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2006/12/11 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Packet spuMRer-Pal ig.: , 62 LECGEBTION p ERO➢TV.ENT ,tiro1010 ROHNERT PARK PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA Monday December 11, 2006 • 6:30 p.m. 6750 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park To any member of the audience desiring to address the Parks and Recreation Commission: If you wish to speak on an item under discussion by the Parks and Recreation Commission,you may do so upon recognition from the Chairperson. After receiving recognition from the Chairperson,please walk to the rostrum located in the front and center of the room and state your name and address for the record before making your presentation. CALL MEETING TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE • Roll Call: 0 Chairperson Hansen Bird ErBlack ❑ Butler Griffin[/'Stevens • Approval of Minutes—November 13,2006 • Acknowledgment of Recreation Department staff's report on the posting of the meeting's agenda. Agenda has been posted in three public places: Community Center,Public Safety Building and City Hall, and on the City's Website. • Unscheduled Public Appearances for public comments on items not listed on the agenda,or on agenda items if unable to speak at the scheduled time. Item#1 Report from Chair on Presentation to City Council: Information only Item#2 Dog Monitor Program:Commission to review and adopt program if accepted. Item#3 Enforcement of Posted Park Rules: Review and Action if necessary This item makes suggested changes to the Municipal Code which designates all posted park rules established by the Commission,to be enforceable under the code. Item#4 Caterpillar Park and Colegio Vista Park Playground Renovations: Discussion for future action. Reconsideration of playground designs for Caterpillar Park(phase II)and Colegio Vista Parks. Item#5 January and February 2007 Meeting Dates: Action Item The January and February 2007 meetings fall on legal city holidays.Commission to consider moving these meetings to January 22&February 26. 1 ^ Page 1 of 2 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission December 11,2006 Committee • Park Development Guidelines Reports • Park Audit • PROS Matters from Update on the Playground Renovations Recreation Staff • Matters to/from - Commissioners Adjournment. Next meeting:TBD Disabled Accommodation: If you have a disability which requires an interpreter or other person to assist you while attending this Planning Commission Meeting,please contact the City Offices at(707) 588-2236 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting to insure arrangements for accommodation by the City. Please make sure the Planning Department is notified as soon as possible if you have a visual impairment that requires the meeting materials be produced in another format (Braille,audio-tape,etc.). • Page 2 of 2 Rohn Park BARK MONITOR Training Manual r 4" l&s.)ti N E RT PAR , 19 62 A DEPARTMENT CALIF°-- (DRAFT) WELCOME! Welcome and thank you for your interest in becoming a part of the Rohnert Park BARK Monitor program. The City of Rohnert Park's Parks and Recreation Department is committed to maintaining a high quality of service and safe operation of all parks and recreational facilities. To keep these parks as safe and fun for its guests, volunteers are needed to help monitor them. This involves helping humans understand how the rules and regulations make the area safe and pleasant for people and dogs. BASIC BARK MONITOR REQUIREMENTS • Monitors must be at least 18 years old, there are opportunities for Jr. Monitors (15-18) to work with adults. • Must know, understand, and obey all park rules. (Lead by example) • Must attend and successfully complete BARK Monitor training program. • Must commit to a minimum of 5 hours per month. • Must wear photo ID when officially monitoring the parks. • Volunteers must surrender their photo ID when leaving the program or at request of the Park and Recreation Commission. Qualifications: IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! Rohnert Park Dog Park Monitors (aka BARK Monitors) must have the temperament necessary to deal with a wide variety of individuals, some of whom test patience and resolve. This training is intended to give you the confidence to encourage compliance with park rules and the knowledge of the procedures to handle situations tactfully and professionally. BARK Monitors should know and understand all park rules and be able to "educate" park guests about the need for compliance and to deal calmly with rule violations in a way that will avoid confrontation. If you do not believe your personality is suited for dealing with the public in this way, please ask us about other park volunteer opportunities. WHAT ARE "BARK MONITORS?" BARK Monitors are a team of trained volunteers recognized by the City of Rohnert Park and expected to take a lead role in educating human users of the park about the expectations and responsibility of users of the park and to keep the parks safe and pleasant for all. BARK monitors are ambassadors at Rohnert Park dog parks (Rohnert BARK, Field of Friends, Shelter Park, etc.). Monitors serve in an educational capacity while interacting with park-goers. BARK monitors observe to see that park rules are followed, and will also try to interact with park-goers in a positive way. BARK monitors help guests understand our expectations of them and their responsibilities while using the off-leash area. We want to foster a safe, yet sociable environment for both humans and dogs. BARK Monitors also are responsible for keeping the message boards neat and current, doggy bag dispensers filled, and doggie bag dispensers, fliers and pamphlet boxes filled. Monitors remove all unauthorized fliers and promotional material that may appear within the park. BARK Monitors will notify the program coordinator of any facility issues that may require the attention of the Public Works Department such as broken sprinklers, water-fountains, compromised fencing, or any park elements that may cause injury to park users. Monitors will also alert the coordinator when a new supply of bags and fliers are needed. The BARK Monitor Program is under the supervision of the Parks and Recreation Commission's Dog Park Committee. Volunteers report their hour regularly to the BARK Monitor Coordinator. BARK MONITOR BEHAVIOR • The best way to deal with problems is to stop them before they happen. Try to greet people as they come into the park. If they are new, welcome them and give them a pamphlet about the park rules. Highlight some of the most serious rules, such as: all dogs over 6 months must be altered, no aggressive behavior will be tolerated, etc. This is a good time to show new guests where the doggy bag dispensers are etc. • Greeting guests also gives the Bark Monitor an opportunity to find out their names. Take note of this in case their dogs become a problem later. Knowing names of humans and their dogs and descriptions can be essential for enforcement later. • BARK Monitors should remain calm and professional at all times. Many guests will thank the monitor for helping keep the park safe, while some guests use nasty names. Take it all in stride and know that you are contributing to the safety of the park users. • Avoid confrontation. Call Public Safety's non-emergency number(584-2611) when enforcement is necessary; but this should only be as a last resort. In most cases, it is best to write an incident report to share with other Park Monitors, so repeat violators can be identified and appropriate action determined. • BARK Monitors shall not use any physical contact or weapons of any kind when dealing with guests. TERMINATION OF SERVICE Although BARK Monitors are volunteers for the City, they are accountable for their own behavior and the responsibilities that they accept. A volunteer will be dismissed if his/her behavior is detrimental to the park, visitors, other volunteers, or if the volunteer does not meet the requirements of the program. BARK monitors may be terminated for any of the following reasons: • Failing to show up for times committed to. • Failing to observe the park rules. • Deliberately failing to observe volunteer program regulations and guidelines. Volunteers are free to resign at any time with proper notice. REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES • The Park and Recreation Commission has final authority on all Park Monitor Programs decisions. • Volunteers may be required to file incident reports with the City of Rohnert Park. • Volunteers shall report their volunteer hours monthly to the Program Coordinator • Volunteers shall attend BARK Monitor meetings as necessary. • BARK Monitors are the "first responders" to park problems. If monitors can not resolve a situation, ther are responsible for soliciting appropriate support from other monitors, program coordinator, and, in some cases, Public Safety. ENCOURAGING RULE COMPLIANCE (Rules listed at the back of handbook) • Dogs must be under the control of their handler at all times and must exhibit safe, normal play behavior. Monitors should ask handlers to remove dogs that do not meet this requirement. • Safety is the top priority. The rules of the dog park are in place to minimize conflicts and maximize safety. Rule violations that threaten the safety of other guests (canine and human) should take precedence in terms of the monitor's attention and action. • All park rules are important. BARK Monitors may not grant exceptions to a rule. Granting exceptions will cause confusion too other park guest and makes enforcement more difficult for other Monitors. • If there is a question about a rule's interpretation, the Monitor is the final authority. Guests can contact the Park and Recreation Department. to discuss the rule's interpretation or request that the Department intervene, but guests should comply with the BARK Monitor's request at the park. • Always emphasis education. (Eg.:. "I'm sorry, but since your puppy is under 4 months of age, it hasn't had all of it's vaccines to protect him from parvo, kennel cough, and distemper. Dog parks are like classrooms where lots of germs can spread. We want your puppy to be able to stay healthy and come