nature – RWCParks BLOG

A Camp A Day – Day Three: Kids Camp Preview Nights!

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It’s Day Three of our A Camp-A-Day Series and today we want to highlight our three “Kids Night Out” events in May!

Parents! Take a break on a Friday evening while your kids experience a preview of some of our long-standing and well-loved summer recreation camps! It’s a great way to for your child to “test-drive” our programs before summer (and plus, you get a few hours to yourself for whatever you need to do!) It’s a Win-Win!

STULSAFT -S’MORES & MORE!
Ages 5-12
Friday, May 2, 2014
6:00-8:30pm
At Stulsaft Park (drop off and pick up is on Recreation Way)
$20- Click to Register
This is a one night opportunity for kids to participate in a sneak peek of our summer Day Camps we offer at Stulsaft Park. We will have a campfire and roast s’mores, sing some of our favorite camp songs, go on a nature hike and make a cool camp craft.

HIGH FIVE-SILLY SCIENCE
Ages 4-6
Friday, May 16, 2014
5:00-7:30pm
at Red Morton Community Center
$20- Click to Register
This is a one night opportunity for kids to participate in a sneak peek of our High-Five Camp we offer during the summer. This night the kids will participate in silly science fun. Pizza and drinks will be provided. Parents go out for a night while we have a BLAST entertaining your young scientists!

CAMP WHATCHAMACALLIT NIGHT OUT!
K-5th Grade
Friday, May 30, 2014
6:00-9:00pm
At Sandpiper Community Center
$20- Click to Register
Summer is almost here, so let’s start the fun early with a sneak peek of what we have in store for you at Camp Whatchamacallit! Join us for an evening of all things camp! We’ll compete in fun challenges, create awesome crafts, get our glow sticks out for some outdoor fun, and end the night with some scrumptious s’mores! Dinner and drinks included.

The best part is, you can register for these right now!

See you tomorrow!

You May Know Them as “T-Bird” & “Butterfly”

If your child has come home from the woods speaking of the elusive Blue Monkeys and singing “YOU CAN’T RIDE IN MY LITTLE RED WAGON” in the back of your car at level 10, then we are certain you know these two lively Camp Directors. They have both been a part of our Redwood City Team for over a decade and probably love their jobs even more today than they did the day they started. Every year, they DEMAND that they return to “Day Camp” at Stulsaft, as they feel like it is their OWN chance to go to camp every summer – not to mention, they LOVE seeing the campers who return year after year.

The relationships they have cultivated with the kids and the parents are a huge draw to why they return each Summer. The camaraderie and consistency of our staff, is what we believe, to be one the major perks of our program. The kids look forward to coming back to camp each summer not only because it’s FUN, but they are also eager to see our staff. There is a comfort in knowing the routine and seeing familiar faces- for parents and children alike! So who are T-Bird and Butterfly? Why of course, they are Telisha and Jake!

Meet Telisha and Jake! Q & A

Telisha Brent
Camp Nick Name: T-bird/Grandmother Stulsaft
Co-Director of Tiny Timbers, Explorers, and Mountaineers @ Stulsaft Park

How long have you been working for the City? Current Job?
I’ve been working for the City since 1999, yes 1999! I am currently the Director of the Sandpiper Youth Club after school program in Redwood Shores!
How many years have you worked at Day Camp?
I’ve worked at Day Camp since the summer of 2000. I’ve been the Director since 2006. It’s pretty awesome because I actually went to the camp when I was a kid. Looks like I’m never leaving Stulsaft Park!
What do you love best about working at Day Camp?
There are a ton of things I love about day camp, but if I had to pick just one, it would have to be being outside all the time hiking and literally having fun in the sun!
Your favorite Camp Memory from Day Camp?
I probably have a million “favorite camp memories” but if I had to narrow it down, one that always makes me laugh was during one of our overnighters. During one of our nighttime leader scavenger hunts (where the leaders hide and the children find them for points) I decided to make it my mission NOT to be found. I found the perfect hiding spot HIGH in a tree over the camp site. Not only was I the first leader to be found, after my disappointment, I wasn’t able to get out of the tree. About 45 minutes later and a truck and assistance from several staff members, I made it down safely. Needless to say, that was the last time I hid in a tree.
Favorite Camp Song? Little Red Wagon
Fun Fact: I am a member of the Justin Bieber fan club. Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m a BELIEBER.
College degree: B.A. in English
Extra Credit: Did you grow up in Redwood City?
My dad was in the Coast Guard when I was younger so we traveled a lot, but Redwood City was always home base. I went to Roy Cloud and Kennedy for a couple years, great memories at both schools 🙂

jake1 — Jake, testing the creek water temperature for the kids.

