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- Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Water Parks:
Slip Slidin' Away into Summer Fun
The Navy's best kept secret in aquatics is a trio of water parks in Virginia, located in the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, that have sailors and their family members slip slidin' away into summer fun. The Lagoon Water Park at NS Norfolk, the Gator Water Park at NAB Little Creek, and the Aeropalms Water Park at NAS Oceana, each offer classic water park attractions that have been keeping Navy families coming back for years.
According to John Lucas, regional operations manager, Fitness, Sports and Aquatics, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, the three water parks were born from the need to “breathe new life” into existing pools and transform them into something that could provide the thrill of a water park without having to go outside the gate. All three water parks feature water park equipment from Miracle Recreation Equipment Company as well as water park items, such as a pirate ship, from NBGS.
“These water parks really are the Navy's best kept secret,” says Lucas. “Families just love it, and we get 400-500 people a day coming to each of these parks, including waiting lists to get in.”
Upper Left:
Aeropalms Water Park at NAS Oceana
Upper Right:
Gator Water Park at NAB Little Creek
Lower Left:
Lagoon Water Park at NS Norfolk
- Inspiring
Our
Nation to
Get Out and
Get Active
This month, millions of Americans, as well as visitors from all over the world, are heading out into the great outdoors to take advantage of the incredible benefits our national parks provide. From the scenic beauty of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming/Montana and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah to the grandeur of the Virgin Islands National Park and Buck Island Reef National Monument, to the national seashores of Cape Cod and Cape Hatteras, the National Park Service (NPS) not only preserves and takes care of our most precious resources but provides an unrivaled backdrop for recreation and fun.
Richmond NB Park
“These magnificent places pay homage to our ancestors and inspire our children to become better stewards of the parks for tomorrow,” says NPS Director Mary Bomar. “National parks have the power to stir our souls, reinvigorate our spirit, and renew our commitment. They provide incredible opportunities to experience the marvelous natural and cultural heritage of our country.”
In addition to providing special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage, the National Park Service is doing its part in a national movement to promote the need for physical activity in America.
In keeping with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NPS is promoting throughout the service that adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking) on five or more days per week, and what better place to do it than in one of the almost 400 NPS units, including national parks, shorelines, trails and historical sites.
“Hitting the nation's many trails and pathways is a great way for all Americans to have fun and, at the same time, get some valuable exercise,” notes Julie L. Gerberding, MD, MPH, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Movies in the Park Growing in Popularity
In addition to promoting the ever expanding recreational and fitness opportunities available in our park system, many park and recreation departments are having great success showing movies on inflatable screens. In wonderful park settings across our nation, thousands of people are enjoying some of their favorite movies under a canopy of stars.
Photo courtesy of Blimpscreen
Photo courtesy of Open Air Cinema
- In the Texas Tradition,
Fort Sam Houston Recreation is Grand
Fort Sam Houston Recreation has established a long tradition of providing a wide range of programs, services and activities both on post and at Canyon Lake, where it has had a dedicated outdoor recreation area for over 50 years. Hunting, horse riding, camping, hiking, boating, biking, water sports ... the possibilities are endless, and the Fort Sam Houston outdoor recreation staff — whether you're on post or traveling to Canyon Lake — provides top notch services, programs and support for soldiers, their families, retirees and DoD personnel and civilians.
Canyon Lake Outdoor Recreation Area
According to Joseph Cavanagh, recreation manager, the on post Salado Community Park offers 13 acres of pristine land for the Sam Houston community to enjoy, including 30 picnic areas, BBQ pits, picnic tables, a playground, outdoor volleyball, and a creek that runs through the park. The equestrian center boards 22 government horses and provides trail rides, pony rides and special functions, such as parties. There is also a hunting area on post, including outdoor and indoor archery ranges. The outdoor recreation equipment center offers boat rentals of all types, trailers, and other popular items such as canopies, inflatable bouncers and dunking booths. There are also 229 spaces of RV storage, which are fully utilized year-round. The Recreational Vehicle Travel Camp also provides 68 spaces and is very popular. For those with a green thumb, there are 10 garden plots available for rental.
“Outdoor recreation is a much-needed service and is very important to the overall quality of life,” says Cavanagh. “Getting out and enjoying all that we offer here frees the mind of stress and allows families to recreate together in a beautiful setting, whether they stay on post or go to Canyon Lake.”
In addition to the Canyon Lake Outdoor Recreation Area, Fort Sam Houston has a hunting area off-post at Camp Bullis, which is 26 miles northwest of the post and includes thousands of wooded acres, and a catfish pond.
“The shooting program is very popular with both soldiers and retirees,” says Cavanagh. “It is a really viable and great service that we provide.”
- Changing Lives — One Playground at a Time
When it comes to our children, it's amazing what we'd do for them, isn't it? Across the nation, parents, community leaders, park and recreation departments, schools, corporations and organizations are stepping up to provide more play spaces for our children. Communities throughout America are helping to bridge the deficit in play spaces here in America, where in many neighborhoods, there isn't a playground or play space within a three-mile radius. These communities are changing the lives of children one playground at a time.
Operation Playground
To address the need for safe places to play in the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, in 2006, KaBOOM! officially launched Operation Playground: Rebuilding Playgrounds; Restoring Childhoods, a new two-year initiative to build 100 playgrounds in Gulf Coast communities affected by the hurricanes.
“KaBOOM! is committed to bringing play back to the Gulf Coast, one playground at a time,” says Darell Hammond, CEO and Co-Founder. “Every child deserves a place to run, jump, have fun and just be a kid. We are proud to reach this important milestone and we couldn't have done it without incredible support from our partners. There is so much more work to do, though, to ensure there is a great place to play within walking distance of every child in the Gulf Coast.”
Since launching Operation Playground in December 2005, KaBOOM! has raised $3.7 million to build 50 playspaces in Gulf Coast communities, providing more than 17,500 Gulf Coast children with great places to play. To date, Operation Playground has mobilized over 25,000 volunteers from across the country. The first 50 Operation Playground projects have included the building of 10 playgrounds in four days with partners The Home Depot and Playworld Systems Inc. during the Hurricane Katrina Anniversary.
Camp Heartland Playground
(Above) Operation Playground recently built its 50th playground here in New Orleans.
(Right) The new Mega Tower Playground at Camp Heartland in Carmel, N.Y.
Miracle Recreation Equipment Company recently teamed with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to install a playground at Camp Heartland, which provides summer camp programs for children affected with HIV and AIDS. Thousands of children will benefit from the new playground, which is located at the Birch Family Camp (Camp Heartland), in Carmel, N.Y. The camp provides an escape for kids affected by HIV and AIDS, allows kids to be kids, and reinforces young people's sense of belonging and wellbeing on an ongoing basis.
“Camp Heartland is thrilled to be profiled on ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition,” says Camp Heartland Founder & CEO Neil Willenson. “We are very grateful for the generosity of ABC, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Alure Home Improvement, Clearpool Education Center, Miracle Recreation Equipment and hundreds of donors and volunteers.”
The new recreational center, playground and upgraded cabin “will greatly enhance the experience of hundreds of families affected by HIV/AIDS,” says Willenson. “It is the best playground I have ever seen — just a tremendous contribution to the Birch Family Camp in New York.”
From March 24 - 28, 2007, members of Miracle Recreation Equipment Company and PlayPower, Inc. helped with the construction process of the Mega Tower playground in time for the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition reveal which aired on its Season Finale on ABC, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
- A Focus on Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
As legislators battle it out over whether an “anti-fat pill” is safe for Americans, today, as it has been for years, health promotion and prevention are our best defenses against obesity and the ailments and diseases — heart disease, diabetes, and early dementia — that it leads to. Following in the footsteps of the President's HealthierUS initiative, the federal government has launched a series of health and wellness initiatives in this past year with a focus on prevention.
HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt announces a plan to develop Physical Fitness Guidelines, as members of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports look on.
Left to right: Council Chairman John Burke; Executive Director, Melissa Johnson; Dr. Lillian Greene-Chamberlain; Donna Richardson Joyner and Dr. Tedd Mitchell.
Initiatives such as HealthierUS Feds, HealthierUS Vets, A Healthier US Starts Here, as well as the new Physical Fitness Guidelines that are soon to be released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — they are all focused on health promotion and education and a focus on prevention.
Departments:
Initial Thoughts: Poison Pill ...
Rec Notes:
Inside Industry:
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On the Cover:
Mesa Verde National Park, Colo. provides opportunities to experience recreation on a grand scale. Photo Courtesy of National Park Service. | |||||||
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