only 4 columns and
no center support. Heights are available from 7 up, the minimum
requirement for distance from a standing surface. But, it is
important to remember that the higher the shade is from the surface
the smaller the pattern of usable shade.
The second basic design employs canopies suspended from the
columns without joining frames, with support coming only from
tensioned plastic coated stainless steel cables embedded in seams
at the edges of each canopy and terminated in factory installed
stainless steel plates designed with an easy attachment system to
the vertical columns. This type of structure is best for asymmetric
designs. The asymmetric design extends to each corner of each
canopy being at various heights to allow precipitation runoff as
well as providing visual variety. Any design envisioned from a
combination of triangles, quadrangles or a combination of both, can
be created with this methodology. The only limit in these designs
is your imagination. These sail designs can be marginally more
expensive per square foot of shade because of the increased column
size required for adequate support, but often the effect is more
than worth the price.
Columns in both cases should be available in round or square
steel. Either can also be fitted before baked on powder coating
with optional conduit and electrical boxes which will allow for
later addition of LED (low heat) ambient lighting and/or speakers
systems. Columns in both cases also can be terminated with
in-ground or pier footings, each of which provide adequate support
but each with their own advantages. The installation of large, very
heavy reinforced concrete footings is essential to provide
stability against 90 mph winds with the canopy in place or 150 mph
winds with
canopy removed. Smaller structures with portable footings or
which can be terminated in existing floors are available but
usually are stable against 25 mph or less winds, a problematic
limitation in much of Kansas.
The diversity of the shade structures market is represented by
numerous manufacturers. Each manufacturer builds using their own
technology ranging from patented easy attachment systems to
primitive combinations of clamps and shackles which can be very
maintenance intensive. They also each build to their own quality
standards. Unfortunately those quality standards are often
compromised in an effort to create lowest first cost.
Lowest first cost is the path of least resistance in selecting a
product. However, first cost does not always equal best life cycle
value. Best life cycle value can usually be obtained by
establishing strict, but realistic standards and specifications
when requesting quotes, bids or proposals. Then enforce those
standards when selecting a product. The result will be a positive
price without compromising quality. You should consider all of the
following minimum standards as you request proposals and make a
product selection to meet the shade needs of your organization and
your constituents:
A. Warranty Limited 20 year non-prorated warranty on all steel
upright columns and support structure against failure due to rust
through corrosion. Limited 10 year non-prorated warranty on all
fabrics and stitching thread against degradation, cracking or
material breakdown resulting from ultra-violet exposure. Stability
against 90 mph winds with canopy in place and 150 mph winds with
canopy removed.
B. Canopy- fabric knitted of monofilament and tape construction
high density polyethylene weighing an average 1.12 ounces per
square foot or more, with Ultra Violet (U.V.) stabilizers and flame
retardant providing UV-Block of 90%-99% and shade factor greater
than 75%. Cables of non-stretchable material are individually
measured, cut and pre-terminated to exactly the length individually
required along each side of each canopy to maintain a tightly
tensioned fit without adjustment during the life of the canopy. Any
cable system requiring adjustment to working length in the field or
during the life cycle should never be accepted.
C. Easy attachment systems provided to anchor and tension the
canopies to the steel structure. These should be operable with hand
tools. Any open slots in these systems must be on the underside to
prevent accumulation of moisture. Easy attachment systems are
especially important at installations in climates subject to snow
and ice. The weight of snow and ice will stretch all polyethylene
fabrics leading to wear and shortened life. This can only be
avoided by removing for storage during the winter season. Easy
attachment systems minimize this maintenance effort resulting in
savings every year of the systems life.
D. Physical inspection of the quality of an example system which
has been installed through at least three summer seasons. If there
are no installations close enough to visit, the option would be a
series of photo images from a trusted agent. Public relations or
advertising photos from your supplier are not an option unless they
can be independently verified. Additionally, any supplier should be
able to give you contact information for a person or agency who
purchased one of the considered systems 3-10 years ago. Should you
have more than one bid in final consideration, visually inspect
each example system rather than deciding based solely on price.
Always document, even with pictures, why quality made price
secondary.
These standards will place you on the correct path to fulfilling
the provisioning of Shade Spots for your clients. The bottom line
is improving their comfort, their opportunity for long term good
health and all with the best long term stewardship of your scarce
resources.
The author, Richard D. Hamilton, CPSI is V.P. Operations/Partner
of Out & About, LLC, a Kansas WBE established in2003 in Lenexa,
Kansas. Richard is a member of KRPA and the Manufacturers
Representative in this region for Shade Systems, Inc. of Ocala,
Florida. He is available for consultation visits and proposal
submissions at [email protected] or by callin