Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • winter 2013
In This Issue
2012 Annual Conference Awards Sandy Creek Nature Center Offers Expanded Education & Visitor Center
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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
Recreation & Parks in Georgia is published for Georgia Recreation and Park Association.
In This Issue Departments 1285 Parker Road Conyers, GA 30094 770-760-1403 Fax: 770-760-1550 www.grpa.org An affiliate of the National Recreation & Parks Association
From the President.........................................................................4 Detrick Stanford, CPRP From the Executive Director.......................................................... 5 Jimmy Gisi, CPRP GRPA Corporate Members............................................................. 7
Features 2012 Annual Conference Awards...................................................9 Jimmy Gisi: Head of State Recreation Association.................... 12 Sandy Creek Nature Center Offers Expanded Education & Visitor Center.......................................................... 14
Advertisers Index Recreation & Parks in Georgia is published by Innovative Publishing Ink. Innovative Publishing Ink specializes in creating custom magazines for associations and businesses. Please direct all inquiries to Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or
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AMEC..............................................................................................6 Anaconda Sports............................................................................11 Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc.................................... 16 Ewing...............................................................................................6 Lose & Associates, Inc.................................................................. 15 Most Dependable Fountains, Inc...................................................2 R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co., Inc............................................................ 15 Sports Turf Company, Inc............................................................ 15 Wood+Partners Inc....................................................................... 16
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From the President
Risk Greatness It is inspiring to recognize the dedicated leadership of our association during the past 70-plus years of service. We have had a remarkable affect on Georgia’s economy, our environment, and the health and well-being of the state’s citizens.
Detrick Stanford, CPRP
Our association was formed in the backdrop of a myriad of extreme hardships. America was pulled into World War II a few years earlier after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Automobile manufacturers switched from making cars to making war materials. Gas was rationed to three gallons per week. People were asked to conserve every resource imaginable. Many major social events throughout the world were canceled during this period. In this context of extreme hardship came a profound vision and a renewed commitment to American ideals through new social norms. In 1945, visionaries in Georgia saw the importance in embracing that concept by forming our association to support and promote the recreation and park industries. As we look to 2013, association leadership will embark upon generative thinking and strategically map a course for future generations of GRPA as past leadership has paved the way for us. As history has taught us, individuals who are thrust into leadership positions are honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead. So, like all before me and those to follow, I count it as a true privilege to serve you as president of our association. Our forefathers believed in sacrificing and being true change agents. Simply put, the theme of Dream, Believe, Dare and Do embodies the belief that membership and leadership should push the envelope in challenging our traditional way of thinking. Status quo is Latin for “the mess we’re in.” Leaders see what is, but they also have a vision of what can be. True leaders are never content with things as they are. To be leading, by definition, is to be out front, breaking new ground, conquering new worlds and moving away from what “has always been” to “what can be,” even in light of great obstacles.
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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
Dissatisfaction with the status quo does not mean having a negative attitude or just grumbling about things. On the contrary, it has everything to do with willingness — a willingness to be different and to take risks. An organization that loves the status quo approach will soon become a follower in the field of leisure services. We all are aware of the many changes occurring within our sphere of service, and yet, in many corners of the country the proper adjustments have not been made to keep pace with that change. Let us RISK GREATNESS as we in GRPA “Dream, Believe, Dare and Do” in 2013. Detrick Stanford, CPRP 2013 GRPA President
From the Executive Director
Is It Inside You?