Jacob Hodgdon
Camp Nick Name: Butterfly (it’s a long story, but let’s just say that I did not come up with it)
Co-Director of Tiny Timbers, Explorers, and Mountaineers @ Stulsaft Park

How long have you been working for the City? Current Job?
I have been working for the City for 12 years. I am currently an Administrative Specialist working on various special projects (read Jack-of-all-Trades)
How many years have you worked at Day Camp?
This will be my 8^th summer co-running the Day Camp up at Stulsaft Park.
What do you love best about working at Day Camp?
What don’t I love best about working at Day Camp? (The best summer camp ever, by the way.) It’s the camp I went to in the summer when I was a kid and it’s the camp I always wanted to work at. It’s outdoors, in nature, we make crafts, go for hikes, sing songs, put on skits, play in the creek, get dirty – What could be better?
Your favorite Camp Memory from Day Camp?
It is honestly very hard for me to pick out one memory as my favorite. One that definitely stands out though, was my first Challenge Day as a leader, when I was more excited for all of the competitions than any of the campers in my group (spoiler alert: we lost). In fact, my biggest regret about Day Camp is that I still have never won the Challenge Day Cup.
Favorite Camp Song?
Easy – An Austrian went Yodeling – Best camp song ever! (Your Mama Don’t Wear No Socks is a close 2^nd though.)
Fun Fact:
I taught myself how to play the guitar and the drums, and I am currently learning the mandolin.
College degree:
Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from San Jose State University *cough – Magna Cum Laude – cough*
Extra Credit: Did you grow up in Redwood City?
Born and raised in RWC. I have been a proud Henry Ford Mustang, Kennedy Cougar, and Woodside Wildcat. I even went to preschool at Red Morton. I can’t think of a better place to grow up.

For more information about our Nature Camps at Stulsaft Park, Visit us at RedwoodCityCamps.org! There is still space!

How Does Your Garden Grow? ASK A PRO!

Welcome to our first installment of our gardening advice blog! Our Landscape Pros will be doing their best to demystify dirt, revive your roses and green-up your grass in our new blog series! Of course, we cannot guarantee your results, but hopefully we can put you on the right track and turn your thumb from black to green.

Q: Can Avocado trees be raised in containers? – Angel G.

A: Growing any type of fruit tree in a container is tough. The operative word here is “tree.” Trees generally need more root space than most containers can give them, but it can be done! I wouldn’t use a container smaller than a ½ wine barrel- a container with at least 2.5 ft width by about the same depth.

Choose a dwarf-type tree. If a fruit tree is to be kept in a container longer than a few years, it is usually only successful using a dwarf variety. ‘Wurst’ (also called ‘Little Cado’) is a dwarf variety and is sometimes recommended for container planting. This avocado is a hybrid type (a cross between Mexican and Guatemalan varieties) and it is not tolerant of temperatures below 30F. The one advantage to a container grown plant is that you do have the option to move the container to a protected place when the temperature plummets.

You could also consider a ‘Stewart’ avocado for this climate. It is not a dwarf, but it is a smaller, compact tree and tolerates colder temperatures better than the ‘Wurst’. I can speak from personal experience to the success of keeping a ‘Stewart’ in a container for a few years before it required root-pruning and re-potting.

Quick Facts

Avocados like a planting medium similar to citrus. Make sure that it is slightly acidic and drains well.
Don’t expose your young tree to intense sun during the summer.
Avocados are very sensitive to salts accumulating in the planting medium, so be sure to flush the salts from the pot periodically.
Do NOT over-fertilize avocados –especially when planted in containers. Watch for leaf burn, both from intense sun and over fertilization.
Mulch the surface of the pot to keep the shallow roots cool, while allowing air circulation.
Don’t expect fruit too soon after planting! It can take 5 years or more before your tree may bear fruit.

Do you have a question? Email us at recnews@redwoodcity.org , Tweet to @rwcparksandrec or comment on Facebook.

Get Moving! It’s National Walking Day!

We had 25 people – including some of our City Staff, members from our Senior Walking Club, Parents, Children, and one dog (Awww), show up to walk with us today to commemorate the American Heart Association‘s National Walking Day! This crew was lead by our fitness enthusiast Intern, Jennifer Schultz, on a stroll through our lovely Red Morton Park! Thank you to those who came out to make their commitment to health with us on this somewhat brisk and foggy Bay Area morning!

