9031-R3_CC_Hollis_2023-2024_AnnualReport_Web

Parks & Recreation Department Annual Report July 2023 – June 2024

Our Parks & Recreation staff includes: Recreation Director – Debbie Tefft Recreation Assistant Director – Amy Paul Administrative Assistant – Dawn Lundeen

The Hollis Parks and Recreation Department continues to proudly serve our community with a wide range of recreational opportunities for residents of all ages. Our department is staffed by Recreation Director Debbie Tefft, Recreation Assistant Director Amy Paul, and Administrative Assistant Dawn Lundeen. We are also incredibly grateful to the many volunteers who generously contribute their time and talents to support our programs. Your involvement plays a vital role in creating the positive, welcoming environment that defines our offerings. Our seven-week Summer Recreation Program serves children entering Kindergarten through tenth grade and remains one of our most popular offerings. The program includes weekly trips to Splashtown, Kiwanis Beach, local state parks, and Spring Point. We design theme based days filled with scavenger hunts, survivor games, and treasure hunts to keep kids engaged and active. To ease the financial burden for families, we offer flexible early payment plans. Parents are encouraged to contact the Recreation Office at (207) 929-5142 to arrange a payment schedule that works for them. Following the core summer program, we offer a limited Extended Rec week to support families in the transitional week before school begins. As the fall season begins, we launch our Youth Soccer League, which includes divisions for Pee Wee players (ages 3 and 4), Kindergarteners, and youth in grades 1 through 8. Practices are typically held during the week, with games played on Saturdays. The start of the school year also brings a variety of after-school programs. Children can participate in drawing, crafts, oil painting, indoor soccer, track and field, and floor hockey. Our Before and After Care Programs, led by Amy Paul and her dedicated team, continue to serve as a reliable and enriching option for families during the school year. A highlight of the aftercare program is the daily mile walk around the grounds. For every mile walked, an item of food is donated to the Hollis Food Pantry through the support of individual sponsors assigned to each child. The program culminates in an end-of-year celebration for both sponsors and children, with more than 4,000 items donated annually. This initiative fosters a strong sense of community service, and we are always welcoming new sponsors to join us in supporting this effort. Throughout the year, we offer adult bus trips in both the fall and spring, and we are always open to suggestions for new destinations. Our seasonal events remain well-loved by the community. In October, we host a Halloween party at the Hollis Gym featuring games and a costume contest for a small fee. We also organize a Halloween event at the Sports Complex with ghostly lights along the walking path, a Haunted Mile Walk, a bonfire with s’mores, and pumpkin carving—an evening full of excitement and spooky fun for all ages. Looking

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