"While a growing class of millionaires is able to enjoy a host of expensive forms of recreation, those in the nation's urban ghettos and
rural slums lack even minimal resources for needed recreation; a contrast that has been described as "recreation apartheid." - From "Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern
Society" (Edited by McLean, Hurd and Roger, 2008)
Snow Riders: American Indian Olympic Ski Programs "Based on what worked in Colorado, to each of the 100 ski areas across America wishing to participate in leading this historic Salute To America's First Caretakers, we recommend providing 100 weekend or 200 weekday tickets, as well as beginner lessons and rental equipment as needed each season - or whatever you can afford.
Then when the ski area hosts an historic welcoming home celebration, whenever its convenient for both sides, Native leaders and dancers will have something to truly sing & dance about!
Some ski areas like Heavenly send their buses to assist the Washoe with transportation, as did Whistler, plus the tribes opens their Earth Day that thousands attend, and are finishing a Washoe Interpretive Center - resulting in awesome snow blessings.
Like Mt Hood Meadows, which helped win them the 2006 Golden Eagle Award, they are also sharing their lifts in the summer with the Elders to pick their traditional medicinals and
berries." - Snow-Riders.org
"And as a result of creating a bridge between our cultures, we were, coincidentally, blessed with an abundance of snow and through the friendships, solving some long standing environmental challenges
almost overnight. Pictures of these events can be seen on Nativevoices.org and Snow-riders.org websites. Since every ski area and tribe has its own unique story and resources, the ideas below
aremerely tools and guidelines for rewriting the Native history of your region. As a visionary, you will
be doing something that generations of your children will be proud of. This basic formula could
also work for any sport, with any town or city, and its neighboring tribe(s)." - Telluride pioneer/owner Ron Allred
Tree People's COOL SCHOOLS Re-Greening Program Tree People.org have been leaders in the urban regreening movement and have been co-sponsors of the Cool Schools program. "Since its birth, the Cool Schools program has been responsible for ripping up 60 million square feet of asphalt and replacing it with green space. At Broadous Elementary, for example, TreePeople is mobilizing 100 kids, parents, and teachers to plant 250 trees on their campus early next year. In addition to cooling the school and creating lush, green play spaces for the students, the trees reduce children's exposure to direct sunlight, thereby minimizing their risk of skin cancer, says Mylius. The trees will also be strategically placed to reduce flooding - a chronic problem at Broadous."
"Many Los Angeles area schools - especially those in poorer areas - put in all-asphalt play areas because they believe they are cheaper than maintaining lawns and flowerbeds. Eager to discourage this practice, TreePeople performed studies that showed the costs and benefits of planting trees - from lowering air conditioning bills to reducing school closures due to flooding - and worked with the school districts and the local government to encourage creating green space in schoolyards."
- "Tree People," by Tracy Rysavy (Yes Magazine, Winter, 2000: http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=318)
Fred Solomon's Topanga Ranch and Orphan Parties in the 1920-30's The CSUN Oviatt Library Collection houses several photos of Fred Solomon on his ranch in Topanga Canyon, hosting Los Angeles area orphans for days of recreation
in the 1920-30's. The website shows a photo of Fred Solomon with
children on horseback with the
caption, "Fred Solomon hosted outings for the orphans of Los Angeles at his Topanga ranch." Another photo in the Oviatt collection has the description,
"The roof of Fred Solomon's house in Topanga, Calif. was outfitted as a fake ship, the F.H.S. Penny. Children, perhaps Los Angeles orphans on a outting sponsored by Mr.
Solomon shown playing on the "ship."" A 1930's invitation to the
"8th Annual Picnic, L.A. Orphans" is also posted on the Oviatt site with the caption, "A photocopy of an invitation to Fred Solomon's 8th Annual Picnic for L. A. Orphans.
Thursday, August 21, 1930. Mr. Solomon was a philanthropist who had property in Topanga where he hosted many parties." The Oviatt Library also houses a
photo of a swimming
party for orphans in the 1920's at the Solomon Ranch.
I know nothing about Fred Solomon and his outings with Los Angeles' orphans sans what I have seen on the CSUN site, but I applaud his early efforts
to expose disadvantaged children to recreation. He was a pioneer, and I am sure the children who visited his ranch from orphanages remembered those visits. (By the way, I lived in one
of L.A.'s most notorious orphanages, MacLaren Hall, in the 1960's.)
