Students are going back to school and that means that the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation Department is getting ready for another year of fun activities beginning September 9. There are a wide variety of programs being offered to choose from. Community members have asked Parks and Rec to provide educational, cultural, and enrichment activities and programming for all ages and these offerings fit that need. Some of the programs include gentle yoga, monthly luncheons for seniors, photography and computer classes, craft classes, ceramic painting classes, drawing classes for elementary students interested in art, and more physical offerings such as men’s open basketball, co-ed volleyball, zumba and cardio dance fitness classes. And that’s still not all!

The addition of programs for children, like the drawing classes for elementary students, are great additions for children that have interests other than sports. The drawing class works with a national program called “Young Rembrandts.” They use certified teachers to come in and work with the students to develop their skills.  This class will help the youngster who loves art classes take their creativity to a new level.

Please check out these an other programs by logging onto the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation website at www.csaparksandrec.com. It has a fresh, new design and is being updated frequently with information. You can register for these programs online, through the mail, or in person at the Cedar Spring Public Schools district office (a.k.a Hilltop building) at 204 E. Muskegon. The parks and recreation office is located on the 3rd floor. For other information or questions, please feel free to call the office Monday-Wednesay from 8:30am-3:00pm at 696-7320 or email the director anytime at director@csaparksandrec.com.

The annual Daddy daughter dance put on by Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation is such a hit that all tickets were sold out by the Friday morning before the dance. “Two hundred tickets were sold to 455 people,” said Parks and Rec Executive Director Amanda Gerhardt.

The dance was held last Saturday, February 2, at Cedar Springs Middle School.

Besides dancing, Gerhardt said they drank punch, ate mini éclairs, petit fours, cookies and candy. Each family had a picture taken and girls were able to make key chains at a craft table with their dads. They could also buy teddy bears from  Noah’s Animal Workshop.

“We had a great time and look forward to another fun year as we celebrate the 10th annual on Feb 1, 2014,” commented Gerhardt.

For more pictures see the Cedar Springs Area Parks & Recreation facebook page.

Anthony Brew throws the first pitch.

Boys cheering for the Whitecaps at the Mother-son outing.

Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation had almost 30 people attend their first mother-son Whitecaps outing, on Friday, May 11.

They had an all you can eat barbecue of hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, chips, potato salad, cookies and pop before the game on the 3rd base deck.

To start the game, Anthony Brew, age 11, threw out the first pitch.

As the game progressed the boys cheered the Whitecaps on to a victory, as the moms watched with delight.

Colton and Chase Moore took part in the “SCORE WARS” game on the field where they made baskets. At the end of the 6th inning, Amber and Drake Hath played in the “Human Sandwich” game, but lost to another Cedar Springs youngster, Hayden Morris.

“We all had a great time and plan to go again next year!” remarked Parks and Rec Director Amanda Gerhardt.

Mark your calendars now for Mingle with Kris Kringle—the  annual holiday tree lighting ceremony in Cedar Springs, where families gather to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season!
The event will be held on Friday, December 2, at the corner of Main and Ash Street in Cedar Springs. This year, the event is being organized by Cedar Springs Area Parks and Rec Director Amanda Gerhardt, and Pastor Craig Owens, pastor at Calvary Assembly of God.
There will be a living nativity beginning at 5 p.m. with actors and animals. They will be joined by actors from the upcoming play “A Christmas Carol,” who will sing Christmas carols. The tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. when Santa arrives. Afterwards, children may stay and pet the animals as they wait for their turn to see Santa. Activities may also be set up in the United Methodist Church to keep little ones busy.
The details are still coming in, so watch next week’s Post for the final details!

There’s a nip in the air, the Christmas decorations line Main Street, and a beautiful Christmas tree sits on the vacant lot at Main and Ash Streets. It can mean only one thing—the annual Christmas tree lighting in Cedar Springs is not far away!
The Grindles kindly donated this year’s tree in memory of Gerald James Grindle (Curly), who lived from 1962 to March 2011. We hope they get enjoyment from the faces of all the residents, old and young, who attend the annual Christmas tree lighting on December 2!
The event is led this year by Cedar Springs Area Parks and Rec Director Amanda Gerhardt, Pastor Craig Owens, pastor at Calvary Assembly of God. There will be a living nativity beginning at 5 p.m. with actors and animals. They will be joined by actors from the upcoming play “A Christmas Carol,” who will sing Christmas carols. The tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. when Santa arrives.
The details are still coming in, so watch next week’s Post for details on what else might be happening that evening!

The time of year is here for school to start early release days at to enable our teachers to have professional development—and that means that Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation is offering Fantastic Fridays again! This is an after school program on the 11 early release school days for children in grades 1st-5th.  Some parents may not be able to pick up their child or they may need additional options for having their child monitored for the extra period of time.
The program was developed to fill those needs and goes well beyond just a daycare program to being one that includes educational activities.  Each Friday will have a different theme, where the participants will have lessons prepared by a certified teacher and will also get to have interaction with guest speakers and activities. These Fridays will be filled with team-building activities, healthy snacks, educational material and lessons, and craft projects for the child.
On the 11 Fridays, the students will be escorted to Red Hawk Elementary and arrive by 2 p.m., and they will be actively engaged in the program until 5:30 p.m. Students will need to be picked up and signed out by that time.  The program is available for all eleven Fridays or on a pay as you go situation for each individual date. Families that qualify for free or reduced school lunches will be eligible to receive a full or partial scholarship by contacting the department and filling out an application, which is located on the 3rd floor of the C.S. Public Schools District Office (aka-Hilltop Building).
The program also gives high school students a chance to volunteer and assist with escorting students, leading activities and so much more. They can volunteer by contacting the high school volunteer coordinator or contacting the department at 696-7320 or emailing the director at director@csaparksandrec.com.