You too can improve your health, wellness and reduce risk factors by walking just 30 minutes a day! Walking is probably the easiest physical activity to achieve, and can be a great way to socialize (face-to-face!). You don’t need expensive equipment, you don’t have to pay for a membership, and you can just step out the front door and get started! No excuses!

Our nation is becoming more sedentary by the minute. We are spending more time at work than ever before, as well as many of us are glued to our electronic devices (guilty!). The American Heart Association states that these increased levels of inactivity can double our risk of heart disease!

Here are some of the consequences per the American He art Association: [1]

More of us are overweight.
Adult (and childhood) obesity/overweight level continues to increase: 65% of all Adults are obese or overweight.
It is more difficult today to create an active lifestyle.
People are less active due to technology and better mass transportation; Sedentary jobs have increased 83% since 1950; Physically active jobs now make up only about 25% of our workforce. That is 50% less than 1950.
Our average work week is longer. Americans work 47 hours a week – 164 more hours a year than 20 years ago.
Extra weight costs us physically and financially.
Obesity costs American companies $225.8B per year in health-related productivity losses.
The average healthcare cost exceeds $3,000 per person annually. An obese employee costs employer additional $460 to $2,500 in medical costs and sick days per year.

As you age, your body is slowly wearing down, and without physical activity, this process is accelerated. Did you know that for each hour you exercise, you can gain about 2 hours of additional life expectancy? [2] Sounds like a good deal to us! Also, exercise greatly improves your quality of life, positively effecting: circulation, weight, blood pressure, mental health, self-image, strength, bone loss, heart disease, you name it! The benefits are endless. Do you need more reasons? Click here.

Lastly, we have so many ways for you to get moving in Redwood City! We have Fitness Classes, a Drop-In Fitness Center, and Open Gym times to name a few. In addition, here is a list of parks with trails in our immediate area that will help you to ignite your walking addiction!

6. Redwood Shores – part of the Sand Francisco Bay Trail

Did we not list your favorite place? Where do you like to walk? Let us know in the comments!

1. American Heart Association: The Price of Inactivity
2. American Heart Association: Physical Activity Improves Your Quality of Life

Parks Make Life Better!

And now a message from our fearless leader…

DIRECTOR, CHRIS BETH! YAAAAAAY!

An extensive research study asked California citizens and public officials “Why are parks important to you?” The research, sponsored by the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS), a nonprofit, professional and public interest organization with more than 4,000 members, was used to develop the first-ever brand of the profession. “Parks Make Life Better!” is now being launched by CPRS members statewide, including the City of Redwood City.

Overwhelmingly, survey respondents value parks and recreation as an essential community service. Virtually every California household (98%) reported visiting a park during the past year. Forty-two percent visited a park at least several days a week; 26% visited at least once a week, and 68% visited at least monthly. Of these, 55% go with spouse or partner, 53% with kids, 48% with family, 46% with a friend. Only 5% of the users indicated they go alone.

CPRS used the research findings to develop the first-ever brand promise and brand identity for parks and recreation. The brand promise incorporates the benefits Californians reported as most important; the many ways parks and recreation make their lives and communities better. Specifically, parks and recreation make life better now and in the future by providing:

Access to the serenity and inspiration of nature
Outdoor space to play and exercise
Facilities for self-directed and organized recreation
Positive alternatives for youth which help lower crime and mischief
Activities that facilitate social connections, human development, therapy, the arts and lifelong learning

In short, parks and recreation services make Californians’ lives better.

How does parks and recreation make your life better?

	PLAY Safe, outdoor space For us, the biggest benefit is a safe, outdoor play space for our kids today…and as they grow.
	NATURE Beauty and serenity Being in nature makes one feel alive. We’re very fortunate to have beautiful spaces so close to home.
	EXERCISE Healthy movement Parks are made for moving at your own pace. And, recreation programs make it easy to stay healthy.
	POSITIVE SPACES Free-time fun Neighborhood parks are an escape, a place to run around and play.
	GATHERING PLACES Socializing and learning Parks are like holidays, bringing us together to share good times. They are the common ground that connects us all.
	FOREVER Valued today and always Parks enrich our lives. They add value to our homes and neighborhoods. Individually and as a community, we’ll always have that need.
Come out and enjoy any one of Redwood City’s 30 parks and hundreds of recreation programs and services that are offered by our Department. Please go to www.redwoodcity.org/parks for more information. PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER!