Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department

New! The Athens-Clarke County Department of Leisure Services will host a drop in community meeting regarding the SPLOST-funded Pulaski Creek Greenway and Park project concept.

The informal community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 11 between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., at the Athens Area Community Council on Aging located at 135 Hoyt Street. Citizens are encouraged to drop by at their convenience during the listed times.

ACC Leisure Services and SPLOST management staff will be present to discuss the proposed project elements for the park and answer citizens' questions.

For more information, call (706) 613-3025.

New! The Lyndon House Arts Center, in conjunction with the UGA Libraries, Georgia Museum of Art, and Athens-Clarke County Public Library have received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to take part in a program called The Big Read.
This initiative is designed to encourage reading in the United States and stimulate conversation about a chosen book within the community. In ACC, the selected book is the coming of age novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya.

A kickoff event will take place on September 13 at the Lyndon House, designed as a community-wide fiesta, complete with music, food, giveaways of the book, games, and speeches. The event takes place from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and is free for all ages.
Other programming such as films and speakers will run until October 26 surrounding the themes and symbols of the novel, including owls and medicinal plants. Local area schools will include the reading of this novel in their curriculum.

All organizations involved in The Big Read will host activities including read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, film screenings, performing arts events and more!
The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

External Website
www.accleisureservices.com

Administration
706-613-3800
706-613-3805 [Fax]

Administration Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Various for facilities)

Director
John Dargle
Kent Kilpatrick (Interim as of June 9)

Administration Location
Bishop Park
705 Sunset Drive
Location Map

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1868
Athens, GA 30603

New!Leisure Services has a new pool schedule for the remainder of the summer:

Bishop Park pool will be open weekends only, August 9-30 and Labor Day, September 1.

Saturday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m
Sunday: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Pool admission is $1.00

All other Leisure Services pools are closed for the season. For more information, call the Aquatics Office at (706)613-3580 or visit accleisureservices.com/aquatics.shtml.

New! The Leisure Services Fall Program and Events Guide is now available online at

www.accleisureservices.com. The guide lists programs and events from September through November 2008.

New! The Lyndon House Arts Center will host the Full House 2008 exhibition August 10 through November 8.

This exhibition is an intriguing cross-section of visual arts in the Athens-Clarke County Community encompassing a wide range of media, styles, and traditions from 100 artists.

The exhibition may be enjoyed during regular gallery hours and is free and open to the public. A gallery reception is scheduled for

Sunday, August 10 from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

The Full House 2008 Expo is scheduled for Saturday, September 20 from 1:00- 5:00 p.m. The Expo is a festival-type event where artists will present live demonstrations in woodturning, quilting, printmaking, pottery, porcelain painting, metal smithing, floral design, and more in the art studios and various areas of Lyndon House Arts Center.

For more information, please call (706) 613-3623 or visit www.accleisureservices.com.

New! Athens Creative Theatre has formed an all-female repertory company. The group is a unique performance opportunity for all Athens area women of all ages and levels of experience. The company operates on a less-demanding rehearsal schedule and offers positions in all aspects of production. If interested, contact A.C.T at (706)613-3628 or e-mail athenscreative@bellsouth.net.

ACC Leisure Services mailed surveys to random area residents over the past week as a part of its master plan development. The survey provides questions ACC Leisure Services facilities, fee structure, organizational structure, programs, and other issues. The public is encouraged to participate.

For more information on the survey, please call (706) 613-3625.

Kent Kilpatrick has been appointed to serve as Interim Director of Leisure Services effective Monday, June 9. Kilpatrick is the Administrator for the Internal Services Division of Leisure Services and has served as Interim Director in the past. His appointment comes in response to the recent resignation of John Dargle. Dargle is leaving Athens to become the director of the Fairfax County, Virginia recreation department.

Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail's Bear Tracks Winter 2008 newsletter is now available online in the Documents area.

For the third consecutive year, ACC Leisure Services has been honored by the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) with the prestigious State Agency of the Year Award.

The State Agency of the Year, for populations 80,001 and larger, is awarded based on facilities, programs, long range planning, staffing, marketing plan, and accomplishments over the past twelve months. This is the fifth time in eight years that ACC Leisure Services has received this award.

The department was also honored with other awards including the Cultural Affairs Section’s Dorothy Mullins Arts and Humanities Award for the Athens/Xalapa Artists’ Exchange program and the Marketing and Visibility Committee Publicity Award for a multi-event for the Passport to Fun coupon booklet for July is National Recreation and Parks Month.

Whit Davis Elementary School was honored with the Outdoor and Parks Section Volunteer Award, District 7, as well as the state Volunteer Award, for its work at SE Clarke Park. Ms. Stroup’s classes mapped and cleared the trail at SE Clarke Park, using the activity as a service learning project.

Athens-Clarke Gymnastics Academy cookbooks - Recipes to Flip Over - are now on sale. This is ACGA's first cookbook and features recipes collected from gymnasts, families, and friends. The 50-page cookbook includes casseroles, desserts, main dishes, and much more. Cookbooks are $9.00 and may be purchased at Bishop Park, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Leisure Services has its very own external Web site! Check it out at www.accleisureservices.com.

AWARDS

District 7 Agency of the Year Award from the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) Services Department.
National Award of Excellence for the WE CAN (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) Program.
Sandy Creek Nature Center founder and long-time volunteer Walter L. Cook, Jr. was honored by the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) for his more than 30 years of service to local environmental and conservation efforts on their Pathfinderprogram.
The Georgia Recreation and Park Association awarded the State Agency of the Year Award, as well as seven Innovative Program Awards; the Athens Disc Golf Club received a state Volunteer Award; The Lyndon House Arts Center received three awards for its programs; Special events at Southeast Clarke Park was recognized as Innovative Programs in the Programmers and Athletics Sections.

FACILITIES & PROGRAMS
For a full list of Leisure Services facilities, visit the ACC Leisure Services Web site Facilities Page.

MISSION
To enrich the lives of our citizens through the stewardship of the county’s natural resources and the efficient and responsive provision of quality leisure opportunities, experiences, and partnerships.