Students are going back to school and that means that the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation Department is getting ready for another year of fun activities for you as well.  There are now a wider variety of programs being offered to choose from. Community members have asked us to provide educational, cultural, and enrichment activities and programming for all ages and these new offerings fit that need. Some of the programs include our first bus trip, monthly luncheons for seniors, Virtual Travel Adventures, music classes for mom or caregiver and young child, drawing classes for elementary students interested in art, and dancing classes in the forms of ballroom and line dancing.

The first bus trip will take place on Monday, September 26 and will be a unique guided tour of many exhibits associated with Art Prize. This tour is offered in conjunction with Countryside Tours and you will take a trolley from Cedar Springs down to Grand Rapids and around the exhibits. Activities included in the day include admission into the Grand Rapids Art Museum before it is open to the public, a tour of Heritage Hill, admission to the Frederick Meijer Gardens and a tram ride, a nice catered lunch, souvenirs, and a guide to name a few. Registrations are underway.

The addition of programs for children, like the drawing classes for elementary students and music for early childhood, are great additions for children that have interests other than sports.  The early childhood music class will take place at the Cedar Springs United Methodist Church and be instructed by a certified elementary music teacher, Renee Vande Wege. She is a former teacher from CS Public Schools and has young children of her own. She will bring a high level of energy, a beautiful singing voice and a nurturing presence to the children and their caregiver. It is something you do not want to miss out on! The drawing class works with a national program called “Young Rembrandts.” They use certified teachers to come in and work with the students to develop their skills.  This class will help the youngster who loves art classes take their creativity to a new level.

If you love watching the dancing shows on television, than you should get registered for one of the classes offered this fall. We are offering you opportunities in both ballroom dancing styles and line dancing. These two classes bring some of the more current styles to you so that you can be out on the dance floor at an upcoming social gathering and people will watch you with amazement.

These are just some of the offerings and we are working on offering more, including a bus trip to an outlet mall before the holidays. Please check out these an other programs by logging onto the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation website at www.csaparksandrec.com. It has been recently redesigned and is being updated frequently with information. You can register for these programs in person at the Cedar Spring Public Schools district office (a.k.a Hilltop building) at 204 E. Muskegon. The parks and recreation office is located on the 3rd floor. For other information or questions, please feel free to call the office Monday-Wednesay from 8:30am-3:00pm at 696-7320 or email the director anytime at director@csaparksandrec.com.

Summer camp registrations also open

Are you interested in getting in shape before the summer? There are some Cedar Springs Area Parks and Rec programs starting April 25 that can help you accomplish that goal. There are offerings for all ages and abilities, including a new program of  Line Dancing. Monday nights have youth tumbling for ages 3-8, kickboxing, yoga with an instructor with over 200 hours of certification, and open basketball for men. Tuesdays have an Intro to Ballroom Dancing class that is for couples or singles, Tae Kwon Do for children and adults, and open volleyball for adults. Take a new line dancing class on Thursdays or try out the popular programs of Body Bootcamp and ZUMBA.These programs will keep you moving and motivated, plus teach you some great skills. Registration forms for these programs can be found online at www.csaparksandrec.com , at the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation office at the Cedar Springs Public Schools district office during the daytime, or at the Cedar Springs Middle School on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdsay evening from 6-9pm.
A variety of other activities will be available this summer as well. The Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation Department teamed up with the Cedar Springs Public Schools athletic department to offer a wide array of sport camps including basketball, tennis, track, and volleyball. The age range for each camp may be different, but most are avaialbe to those in 3rd-12th grades.  The camp registration forms can be found online and at the Cedar Springs Public Schools district office. The pre-registration deadline for most camps is June 1, so don’t wait and miss out on a chance to work with great coaches,improve your skills, and have some fun this summer.
There are more activities on tap, so see the ad below or contact Parks and Rec at 696-7320 for more info.

Are you making a New Year’s resolution to get fit and healthy in 2011? Then Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation can help! They are kicking off their new winter schedule with a free demonstration night on January 4 at 6:30 p.m., and with programs for all fitness levels beginning January 10.
On the free demo night you can try out some of the hottest trends in fitness—kickboxing, body bootcamp, yoga and Zumba! Kickboxing helps you punch away trouble areas as you burn calories with short but high intensity drills; body bootcamp combines the kickboxing with sculpting and abdominal exercises and is suitable for all fitness levels; yoga helps build flexibility and reduce stress; and Zumba helps you get a workout while dancing.
You can also see a demonstration of two new programs on January 4—intro to ballroom dancing and cake decorating basics. People who sign up for ballroom dancing will learn the Foxtrot, the East Coast Swing, and the Rumba. No partner is necessary. With cake decorating participants will learn how to create icing flowers, ribbon roses, rosettes, and more.
Other classes being offered this winter session include Tae Kwon Do, Men’s open basketball, and co-ed open volleyball. Youth volleyball begins Feb. 2, and a 12-week program called “Springs runs the river” will start Feb. 9 to get everyone ready to participate in the Fifth Third River Bank run later in the spring.
For more information on what’s being offered and to download a registration form, visit www.csaparksandrec.com or call 696-7320.