Jimmy Gisi, CPRP
A few weeks ago, my wife and I were paid a visit by the son of a longtime friend of mine. He wanted us to buy in to the newest weight-loss program “that is sweeping the country!” I sat back and listened to his sales pitch and was amazed at the passion and utter confidence with which he delivered his presentation. He was driven, he believed in his product, he was confident in his ability to be successful, and he had a clear vision. Thinking back to when he was a youngster and how shy and introverted he was made me wonder just how he had become so motivated, which leads me to share these thoughts with you. I truly believe that one person cannot motivate another person. I do believe, though, that one person can help another understand what motivation is and where it comes from. I also think that one person can teach another the key ingredients of self-motivation, which is the only real kind of motivation. Finally, one person can also help another stay motivated by giving needed encouragement. Along these lines, most of us think of Vince Lombardi or Knute Rockne when great motivators come to mind because of their roles with the Green Bay Packers and Notre Dame. In sports and other endeavors that require short bursts of energy, this temporary stimulation (“Kill them all, and let God sort them out!”) is often confused with motivation. I don’t think it works that way in our everyday lives unless you find someone like Coach Lombardi to follow you around all day yelling in your ear. When’s the last time you listened to a motivational speaker? Most of us are entertained, and our emotions are jostled, but the motivation nearly always leaves with the speaker. I believe that people want and need something with more depth and sincerity … something that lasts longer and helps them deal with issues as they really are. So how do we do this? Understanding that successful people accept responsibility for their own lives is a start. This means that they don’t wait for someone else to motivate them; they do it themselves. Secondly,
I truly believe that one person cannot motivate another person. I do believe, though, that one person can help another understand what motivation is and where it comes from. one needs to understand the definition of motive, which is “that within the individual, rather than without, which causes him or her to react.” In other words, all of our actions have motives or reasons that come from needs felt deep inside, and no one else can fill them for us. True motivation has to be internal and deeply rooted to propel us to achievements beyond our expectations. There are a few things that I think critical to being self-motivated. You have to want it, believe it and see it. Desire is the seed from which all achievement grows. More than anything else, it determines whether we are going to be average or successful in life. This desire, not ability, many times is the separating factor. It’s that little extra “umph” that some folks have, and it’s easy to see. Belief that we can do something gives us one leg up on the competition. If we’re always looking for reasons why we can’t do it, we will never find the reasons why we can. Most of us need to realize that we are more capable than we give ourselves credit for, and being able to visualize your ultimate success also plays a major role in self-motivation. Visualizations for most people are in pictures, not words. Starting in the mind, the more clearly and more often we picture ourselves doing something, the more likely we are to do it. If you have a burning desire, a solid belief and a clear picture, you will have all the motivation you need to help you in reaching your true potential in all endeavors.
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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
GRPA Corporate Members A to Z Muni-DOT Company Mike Rochester 205-352-1070 www.atozmuni-dotco.com If tackling a new park, sports complex, skate park or refurbishing existing sports facilities or parks, A to Z MuniDOT can help! AllStar Mounds Mike Morgan 706-278-7090 www.allstarmounds.com AllStar Mounds manufactures Fiberglass pitching mounds in Dalton, Georgia. AllStar Mounds will last many seasons and will make a big difference to your Baseball Program! AMEC Ron Huffman, ASLA, AICP 770-421-3400 www.amec.com Parks design, master planning, landscape architecture and engineering Architectual Design Specialties/Landscape Structures Ken Erdoes 404-367-0400 www.adsreps.com We are the proud manufacturers reps for Landscape Structures playground equipment (www. lsi.com) and Landscape Forms site amenities (www. landscapeforms.com). ADS offers full service from design to installation providing a superior customer experience and competitive pricing. We provide solutions for safety surfacing, shelters, and water play as well as any component needed in the park environment. Bainbridge CVB Adrienne Harrison 229-243-8555 www.visitbainbridgega.com Bainbridge CVB offers recreational tourism opportunities to travelers. We offer many tennis, baseball and softball complexes that make the perfect place to host your next tournament.
Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc. Matt Stovall 423-756-3025 www.bargewaggoner.com Complete P&R planning, Landscape Architecture, and engineering services Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture Keith Hayes 303-455-1366 www.brsarch.com Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture’s mission is to design inspired, sustainable community architecture. Our expertise includes recreation centers, senior centers, field houses, aquatic centers and ballfields. Barker Specialty Debbi Oestreich 407-566-4000 www.barkerorlando.com Barker Specialty Company, your Promotional Product Supplier, offers logoed products from bags to water bottles along with wearables, trophies and awards for your marketing needs. Bliss Products and Services Gregg Bliss 800-248-2547 www.blissproducts.com Playground equipment, surfacing, bleachers and goals Breedlove Land Planning, Inc. Chip Brown 770-483-1173 www.landplanning.net Complete landscape architecture, site planning, and consulting engineering services for your recreation design needs. Croy Engineering, LLC Ken Giannoni 770-971-5407 www.croyengineering.com Croy Engineering provides planning, engineering and management services for clients’ parks and recreation facilities projects. Experienced staff plan and design creative and functional designs that maximize land use and are aesthetically pleasing. The firm
has worked with both public and private sector clients on a wide array of projects. Electro-Mech Scoreboard Company Jim Ledford 800-445-7846 www.electro-mech.com Fifty years of experience building scoreboards for baseball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and more. Wireless communications, portable packages, advertising panels, and audio/video upgrades are available. Extreme Mulch Jeremiah Smith 770-362-2504 www.extrememulch.com Extreme Mulch is the largest installer of environmentally friendly wood/soil products in the Southeast. With the use of pneumatic blower trucks, economy of scale and automation, we deliver the highest level of service to our clients at a cost effective price. Fitco Fitness Center Outfitters Lance Gauntt 770-331-1050 www.fitcofitness.com Fitness equipment, roomdesign consultation, all related products and services. Gametime/Dominica Recreation Products Rob Dominica 800-432-0162 www.drpinc.com Commercial Park & Playground Equipment, site amenities, shelters, bleachers, safety surfacing, GTShade, and GTH2O Spray Parks. Georgia Power Company Dave Smolinski 770-621-2421 outdoorlighting.georgiapower.com/ Sports Lighting Design, installation and maintenance of outdoor sports lighting systems for venues of any type or size. Cleaning and re-lamping, free lighting analysis, purchase, lease and financing options.
Grasshopper Company Connie Estep 620-345-8621 www.grasshoppermower.com Grasshopper true zeroturn radius riding rotary mowers and quikconverter attachment system for year round implements. Greenville Turf & Tractor Susan Carter 864-527-1050 www.greenvilleturf.com Greenville Turf and Tractor is a supplier of John Deere golf and sports turf equipment, as well as, providing parts and service support Hasley Recreation & Design, Inc. Norvel Hasley 706-453-7908 www.hasley-recreation.com Playground equipment, skate parks, waterslides, aquatic playgrounds, pavilions, bridges Hat World, Inc./ Anaconda Sports, Inc. Greg Cherny 888-914-6319 www.anacondasports.com Sporting goods Hayes James & Associates, Inc. Mark Bond 770-923-1600 www.hayesjames.com Planning, design and landscape architecture services for park and recreation projects. Hunter Knepshield Co. Tom Knepshield Sr. 800-626-6530 www.hunterknepshield.com Commercial playground equipment, sports lighting and modular restrooms/ shower/concession buildings and park supplies Innova Disc Golf Russell Schwarz 800-476-3968 www.innovadiscgolf.com The most complete line of discs & disc golf equipment and course design services
www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia
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GRPA Corporate Members Innovative Fitness Chris Conti 770-218-9390 www.innovativefit.com New and Used Fitness Equipment, Rubber and Wood Athletic Flooring, Fitness Facility Design, Fitness Equipment Repairs jb+a park design studio Steve Provost 678-247-0730 www.jbplusa.com Park planning, design and landscape architecture Kidz Zone Play Systems Kathi Hamby 615-217-3334 www.kzplay.com Commercial playground equipment includes: Playcraft Systems, Earthscapes Structures Recycled Plastic, Berliner Net Climbing & Urban Play, Climbing Walls & Rocks; Skate parks; Waterslides & Spray Pads; Safety Surfacing; Site Amenities; Shade Structures; and Shelters. We’re also Licensed General Contractors installing everything we sell. KORKAT Kimberly Rickard 770-214-9322 www.korkat.com We provide Playgrounds, Metal Shelters, Safety Surfacing, Shades, PVC Umbrellas, Skate parks, Water Parks, Water Slides, Indoor Playgrounds, Picnic Tables, Benches, Trashcans, Outdoor Exercise Equipment, Dog Parks and Sports Equipment. We are a company of individuals who still value relationships with customers regardless of project size. Lakeshore Aquatics Inc. Jody Stewart 888-775-LAKE Lose & Associates, Inc. Whit Alexander 770-338-0017 www.loseassoc.com Park and recreation design, planning, landscape architecture, engineering and architecture Medallion Athletics Inc. Brian Simmons 704-660-3000 8
www.medallionathletics.com Medallion is a licensed general contractor for artificial turf, gymnasium flooring and equipment, and protective netting for athletic and recreational facilities. Motorola/Mottech USA Bill Sherman 678-392-9806 www.mottech.com Mottech is the worldwide master distributor of Motorola’s innovative, proven and reliable water management solutions for irrigation systems in parks, ball fields, roadways, schools, and agricultural projects. Musco Sports Lighting, LLC Rob Staples & Jeremy Jordan 800-756-1205 www.musco.com Musco Lighting specializes in design and manufacture of sports-lighting systems — offering major enhancements in energy efficiency, environmental light control and cost effectiveness. Musco offers solutions for indoor or outdoor, permanent or temporary lighting, with unique technology to address the needs of players, spectators, neighbors, and television broadcast. National Alliance for Youth Sports John Engh 561-684-1141 www.nays.org Adding value to existing youth programs (call us to offer NYSCA, PAYS or to earn CYSA credential) Play Struction Greg Taylor 704-487-7774 www.playstruction.com Woman-owned business serving the Southeast; commercial turnkey playground services; singlesource accountability certified and fully insured; playground equipment, installations, surfacing, audits, inspections and repairs
Pond & Company Matt Wilder 404-221-1900 www.pondco.com Full service park and recreation design firm providing Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering and Planning Services. Profile Products LLC Heather Rohde 847-215-3454 www.Turface.com Turface® conditions fields and enhances soil structure in turf and landscaping, improving root zones by adding air and water-holding capacity in all soil types. Quillian Powell Construction Co. Greg Powell 229-245-0838 www.quillianpowell.com Quillian Powell Construction is a licensed general contractor with 25 years of experience in all types of construction, including gymnasiums and other recreation facilities. Raindance Media Solutions LLC Susan Riley 770-337-9634 We are your one-stop GRPA media specialist, here to help you with all of your print, graphic design, online interactive publications, and advertising requirements. Meeting your unique and individual needs is our #1 priority. We don’t believe in quick sales, but in building lasting relationships. Richard Wittschiebe Hand Tanya Richard 404-688-2200 www.rwhdesign.com Recreational and Community Facility Master Planning and Programming, Architectural and Interior Design Robert and Company David Sprinkle, PLA 404-577-4000 www.robertandcompany.com Robert and Company is a multi-disciplinary firm
Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
of landscape architects, planners and engineers that combines collaboration and design to create engaging and meaningful places. Southern Playgrounds, Inc. Warren Schlender 770-218-1912 www.southernplaygrounds.com Playground equipment Sports Turf Company, Inc. Dan Wright 770-832-8691 www.sportsturf.net Sports field construction Spread Tech Andy Erler 866-685-2438 www.spreadtech.com/index.htm Sales, installation and maintenance of all major types of playground safety surfacing from Engineered Wood Fiber to Poured in Place Rubber. Trimax Mowing Systems Inc. Charlotte Martin 800-523-1167 www.trimaxmowers.com Trimax designs and manufactures a wide range of robust, easily maintained, tractor mounted mowers to suit a variety of applications. Trimax mowers deliver a clean cut and professional finish every time. Turfplaner of Georgia Clarence Mayes 404-374-3012 www.turfplaningservices.com/ Our patent pending Turfplaner is used for the precision removal of surface irregularities in all types of athletic surfaces/field renovation at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Wood+Partners Inc. Mark Baker 843-681-6618 www.woodandpartners.com Park, recreation and open space master planning, recreation needs assessments, preliminary site planning and analysis, public workshops.