"Poor children have fewer toys, games, books, or trips to the zoo or beach; they seldom have access to special classes, vacation day camps, or well-equipped and staffed playgrounds...
many working parents in inner-city slums must choose between the enforced boredom of locking children in their apartments during free hours or days and "street roulette" - the sometimes fatal dangers
of outside play." - From "Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern
Society," Edited by McLean, Hurd and Roger, 2008 (p. 132)
Homeless Baseball Leagues "Everyone has the right to engage in recreational activity. We believe that a person's way of life should not interfere with his or her enjoyment of this
basic right. The realization that recreation takes on different meanings to different people is vital to reaching out. In 1987, John Inne's staff joined forces with a few of the local social service agencies to enhance street people's recreational opportunities. From this partnership was born The Downtown East End Softball League. It currently comprises 12 teams, consisting of 200 to 250 homeless or low-income adults who play from May to September. This league is one of the most successful community programs in existence. It is designed to accommodate people who may not have running shoes or a uniform; people are allowed to wear whatever they own. The rules are no drinking and no violence in the park during game hours. These rules are difficult to enforce and to apply consistently--we need a tough but flexible standard with a strong community support network."
- Paula Needham, Taking Recreation to the Streets! - for the Homeless
"Only 2 percent of all leisure activites are done alone. This indicates that people like to participate in activites with others." - From "Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern
Society," Edited by McLean, Hurd and Roger, 2008 (p. 122)
"In the very least, recreation activities for people who are homeless serve to occupy their free time and provide opportunities for social interaction among equals. Leisure practitioners would agree that "being active" is usually better than "doing nothing" and, as a shelter volunteer is quoted as saying "Nothing is worse on the human spirit than doing nothing" (Rosenthal, 1994, p. 160). Thus, the most immediate and obvious benefits of recreation for people who are homeless come from participation in healthy activities such as exercise or games that promote fitness, relaxation, and sociability which may be alternatives to substance abuse and antisocial behaviour (Kunstler, 1993). In this way recreation and leisure programs can promote overall physical and mental wellness. Yet, as beneficial as these consequences of recreation participation may be, they merely hint at the enormous potential seen for leisure services for homeless people (Kraus, 1994). While addressing the structural and individual causes of homelessness is beyond the scope of this article, we argue that recreation does have a role to play in responding to the homeless condition. We take the position that recreational opportunities may be a source of personal empowerment for people living in homeless shelters."
- Maureen Harrington and Don Dawson, Recreation as Empowerment for Homeless People Living in Shelters
Midnight Basketball Programs It seems odd to think that in America, in 2008, with all our wealth, people are roaming streets, late at night, looking for at-risk youth to bring inside
for midnight basketball games to give them better opportunities within our communities. Midnight Basketball programs even have their own league, the Midnight Basketball
League, offering a host of benefits to its members. Communities have seen a decline in crime in areas with Midnight Basketball programs thus they are supported by social
services, mental health programs, law enforcement, and other agencies as viable programs for at-risk youth.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." — Mark Twain
The Campanian Society, Inc., "specializes in travel programs for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Our travel programs are designed to meet the specials needs of our travelers and to provide a rich educational experience unavailable on regularly scheduled sighted trips. Each travel program offers unique opportunities for tactile experiences and hands-on encounters. On-site lectures, readings and audio-description combined with music enlarge the total sensory and intellectual enjoyment on our
programs. Furthermore, our programs offer unique opportunities for relaxation and socialization with others who share your passion for travel and adventure."
Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC) "opens the beauty and challenge of outdoor adventures to people with special needs. Every year over 2,000 people of all abilities join us to raft whitewater rivers, ski across alpine meadows, sea kayak the waters of the Golden Gate and sleep beneath the open sky. ETC trips enable participants to access the wilderness, gain environmental awareness, and share the adventure. We invite you to join us on a trip. Groups and individuals of all abilities are welcome to participate in our sea kayaking, rafting and cross-country skiing programs."
Games and Play Also Influence Business and Career "...A reporter for Forbes magazine points out that business executives frequently enjoy high-level competitive play in games such as contact bridge, chess, or backgammon, and
that they value competence in these pastimes in the people they employ. Investment advisors in particular recognize the risk-taking elements involved in such games and the need for strategic
flair in taking calculated risks. Whether the game is poker, gin rummy, bridge, backgammon, or chess, the skills involved are all equally important in business." -
From "Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society," Edited by McLean, Hurd and Roger, 2008 (p. 128)
Movin' Van Mobile Fitness Center in Graham, North Carolina "Funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North
Carolina Department of Public Health, Graham Parks and Recreation Department,
and Be Active North Carolina have partnered to provide opportunities for
physical activity to underserved children and adolescents. The “Movin’ Van”
program targets overweight children ages 9 through 13 who live in Graham public
housing. Physical activity specialists travel in a van to bring active recreation,
such as equipment for sports and games, to two low-income neighborhoods three
times a week during after school hours or in the morning (during the summer).
Two private companies, Polar Electro and Healthfirst, USA, donated equipment
that will be used to gather project health data."
(http://www.nh.gov/oep/programs/recreation/documents/healthandwellness.pdf)
"Whereas the wealthy have extensive leisure choices, the middle class heavily consumes popular culture, and the poor have limited choices and may rely on philanthropic organizations for leisure opportunities."
- From "Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society," Edited by McLean, Hurd and Roger, 2008 (p. 33)
Girls on Ice - Free NW Mountaineering Class "Girls on Ice is a unique eleven-day leadership program for teenage girls that combines leadership, mountaineering and science. The program takes place July 28-August 7, 2008 and is free to girls who qualify via a merit-based application process. It is open to girls 15-18 years old who have shown a keen interest in science and the outdoors. Nine young women will be selected and the ideal candidate will be an inquisitive, adventurous girl who would like to learn more about scientific inquiry, research, careers in science and the Northwest environment. It is the only program in the nation that combines leadership, scientific inquiry and mountaineering for teenage girls. It provides a rare opportunity for young women to feel at home in the wilderness while observing the natural world through the unique lens of science under the guidance of professional female glaciologists and mountaineers."
(http://www.ncascades.org/programs/youth/girls_on_ice/)
Rite of Passage Journeys (Scholarships Available) "Rite of Passage Journeys honors life transitions through intentional rite of passage experiences for youth and adults. Our programs use experiential learning activities designed to foster self-discovery, connection with others, and connection with the natural world. In the spirit of creating community and increasing the availability of rite of passage experiences, we train others in rite of passage program development, methodology, and mentorship."
(http://www.riteofpassagejourneys.org/about/scholarships)
"No, you never get any fun, out of things you've never done." - Ogden Nash
"Are recreation and park agencies perceived as "players" and do they have programs which address the needs of the urban poor? Can neighborhood and gang
leaders be part of a partnership that delivers recreation services? Has the dominance of economic thinking negatively affected recreation and park services for poor
children and families?" These are questions asked by Jack Foley and Veda Ward in their 1993 article entitled, "Recreation, the Riots and a Healthy LA - Los Angeles, California."
He goes on to say, "It is the anarchy of the market which has denied basic recreation services to poor children in Los Angeles." He points out the trend towards user fees in public
and private recreation which is locking out the poor. He also says that many organizations simply do not want to deal with the larger issues existant in lower income
communities and notes an inequity of funding from Los Angeles government regarding parks in poorer neighborhoods. This article goes on to say, "Recreation and parks is a frequently overlooked
and underfunded public agency which can help weave the safety net through which we do not wish our urban youth to fall. Recreational experiences provide risk, fear,
teamwork and shared challenges in a socially acceptable, life-affirming environment. Achievement, cooperation, self-motivation and pride can be outcomes of participation in
outdoor activities, team sports and the arts. Unfortunately, these opportunities are often minimal or unaffordable in poor communities where centers are underfunded and
understaffed. Recreation professionals can be catalysts and links between public and private interests in urban revitalization."
Kirsten Anderberg. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint/publish, please contact Kirsten at kirstena@resist.ca.
Kirsten Anderberg. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint/publish, please contact Kirsten at kirstena@resist.ca.
"There's only so much oil in the ground, sooner or later there won't be none around..." - Tower of Power
