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Hanna Wharton July 22, 2013 Field Experience done at Frederick County Parks and Recreation

The place I decided to do my field experience work at was Frederick County Parks and Recreation, which is in Frederick County Maryland. I had a really good experience here and learned a lot. Everything I learned while working there will help me in the future with whichever job I do. Frederick County Parks and Recreation does not have a philosophy, but they do have a mission statement. Their mission statement is; The Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation is committed to the highest level of care for our natural and historic resources while making the park facilities and the recreational programs available to all. We believe that the benefits of parks and of recreation are far reaching and vital to each and every individual, family, and community in Frederick County which can be found on their website (http://www.frederickcountymd.gov/index.aspx?NID=2856). The board of county commissioners is in charge of everyone, then below them are the Parks and Recreation Commissioners, then the Division Director, then it goes to each individual division of supervisors and their workers under them. Within the office I was in, the highest position was the Division Director, then the head supervisor, full time staff, part time staff, interns, and then volunteers. Since I was working unpaid, I was considered a volunteer, because the interns are people still getting paid. The relationship between the department I was working in and all the others was good.

They all seemed to get along and worked together. Some days if another department needed help they would send me over there to help with some things. They all help each other out and work as one big team. Especially when we were doing special events, other departments would help us set up and run the events. The Board of Directors has a good delivery of leisure services. They help spread the word of new programs and they keep everything in line. They would help advertise the programs and events on the website, Parks & Rec TV channel, and in the Recreator Brochures The fiscal year this organization uses is July 1 June 30. Everyone prepares the agency budget, but the final decision does come down to the Board of Directors and the Division Directors. There will be a meeting with all the staff and they will talk about the previous budgets and what they will need for the upcoming year. Based on previous years budgets, expenses, and revenues, this is how they determine them for the next year. With the expenses getting higher and higher each year, Parks and Recreation needs to make sure they are preparing a budget ready to handle that. From last year their total revenue was $1, 413, 442. A majority of that comes from Recreation Center Program Fees, and behind that comes the class tuition. In order from highest to lowest here is the organizations revenues: Recreation Center Program Fees: $582,819 Class Tuition: $236,558 Day Camp Tuition: $139,400 Park Facility Rentals: $89,998 Catoctin Creek Nature Center Fees: $82,018 Recreation center Facility Rentals: $80,319 Agricultural Leases & Building Rentals: $72,478 Fountain Rock Nature Center Fees: $56,678 Museum Fees: $43,782 Ball Field Fees: $20,670

Park Alcohol Permits: $5,125 Rose Hill Facility Rentals: $2,337 Liberty town Park Facility Rental: $1,160 Parks & Recreation Fines: $100 The total county budget is $449, 153, 155 and Parks and Recreation gets 1.7% of that which is $7, 514, 866. This isnt a huge portion, but they do not need that much. They do not need to use much but this amount usually goes up each yea according to the people in the office I had been talking to. Paul Dial, the Division Director, is the one in charge of changing the policies. Changes to the policies do happen, when they are changed everyone in the organization is to be told about it. The Division Director will usually call for a meeting and have a new copy of the manual with the new policies. Policy changes will occur when there is an issue, or was an issue, or sometimes the policy is the same just a little bit stricter. There is always a manual given to the staff, but if for reason there is no manual they will be told all policies and if they have any questions they are to ask the Division Director. There are many methods of public relations and marketing that are used in this organization. The board is usually putting out all the information for everyone to know. They do this by putting ads in the newspaper, magazines, word of mouth, fliers around the county, brochures and packets, commercials, and even now social net works. Now a days it seems that people are get annoyed with all the emails about advertising for programs, so social networks are smart to use. Social networks are getting more and more popular, people are always on Facebook & Twitter, and so posting information on those is huge. Using them is a good way to not annoy people and they can see it on their own time. Social networks also make it

easy for people to find things they need. If someone has kids who always do the summer camps, they will request Parks and Recreation on Facebook and whenever they see things about summer camps they will sign their kids up. Volunteering is huge in this organization; they are always looking for their help. Since I was working and not getting paid I was considered a Volunteer, there was always a lot of stuff for me to do. Volunteers will do the TV ads for the camps to help market them, help with the camps, set up for special events and help run them, and any other help in the office that is needed. Lots of help is also always needed at the Nature Centers. To become a volunteer is not hard at all there are guidelines on the website. You can sign up online, call the office or email so set up an interview. A background check needs to be done, interviews and fingerprinting. There is an evaluation process that potential volunteers need to fill out. When they come for the interview they need to answer some questions and ill out paperwork. They do not have an award ceremony for volunteers, but they have talked about possibly starting one. If a volunteer is not fulfilling their duties, or if they have messed up a few times, they could be fired. Frederick County Parks & Recreation offers many different programs. They have summer camps, special events, runs, many different sports leagues, fundraisers, nature centers, recreation centers, park & facility rentals, they also have day trips to different places. The sports camps and sport leagues are probably the two most popular programs offered. Participants are not selected for these programs; they are the ones who register for them. If they want to do a camp or play in a sports league then they sign up for it and they are in. The socioeconomic

background of the participants is never the same. Depending on who signs up for the programs is what they are. Ranging from kids to adults in the yoga classes, theyre all different. The person in charge of hiring staff is mainly the Superintendant, but also the district director will hire people as well. As for the camps, depending on which program is hiring for, it will be any of the other staff in the building. Recreation and sport employees need to have a college degree, they go through interviews, background checks, and then will have an orientation. There are many different jobs in this field, and they all will have different descriptions. Not everyone in the office does the same thing. Some of them will do similar jobs but the difference will be where. Each employee has his or her own territories and parks where they put on their programs. Some stick strictly to summer camps, or special events, and others do different. They all have their own individual roles. All of the staff in the department receives supervision from the head guy in charge, Paul Dial, who is the Division Director. I did notice that they all keep each other in line and will check up on each other. I really did learn a lot in this field experience work I did. There are so many little things that will help me become successful one day when I get a job of my own. Now that I have experience working with a few different jobs in the field, this will look good one day when I am applying places. The part I most enjoyed working with doing this field experience was probably helping out with the special events. I enjoyed helping the lady Erin who runs the special events and I think she enjoyed my help as well. When she would have events come up I would help her get all the

materials together, printing & laminating signs, then going to the park to actually help her set everything up. I also got some experience up front in the office answering phones, registering kids for camps/classes, renting out parks/facilities and doing other office work. At the beginning of the summer they needed help filling up some of the summer camps and classes so I made some Press Releases & PSAs to help market the classes. I also drove around dropping off fliers with the camps and dates to try to get more people to register. Frederick County Parks and Recreation taught me a lot and all of this knowledge I have gained will definitely help me one day when I am working at a job on my own.

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