back and play next month after his vaccines are completed.") DEALING WITH INCIDENTS Whether an incident involves a small fight between dogs or an irate Park guest, knowing how to deal with the situation is key to a calm resolution. • If the incident involves dogs, ask that everyone pull their dog to safety and separate any packs immediately. Should any dog (or person) appear injured, offer first aid supplies to injured party immediately, if needed. Do not personally treat the wound.. Ask all guests to stay nearby to fill out incident reports. If emergency medical treatment is necessary do not hesitate to call 911 in the case of a human medical emergency. • Immediately ask for detailed information from any participants or witnesses and document it in an incident report. This is vital in resolving most situations. • Determine if any rule was violated or a dog acted aggressively. Handle as needed. If the incident involves an irate guest, ask that they and their dog step away from any crowds to discuss the situation. If you consider this a major incident or receive a formal complaint from a guest, file a written incident report with detailed information about the guests, dogs, and situation. Ultimately, the dog owners at the dog parks use the facility at their own risk and may not have a claim against the owner of the other party, but we encourage handlers to "do the right thing" if their dog injures another. IMPORTANT! YOU MUST REPORT ANY DOG BITES TO HUMANS TO PUBLIC SAFETY IMMEDIATELY. IT'S THE LAW. DEALIING WITH VIOLATIONS The dog owner's failure to obey posted rules will result in unacceptable conditions and/or potential closing of Rohnert Park's Dog Parks. BARK Monitors' emphasis should be on education and assistance, but ultimately compliance to the rules is important. • Approach the guest in violation of the rule, identify yourself as a BARK Monitor, and determine if he/she is a first time guest or regular park user. Ask if they have read the rules. • Have a copy of the Park rules with you to offer for them to read and keep. Answer any questions. • Help the guest resolve any issues if possible. If this is not possible, ask that they resolve the issue before returning to the Park. • If the guest refuses to comply with the rule, explain that the rules are not --� voluntary, and are in place to help maintain everyone's safety. The Park is a public facility, and compliance with the rules is necessary to continue its safe operation for all. • Guests who continue to refuse compliance with the rules should be asked to leave. Identify yourself(again) as a BARK Monitor and inform the guest that if they continue to refuse to comply with the rule or fail to leave, an incident report will be filed with Public Safety (or called immediately if warranted). • If a monitor is unable to obtain cooperation, write an incident report and/or contact Public Safety's non-emergency number(585-2611), especially if the rule violation may cause immediate harm to other guests (Eg.:. An aggressive dog will not leave). If a serious safety issue is not involved, file areport with Parks and Recreation Department BARK Monitor Coordinator REPEAT VIOLATIONS Some guest simply refuse to follow the rules or common sense. Dealing with these guests requires a group effort, and often demands detailed documentation over several visits. • If a guest violates rules in a manner that seriously endangers other guests or dogs, call Public Safety for enforcement. It is important for your personal safety that you get assistance if a threatening situation arises. • Obtain as much documentation of violations as possible, sharing these �-. details with fellow BARK Monitors. Documentation is also our best "weapon" especially if Public Safety must eventually be involved. • When a guest has repeatedly violated the rules and refuses to follow your requests for compliance, you can discuss the situation with the BARK Monitor Coordinator and possibly work with Public Safety to resolve the situation. RECOGNIZING AND PREVENTING CANINE AGGRESSION Perhaps the most difficult part of the BARK Monitor's job is identifying aggression. Observe dog behavior closely. Learn the tell-tale signs of potentially aggressive dogs (Great classes are available through the Marin Humane Society). Is a dog simply playing rough or crossing the line? Is the growling dog just sending a warning to defend himself? Ultimately you many be asked to make a decision. "They are only playing" is often heard at dog parks. This is usually true, HOWEVER ... that rough play can quickly escalate into a fight or accidental injury. Rough play should be redirected just like you would with 2 ten year old boys throwing rocks. This is especially important when mismatched physical sizes are involved (Eg., Adolescent Lab is "just playing" with Little Yorkie). .