2012 Annual Conference Awards Georgia Recreation and Park Association
Agency Award Recipients Population Under 20,000 Cartersville Parks & Recreation Department
Population 20,001-50,000 Gainesville Parks & Recreation Department Population 50,001-80,000 Spalding County Parks & Recreation Department Population 80,001-150,000 Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Population 150,001 and Over Clayton County Parks & Recreation Department
Hall of Fame Awards
J.W. “Bud” Stone Vickie Pilgrim
Distinguished Professional Award Eddie Canon, Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Mike Daniel Award Dr. Mark Patterson, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation
GRPA Volunteer Awards
Dr. Joseph D. Giovinco, College Park Recreation Department Dana Long, Acworth Parks and Recreation
Kellie Monforte, Cartersville Parks and Recreation Billy Glosson Red Bud Project, Gainesville Parks and Recreation Jamie Wiedeman, Oconee County Parks and Recreation James Johnston, Spalding County Parks and Recreation Lillian Scarbrough, Columbus Parks and Recreation Dr. Steven Flynt, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation
GRPA Section Awards
Administrators Distinguished Professional Greg Anderson, Cartersville Parks & Recreation Distinguished Administrative Support Becky Glisson, Columbus Parks & Recreation
Aquatics Distinguished Professional of the Year Andi Harmon, Gainesville Parks & Recreation Innovative Program Operation D.I.P., Clayton County Parks & Recreation Athletics Distinguished Professional of the Year James Gordy, Cartersville Parks & Recreation Innovative Program Cartersville Academic All-Stars, Cartersville Parks & Recreation Cultural Affairs Distinguished Professional Penny Lewis, Carrollton PRCA Arts and Humanities Under 20,000 Art Explosion, College Park Recreation Department www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia
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Arts and Humanities 80,001-150,000 Community, Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Arts and Humanities 150,000 and Over Elevate, Atlanta PCRA Facilities and Grounds Distinguished Professional David McGaughey, Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation Minority Section Distinguished Professional Dr. James Worsley, Columbus Parks and Recreation Innovative Program Cross Cultural Winter Celebration, Clayton County Parks and Recreation Outdoor Section Volunteer Award Charles Orgbon, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Planning, Design and Development Section Outstanding New or Renovated Facility Fall Line Trace, Columbus Parks and Recreation
Program Section Distinguished Professional Quandus Burns, Atlanta PRCA Volunteer of the Year Michael Ciccone, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Innovative Program Summer of Service Learning, Atlanta PRCA Innovative Camp Camp Fit 4 Fun, Columbus Parks and Recreation Innovative Special Event Trick or Treat on the Trail, Gainesville Parks and Recreation July Is Parks and Recreation Month – 20,001-50,000 Gainesville Parks and Recreation July Is Parks and Recreation Month – 150,000 and Over Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Senior Adult Section Distinguished Professional Chris Williams, Bacon County Senior Adult Center Innovative Program West Georgia Silver Wolves Program, Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts May Is Older Americans’ Month – Under 20,000 Bacon County Senior Adult Center May Is Older Americans’ Month – 150,001 and Over Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Student/Young Professional Section Distinguished Professional Jabari Cole, City of Decatur Active Living
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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
Anaconda Sports ® was founded in 1902 as Kaye Sports has grown over the years to become one of the largest independent sporting goods dealers in the United States. Today, Anaconda sells to wholesalers, mass merchandisers, distributors and via direct mail, to the general public.
Therapeutic Section Distinguished Professional Lisa Hughey, Dalton Parks and Recreation
GreG Cherny
E-mail:
[email protected]
www.anacondasports.com
1-888-914-6319 x186 Fax: 845-336-5381
Volunteer of the Year Marcia Austin, Columbus Parks and Recreation Innovative Program Celebrating the Artwork of Lois Curtis, Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department
Publication Awards
Single Event Under 20,000 – City of College Park – Basketball Flyer 20,001-50,000 – Gainesville Parks and Recreation – Mother-Son Halloween Dance Flyer 80,001-150,000 – Athens-Clarke Co. LSD – The Mystique of the Automobile Event Catalog 150,001 and Over – Gwinnett County Parks and RecreationunbeLEAFable Marketing Campaign Multi-Event Under 20,000 – Cartersville Parks and Recreation – Program Guide 20,001-50,000 – Oconee County Parks and Recreation – Quarterly Program Guide 50,001-80,000 – Smyrna Parks and Recreation – Wolfe Center Newsletter 80,001-150,000 – Fayette County Parks and Recreation – Summer Brochure 150,001 and Over – Henry County Parks and Recreation – 2012 Summer Calendar
Service Pins
20 Years Lancer Alexander, Missy Bailey, Ruby Byrd, Mindy Daniel, Laurel Fleming, TJ Imberger, Andrea Johnson, Lisa Jones, Ronnie Melton, Elbert Outlaw, Lisa Sharpe, Kim Shealy, David Smith, Randy Spivey, Deb Strycula, Kim Townsend, Keith Williams
STRENGTH
25 Years Hank Heffner, Pam Hoffman, Donna Holder, Carl McKnight, Joe Stallworth, Kevin Teate, Arthur Washington, Robert Yost 30 Years Barry Baker, Tim Coley, Jim Cyrus, Bobbie Daniels, Mark Gordy, Randy Haygood, Joseph Shearouse, Craig Sowell 35 Years Larry Hall, Joy Hendrix, Don Howell, Mike Pitts 40 Years Melvin Cooper, Joe Glover, Ron Griffith, Jim Herbert
IN NUMBERS To be successful in any organization, you need the right kind of help. Let us help you create a magazine that your association can be proud of. To find out how your association can have its own magazine, contact Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or
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45 Years Clarence Morgan www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia
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Jimmy Gisi: Head of State Recreation Association by Wayne Grandy, Sports Editor, The Moultrie Observer
When Jimmy Gisi went off to South Georgia College to play baseball after graduating from Colquitt County High, like many former Packers, he came back to Moultrie for Friday night football games at Mack Tharpe Stadium. It was there that he would find longtime Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department director Jim Buck Goff watching the games from the end zone. And it was there that Gisi, who already had an inkling that he might want to go into recreation as an occupation, began to pick Goff’s brain about the profession he had been in for so long. “I knew I wanted to stay in sports,” Gisi said recently. “Jim Buck helped lead me into the field (of recreation). Jim Burrows also influenced me. “Those two really led me on my career path.” And that path has taken him through Bacon County, Camden County and Cobb County. And for the last five years, Gisi has held the top job in recreation in the state as the executive director of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association. And it is his long involvement in sports from his own recreation department athletics days, to playing football and baseball at Pineland and Colquitt County High to his long and successful career leading recreation programs that has led Gisi to the Colquitt County Sports Hall of Fame. Gisi will be part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012 that will be inducted on Nov. 1 12
at the annual banquet at the high school cafeteria. This year’s inductees also will be honored on the field at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium before the start of the following night’s Coffee-Colquitt County football game. Gisi played recreation sports while being raised by his mother and grandmother in Doerun, where Ray and Sonny Saunders helped make sure he got to practice and James Wildes coached his baseball teams. He remembers men such as Doyle Grantham and Scott Hart taking him under their wings and serving as father figures. Once he got to the high school level, he had the unusual distinction of playing football for four head coaches. He attended Pineland School his first two years, playing for John Peacock as a freshman and Bill McKinley as a sophomore. He then went to Colquitt County for his final two years, playing for Bob Griffith and Bill McCall. Gisi was an all-region selection at guard as a senior, but he was perhaps a better baseball player and was on the first Jerry Croft-coached team to win 20 games, posting a 20-7 record in 1982.
Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
During his two seasons at Colquitt County, he caught such Packer pitchers as Dennis Powell, Keith Todd, Barry Bell, Keith Croft, Brian Clark and Greg Studdard. He also played American Legion baseball for Post 243 under coaches Ed Creech and Bobby Bennett. Gisi’s baseball talents led him to South Georgia College where he played two years and also developed his desire to go into recreation as a profession. After being encouraged by Walter Huckaby and Roger Johnson and helping out at the recreation department in Douglas, he went from South Georgia College to the University of Georgia, where he got his degree in recreation and leisure services. He also has earned a master’s degree from Valdosta State in public administration. Gisi’s first job was as athletic coordinator in Camden County.
As he notes with a chuckle, he went from having a staff of some 700 people to a staff of one at the GRPA’s office in Conyers. “Personnel issues went out the window,” he said. “But I got to inf luence state recreation rather than just Cobb County recreation.” The Georgia Recreation and Park Association was formed in 1945 as a private, non-profit organization to support and promote the recreation and park industries within the state. It is governed by a 34-member Board of Trustees and has a membership in excess of some 1,700 individual members. It also oversees some 200 agencies around the state, including city and county recreation departments, YMCAs, churches and boys and girls clubs. The agencies are divided into seven districts that hold tournaments and championships in a number of sports.
After a year, he returned to Camden County as the head of its growing recreation department.
The Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department has long been a member of the GRPA and Gisi says he has played in a GRPA state tournament, coached in a GRPA state tournament, worked in a GRPA tournament and now is in charge of GRPA tournaments.
After eight years in Kingsland, he was offered the job in recreation department in Cobb County.
One of Gisi’s biggest tasks is helping agencies do as much as they used to with less money.
It was a big decision for a South Georgia boy.
“We have to train them to be more creative,” he says. “They have to be magicians.
After just six months there, he was named director of the recreation department in Alma in Bacon County, his wife’s home town.
“I was thinking, ‘Do I really want to go up there and get in all that?’” he says.
“They have to do more with less.”
After much consideration, “we packed up like the Beverly Hillbillies,” and moved to Cobb County.
Gisi commutes three days a week from his home in Cobb County to his office in Conyers and works two days at home.
He served a year as deputy director, then was named director in 1997.
His wife, Angela, does not have to travel near as far. She has been teaching middle school for 26 years and her classroom is just three miles away.
Gisi has moved from the recreation department in Camden County with a $1.5 million annual budget and 15 employees to the Atlanta area department with a $25 million budget and 700 full- and part-time employees. “It’s a huge program,” he said. “We had 12,000-13,000 kids in baseball and softball and about 16,000 in soccer.” During the 11 years he ran the Cobb County recreation department, he was active in GRPA, having served as secretary, treasurer, vice president, president-elect and president. In 2007, as his term as president of GRPA was coming to an end, executive director Tom Martin announced he was retiring. Gisi applied for the job and was selected by the Board of Trustees as the new executive director.
The Gisis oldest daughter, Karoline, is married to Tyler Horton and teaches second grade in Woodstock. Youngest daughter Kristin is a junior at Georgia College and University in Milledgeville. And Gisi is still as enthusiastic about recreation as he was when he started in the business some 25 years ago. “I knew I’d never be a millionaire,” he says. “But there is something to be said for enjoying what you do. “It’s still rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” Reprinted with permission from The Moultrie Observer
www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia
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Sandy Creek Nature Center Offers
Expanded Education & Visitor Center Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Opens New Exhibits – Come Inside and Go Outside! by Randy Smith, Facility Supervisor, Sandy Creek Nature Center
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n October, Sandy Creek Nature Center opened the doors of the newly renovated and expanded Education & Visitor Center. After more than four years of planning, visitors can now experience four new exhibit areas and other amenities at the center. A facility of the Athens-Clarke County Department of Leisure Services, the nature center has been part of the local community for 40 years. The 225-acre site is bordered by the Oconee River and Sandy Creek. Four miles of trails cross woodlands, meadows and wetland habitats. Visitors can access the park by vehicle or take the greenway from downtown Athens. More than 55,000 people visit Sandy Creek each year, from local schoolchildren to families from the region. A visit to Sandy Creek Nature Center invites participants both young and old to experience the outdoors and the natural world around them. The goals of the facility are to protect the natural resources of the site and to encourage recreation, education and stewardship of our outdoor resources. The expanded building is a stopping-off point for a journey outdoors. Visitors can orient themselves to the site in a lobby filled with information on trails, birding, local parks and more. Also included is a gift shop, classrooms and even educational exhibits in the restrooms. The building itself is a teaching tool — the application process is underway as a LEED-certified facility, and signs help interpret this message. The highlight of the building is an expanded exhibit hall that tells the story of how humans and nature are part of life throughout Georgia. Take an interactive journey through a variety of natural habitats both familiar and unusual in a series of hands-on displays and activi-
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ties. Meet a live loggerhead sea turtle in the coastal center. Discover how to save energy and create wildlife habitats in your own backyard. Delve into wetlands, and learn about local fish and water creatures. Walk through a larger-thanlife soil cutaway, and see how agriculture is part of our daily lives. Find out about our forests and which animals are parts of the woodland ecosystem. And don’t forget to visit the SkyCenter and take a look at the heavens above in a 40-seat planetarium. You can also learn about weather and the air that surrounds us. The exhibits form an overall experience that focuses on the outdoors and our local environment. Each exhibit area features takeaway messages and ideas that you can use at home or promote further discovery outdoors within the park and beyond. The Athens-Clarke County Government is a leader in public recreation and sustainable planning, and it fosters the development of an edu-
Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org
cated and responsible citizenry. The new exhibits reflect our community’s values. The expansion also features improved parking and trail access points, energyefficient construction, stormwater-/rainwater-capture systems, and new exhibit preparation and animal care areas. The $2.5 million project was funded primarily by the local SPLOST program and $300,000 from grants and private donations raised by SCNC, Inc, the support group for the nature center. The center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, and the property is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Local recreation departments are encouraged to make Sandy Creek Nature Center part of their senior adult programs and youth activities by planning a special trip for a guided tour or program at the expanded facility. Call 706-613-3615 to schedule a visit. For more information, visit www.athensclarkecounty.com/ sandycreeknaturecenter or the nature center’s Facebook page.
www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia
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Georgia Recreation and Park Association 1285 Parker Road Conyers, GA 30094
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
OF THE GEORGIA
RECREATION AND
PARK ASSOCIATION
• WINTER 2013
WAITING FOR THE ECONOMY TO CHANGE? In This Issue
2012 Annual Conference Awards Nature Sandy Creek Center Offers ion Expanded Educat & Visitor Center
While you’re waiting, your competitors are changing their economy. They’re targeting Georgia Recreation and Park Association members who make purchasing decisions in this multi-million-dollar industry. And these members actively read this publication like you’re doing right now.
WANT TO INFLUENCE THEIR BUYING DECISIONS?
Then contact Bob Sales at 502.423.7272 or
[email protected] immediately! www.ipipub.com