-� "It's their instinct" & "It's natural" (aka — lack of training) are also heard often in defense of rude canine behavior at dog parks. Some dogs need to be taught and • owners reminded that some instinctive behaviors are not acceptable in dog parks, and when they share their lives with humans. Most aggressive dogs have "learned" that behavior, but it is also a natural behavior, necessary to keep social order in a pack. Proper socialization will teach a dog when not to act aggressively. Often owners will inadvertently teach dogs to be aggressive, by stopping "proper aggressive behavior" (aka reprimands and discipline) in which the dog learns to inhibit its aggression by being disciplined by another dog. Unfortunately, many dogs will come into the park without having learned proper dog behaviors. Which are the dogs most likely to show serious aggressive behavior? Eight out of ten will be males dogs. Of that 8, 6 will not be neutered. According to the Marin Humane Society, the breeds that are most likely to show extreme aggressive behaviors will be Pits, Rottweillers, Akitas, German Shepherds, Chows, Ridgebacks, and Husky's and their mixes. However, All breeds may show aggressive behaviors. Keep an eye on those little ankle biters! Most aggression seen at a dog park will start in one of two ways. The most common is when adolescents race towards other dogs straight on with the intention of playing. When they reach the other dog, they will often body slam them or run beside them. This is rude canine behavior but the teenager is just being a teenager. They don't mean anything other than "let's play". The older dog may defend itself by snapping or biting. This is not really an aggressive act, but defensive. If this happens, then the adolescents learn a powerful and important lesson... that other dogs can be dangerous and the adolescents may modify their future behavior by approaching strange dogs appropriately. Sometimes, however, behavior like this can escalate into a nasty fight if the youngster doesn't back down. The second most common scenario for canine aggression at a dog park is when a new dog, who is either too confident or too scared, is swarmed by several overly excited dogs who have been there for awhile. This is especially likely to be a flash point if the "greeters" are a loose pack of friends or family members. Everyone is overly excited and anxious and, in some cases, the dogs are feeling a little territorial. This is often called "threshold aggression". To avoid this scenario, BARK monitors should encourage owners to keep their dogs away from the gates. If possible, also try to educate guests about not opening the gates until dogs on both sides have calmed down. Tails should be horizontal to the ground, no jumping and barking etc.. A third common scenario seen at dog parks involves a very shy and fearful dog that is overwhelmed by the experience. This dog may try to scare others away by barking. If that doesn't work the shy dog may feel it needs to chase, lunge and probably bite. A monitor should also be aware two dogs wanting the same toy. This really becomes a problem when one dog tries to literally take the toy out of the other's mouth. If a monitor observes this starting to happen, he/she should encourage the owners to remove the toy before the problem escalates. MORE TIPS FOR REDUCING INCIDENTS • Absolutely no non-altered (spay/neutered) dogs are allowed in Rohnert Park dog Parks after the age of 6 months. Spaying or neutering is the most powerful defense against dog aggression. Seventy percent of dogs involved in attacks are not altered. Even when an unaltered dog is perfectly docile, it can easily become a target. • Any dog that bares its teeth, bites another dog with the intent to injure, or otherwise attempts to cause pain during play is considered aggressive. • Dogs that take on a stalking position with ears back glaring at other dogs are a threat. These dogs have a high prey drive instinct which often turns into aggression to others. • Dogs that come into the park with their tails held straight up, thinking they are --� "all that" and very confident, often are the ones that tend to challenge each other for dominance, which leads to fights. • Dogs that have their tails tucked under them, and don't want to make eye contact can be a problem. These dogs are nervous about being in the park and appear"unstable" to other dogs. They tend to be victims of bullies and will often bite out of fear. Encourage their handlers to keep them on the outer edges of the park until they are more comfortable. In this case, their tails will be held horizontal to the ground or just relaxed). Don't ever let them be chased by playful packs! • Pack chase behaviors' should be discouraged, especially if a small dog is being chased. This little bit of"fun" can quickly morph into an instinctive prey drive to kill. • When dogs show their teeth and nip in defense, this is not the same as aggression, but needs to be monitored carefully. Remove the threat if possible. • Mounting (humping) is NOT a sign of aggression and not specifically a reason to oust a dog from the park. However, constant mounting in unacceptable because it can cause injury or instigate a defensive response from the dog being mounted which can lead to a fight. • Dogs must be removed from the park at the first sign of unprovoked aggression. If the problem repeats, the dog should not return. • The quickest way to sort out problem dogs and guests is by dog license enforcement. All dogs must display a current dog license from the city (or county)where they reside. Many major problems dissipate when licensing is required. • Current licenses are accepted from any jurisdiction, but every dog must display a dog license. This is not the same as a rabies tags or ID tag, neither of which is an acceptable substitute for a license. • Monitors should ask guests to keep "play packs" to less than five. When a pack reaches five dogs or more, the dynamics often change for the worse. many dogs can be separated by simply walking through the pack a few times. • In general, a monitor should stop problems before they start. Redirect rough play, mounting, pack chasing. If a dog gets too excited, ask the handler to take the dog for a "time out". FACILITY ISSUES Maintenance of the dog parks in Rohnert Park is a team effort between park users, the Recreation Department, BARK Monitors, and the Public Works Department. • Insist that all park users to pickup after their dogs. • Report any facility issues (broken fences, sprinklers, fountains etc.) to the Recreation Department at 588-3456. PARK STORAGE: • BARK Monitors will be given a key or combination to the storage locker. Extra doggy bags &fliers will be available for restocking as needed. Basic first aid supplies will also be stored in this location. Please report the need for additional supplies to the Recreation Department at 588-3456. IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION NOTE: Cell phone 911 calls are routed through the Benicia Highway Patrol • Station. It is recommend calling 584-2611 for faster response. Public Safety (Non-Emergency#) 584-2611 Guy Miller(Recreation Services Manager) 588-3488 Bonnie Black (BARK Monitor Coordinator) 584-5452 Rohnert Park Animal Shelter 564-1582 Animal Licenses 6800 Hunter Dr 585-6725 (Also available at 49er Pet on Southwest Blvd. & the Animal Shelter) Animal Care Center of Sonoma County (24 Hr. Emergency care) 6470 Redwood Dr., RP 584-4343 Directions from Rohnert BARK: South on Roberts Lake Road. Right onto Golf Course. Left onto Commerce. Right onto Rohnert Park Expressway over 101. Left onto Redwood Hwy. Hospital is on the left near Sizzler. ROHNERT PARK DOG PARKS Rohnert BARK: North of Robert's Lake on 1010 Roberts Lake Rd. Field of Friends: Located behind the baseball field at Benicia Park @ 7469 Bernice (off of Burton Ave.). Shelter Park: Located at the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter , 301 Rogers Ln. Best Friends: Club members (only) meet at Golis Park at 8:30am DOG PARK REGULATIONS • All dogs 6 months and older must be spayed or neutered. Dogs with a known history of dangerous or aggressive behavior are prohibited. • Dogs should be leashed prior to entering and leaving the park, and unleashed immediately upon entering. • Dogs must be immediately removed from park at the first sign of aggression toward people or other dogs. • Dogs must be under voice control at all times. • Owners must clean up after their pets immediately. • Dogs must be licensed, current on vaccinations and wearing ID at all times. • Puppies under 4 months of age and sick dogs are prohibited. • A responsible person must remain with the dog at all times. An owner may not "drop-off' a dog to play. • Children must be closely supervised, which usually means within grabbing distance if needed. • Owners are limited to 2 dogs per person. • No food (dog or human) is allowed inside of park. This includes chew type toys, rawhide etc • Choke, pinch, shock and pronged collars must be removed. • No animals other than dogs are permitted in the park. • Smoking is prohibited. • Handlers must share contact information and vaccination records their dogs injures another dog or person. v1;NER7 PA Rt INTEROFFICE MEMO ` � From: Guy Miller, Recreation Services Manager* 9 t 6z To: Dan Schwarz, Assistant City Manager DEPARTMENT CC: Parks &Recreation Commission C41.1F010411' Date: December 30, 2006 Subject: Enforcement of Posted Park Rules Over the years it has been necessary to create various rules and regulations to control undesirable behavior in our parks and recreational facilities. These rules are typically posted at the parks and facilities and are specific to the type of facility. For example the tennis courts have signs posted that prohibit skateboarding and other non-tennis activities and our dog parks have various rules posted to control the behavior of dogs and their owners. In reviewing the Municipal Code it is apparent that the list of prohibited offenses in the parks is a short and outdated one. There are many rules that have been necessary to establish and post that are not specifically listed as violations of the code. This makes enforcement of these rules problematic. In researching the Municipal Codes of several other cities it seems that this issue is addressed in two ways. Method one is to list as many regulations as possible in the code and update the code as necessary. The second method is to have some sort of code language that gives authority to enforce any rules that are posted. In my opinion the second method is preferable because it would eliminate the need to constantly update the code as new rules are established. An example of this can be found in San Francisco's Municipal Code: SEC. 3.01. RULES OF PARK COMMISSION TO BE OBEYED. No person shall willfully disobey or violate any of the rules or regulations of the Recreation and Park Commission governing the use and enjoyment by the public of any park or of any building, structure, equipment, apparatus or appliance in any park, which rules or regulations, at the time, are posted in some conspicuous place in that area of the park or in or near the building, structure, equipment, apparatus or appliance to which the rule or regulation applies. I have similar examples from other cities that I can share. I believe that making this amendment to Rohnert Park's Municipal Code would help in the enforcement of the many rules that have been necessary to establish over the years to protect park patrons and property. This change may be timely because it would address the code change requested by the Parks &Recreation Commission concerning dogs to be spayed or neutered at our dog parks. This rule is already posted but unenforceable at this time. The above language would make any rule posted enforceable and eliminate the necessity of a separate change to the code. I would like to pursue this issue with the Parks & Recreation Commission at a future meeting. It might be necessary to have our legal department make recommendations before we sent it to the Commission. A vtiNERT PARK INTEROFFICE MEMO 62 From: Guy Miller, Recreation Services Manager ail ZREeRtATION* To: Parks&Recreation Commission DEPARTMENT Cc: Dan Schwarz, Assistant City Manager cALIFORh'0 Date: Dec. 6, 2006 Subject: Recreation Department Monthly Highlights ADMINISTRATION • The playground renovations are nearing completion. Caterpillar Park is complete and operational. Ladybug Park still needs some concrete work and the installation of some picnic tables. Sunrise Park needed extensive work done to renovate landscaping and walkways. All of the work is expected to be complete within the next few weeks. The new playgrounds are getting rave reviews from the neighbors. Several citizens have called to tell me how much the new equipment means to them and how the parks have been given back to the neighborhoods. The official dedication will take place on December 21 at Ladybug Park at 3:30 p.m. • The PROS Committee completed its final Stakeholder Interview. The next step is to organize community workshops. Once this is complete the data collected will be analyzed and the final recommendation will be created. • The new roof and weight equipment at the Callinan Sports & Fitness Center was dedicated. About a dozen dignitaries and members were in attendance. • A major soccer tournament was held the weekend of November 9-10. Several hundred players,many from out of town, spent the weekend playing on our fields. • Santa Rosa Junior College is now using the Community Center for regular classes. They offered a Sociology Class last semester and have several new classes offered for the spring session including History, Music, Psychology, and Sociology. The,revenue for the year is expected to be$5,300.This is a great partnership for the college, city and local students. Similar courses are also being offered at the Senior Center. YOUTH PROGRAMS • Youth Basketball Skills and Drills continued through October 24. Fourteen boys and girls, grades 1-5, enjoyed learning new skills and honing their talents in anticipation of our upcoming league play. We used one lowered basket to give the rookies the opportunity to be successful at sinking the basket. All players received a goodie bag and certificate on the last day of the program. CONTRACT CLASSES • We were happy to notify our contract instructors that they will receive a raise to 65% of class fees (from 60%)beginning January 1, 2007. We anticipate that the instructors will continue to provide quality programming for our community without having to raise their class fees. Page 1 of 3 "HONORING OUR VETERANS" EVENT • Our annual event was held on Friday,November 10 at the Community Center. The Boy Scouts put out flags around the entrance to the Community Center complex, plus provided a color guard at the beginning of the event. The Community Band again provided the"meat"of the program with their wonderful renditions of marches, military anthems and patriotic songs. Vice-Mayor Vicki Vidak-Martinez delivered the welcome address, and guest speaker Constance Newton, founder of Mothers of Military Servicemembers (M.O.M.S.) spoke on the importance of supporting our current troops as well as supporting our veterans. New this year was the addition of the Rohnert Park Chorale. After the ceremony concluded indoors, the audience was invited to attend a flag retirement ceremony conducted by the Girl Scouts. Refreshments were also served outdoors. There were approximately 150 people in the audience, and about 80 participants for this year's event. In addition to having Constance Newton speak, the community center was a drop-off point for items to be sent to our troops. M.O.M.S. provided shopping lists and a barrel, which were delivered on Monday,Nov. 6. By Monday, Nov. 13 the barrel was full and there were bags of items surrounding it. The items were collected by Ms. Newton for shipment to our troops overseas. ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIRE • Our 27th annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire was held on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24 -25. We had 42 vendors and approximately 500 shoppers over the two days. Though shopping attendance was down from previous years, the majority of vendors were quite happy with their total sales. As several vendors put it "everybody came to buy!"The Kids Crafts Table was popular with the children of shoppers and vendors, and our camp staff kept the kids busy and the parents informed of our upcoming camps. Total revenue for the Faire was $4,385.50. Of our total expenses of $2,731.44, $700 was for 4 new banners which should last us for at least 10 years. SENIOR PROGRAMS • Maxium Healthcare Services was the sponsor of our Flu Clinic. They provided over 150 injections for those on Medicare part B and contracted HMO members; for those folks the injections were FREE. For all others,the cost was$25.00 • An informational Seminar sponsored by California Mortgage Consultants,was held to discuss and inform seniors on the benefits of Reverse Mortgages. Profit...$150.00. • Our day trip was to Copia. We took three vans/twenty-four participants and four volunteers on this trip. Profit...$271.00. • The casino trip was to Shodakai. We had 34 passengers(8 were comps). Profit...$209.76 • We held our Document Party for our 2006 excursion on a Saturday afternoon.We handed out 50 packets for our trip to Puerto Vallarta. This was the time to ask questions,and give out the information on what to expect on our departure day. Following the Q&A session, was an afternoon of food,wine and great conversation. The party was hosted by Golden Gate Tours. • The 9th Annual Senior Variety Show was held on the 28th at the Performing Arts Theatre. The Theme of our show was"Celebrating America and its Music". We had 62 very talented performers in the show. We received rave reviews after the show from the members of our Page 2 of 3 audience. However, for the first time in 9 years we lost money. Our theatre costs were close to $1,800.00. That's quite a hole to be in before the curtain opens. And,the population we hope will support this event are on fixed incomes. There are other factors I could mention, but bottom line we need to regroup and rethink our show. Loss...$143.96 • We held three seminars this month, 1. Mobility Masters, information on what medical equipment is available from canes to scooter,2. "I Did It My Way"Workshop, designed to assist seniors in completing an Emergency Record Guide and Advanced Directives, 3.Dental Implants,the latest Advances in Dentistry. • Bingo and Hot Dogs was the theme on Friday the 20th. Profit...$290.58 • Our casino trip was to Shodakai Indian Casino.We had 29 passengers(5 were comps). Profit...$168.52. November is the last trip to an Indian Casino for the year. Our final report for the season was,485 participants and a profit of... $2,882.80. • Martha's Day trip took 4 seniors to the Marin Civic Center. Unfortunately,there wasn't a great response to this trip,but the ones that went really wanted to go and enjoyed the day. Profit...$7.00. • Our trip to the All-Inclusive Resort the RIU Jalisco in Puerto Vallarta began on Wednesday,November 1, 2006. I escorted 49 folks to Mexico,leaving the Senior Center at 7:30 a.m. and arriving in Mexico at 4:30 p.m. (Their time). The resort was fabulous,the food and entertainment was great,and the beach was beautiful! I would not hesitate to take a group back to RIU;the whole group enjoyed the experience.We returned on Wednesday, November 8,full of stories and happy memories of our trip! I had a wonderful group, and I hope they will travel with us again. Profit...$3,810.00. CALLINAN SPORTS & FITNESS CENTER • Traditionally November/December are our slower months. We started our membership specials on November 1 and hopefully many more people will join us in January. After a few weeks of adjusting to the new weight equipment and layout of the workout areas, our members absolutely love our renovated weight rooms. The Free Weight Room is a hit with the younger male crowd. Initially we thought that the room was too crowded with equipment,but so far we have not had any negative comments. The new plasma TV was also well worth the investment. In the beginning many older folks said that they missed the old Nautilus equipment. After we set up group training sessions and encouraged our older clientele to take advantage of this free training, everyone has settled in just fine. We get many comments that people really appreciate the new stuff and love the look of the Cardio Room. • CYO Basketball,RCHS Basketball and Apache Soccer are now in full swing at the Sports Center. CYO and Apache Soccer also use the Mt. Shadows Middle School Gymnasium. So far everything has been running smoothly with few staff problems. Page 3 of 3