Assignment 3

The goals of the Bourbonnais Park District are to help the community meet their leisure and recreation needs. It is also to educate the community and to help preserve the environment. They try to preserve open space for future generations. Their main goal is to be a premier park district with top notch programs. The park district is funded by local taxes and also money from the programs they run. They have a budget of about 1.2 million dollars. They receive about 500,000 dollars though taxes.

The Bourbonnais Park District serves many different types of groups and people. They mainly serve the community around the park district. They also tend to many schools from around their area. They have programs that are intended for all different ages. They have a whole section of their park that is dedicated to kids. What sets them apart from other park districts is that they have a wide variety of programs intended for all different types of people. They have over five hundred programs throughout the year.

One strength that they have as a leisure provider is that they have many programs to choose from. People can chose from sporting events to education programs and many more. This is strength because it allows people from all over the community to have a chance to do something they like and interact with the community. A weakness that they have is that they do not publicize what they do for the public very well. They don’t make the public aware of what programs they offer efficiently. The public would have to go and look on their website to find out what programs are going on. They could improve this by advertising in the local newspaper or radio stations. The Bourbonnais Park District does actively achieve its goals that they set out to do. It is one of the top park districts in Kankakee County and possible in the state of Illinois. They have an award winning children’s museum that is a main focal point for the community. They provide children to play and learn through recreation. A public agency is very important because it provides the community with the opportunity for anyone to come join in on the recreational opportunities. Similar to campus recreation, like the arc, all the students in the U of I community are able to use the facilities. Also similar to CRCE, which is a public recreation center, they both provide services for the community that is established around them. This in turn will bring people closer and bond as a community.

Public agency - park district, buckle10

The goal and objective of The Pavilion Behavioral Health System is to offer comprehensive care to youth, adults, and their families. The Pavilion offers distinct, highly structured inpatient and partial hospitalization programs for the treatment of alcohol, drug, and psychiatric problems. Therapeutic programming includes individual, group and family therapy, activity and recreational therapy, psycho educational groups and medical intervention. The Pavilion Foundation is a place where people can go to seek help and feel safe to express their problems and know that they will be kept confidential. The Pavilion has many resources available to many different types of residents that enable them to recover. The Pavilion Behavioral Health System is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc., one of the nation's leading hospital management companies.

As stated above the Pavilion offers care to youth, adults and their families. This includes people from the age of 4 and up. Typically the younger age group is involved in The Pavilion Foundation School, which is designed to meet the educational needs of the residents who have developmental problems and disabilities. The school is also one of the programs that sets it apart from the other rehabilitation centers. It widens its scope of treatment and allows it to help residents before they get older. Also, there is the new choice center for addictions recovery, which just started in March 2008. It offers immediate access to a full continuum of care including residential treatment, medical detoxification and stabilization of medical and psychiatric problems in an inpatient setting, day programming in a partial hospitalization format, dual diagnosis treatment and access to specialized outpatient services.

One strength of the Pavilion foundation is that the treatment team consists of physician specialists certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and counselors who are certified in chemical dependency treatment. This is strength because since the staff is certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, it adds credibility to their reputation. The residents need to be able to trust the staff because they are in very vulnerable positions and having a good relationship with a knowledgeable staff helps. Another strength is that the facility is in a quite residential setting so it ensures security and confidentiality. If the residents are not in an area where there is lots of temptation then it makes the recovery process easier. However, even though there are strengths there are also always weaknesses in everything too. In a facility like this there always has to be someone on call 24 hours a day, so this may limit the number of people interested in working there. I feel that the Pavilion does fulfill its goal because through its treatments and the trust worthy staff they are able to give the residents the resources they need to recover mentally and physically. A therapeutic recreation center may differ in some extra services it provides due to medical credibility, but the main point is it gives a community the recreational service necessary to strive. Just like campus recretion, the arc, and a public agency such as the Bourbonnais Township park district, it strives in providing the service that a community deserves. All these places have the same main focus in bettering the quality of life of people, and each achieves that with little variation.

Therapeutic recreation service, Haley Kottkamp, hkottka2

The goals and objectives of the Activities and Recreation Center are to provide an environment where free time can be utilized by taking part in an array of activities ranging from educational classes to birthday parties. There are many areas of recreation, and each section devotes the time and effort to better any person’s experience. The employees that work to provide the perfect environment for members receive the benefit of several employee service and recreation opportunities. To follow the goal of having a diverse set of options for recreation, the employees of the ARC are presented with opportunities such as a free intramural team, free group fitness pass, five free guest passes, free swim lessons, and two free skating session passes. The agency is funded by part of every student’s tuition that goes into paying for the ARC. These funds are collected from every student as a charge for using the facility yearly. A small part of the funding for the overall operation of the ARC is used to cover the expenses for giving out free recreation opportunities to the workers. The employees of the University of Illinois (professors), are offered a different benefit of having an automatic deduction from their paycheck of $29 a month if they are members. The monthly membership fees are partly how the agency is additionally funded in order to provide the services it does for the membership of the professors of U of I.

The individuals or groups that are served by this agency are the employees of the ARC and the employees of the University such as professors. In addition to the benefit of having a $29 automatic deduction from their paycheck for membership, professors are able to sponsor themselves as guests. This means they can just walk in and pay the $10 fee instead of having someone sign them in. Employee service like this just further makes it easier for an employee of the University to easily gain access to the facility at any point. The agency really delivers to the individuals it serves because it continues to follow its objective of creating a diverse and enjoyable number of options. That is one key factor that really sets this agency apart from others because it is flexible in offering so many benefits. The agency is able to attract its employees because of all the different fields of employment offered and the benefits that come with it for every single employee no matter the ranking. The ARC is able to attract the professors or other workers of the University because of how much it has to offer at a very affordable price for membership. Every individual, whether a university student just using the facility to work out or an employee, providing a variety of services, is able to find their right fit. By keeping the workers of the ARC positive and involved, an overall better attitude is created for all other agencies. For example, the campus recreation sector is able to run smoothly because of the well trained staff, and their willingness to create a great environment for others.

The strengths of the agency as a leisure service provider are its vastness of opportunities. There are so many employment opportunities ranging from facility supervisors to intramural activities. The ARC prides itself on employing a lot of diversity and experience levels so the employees can work together cohesively to provide this large range of activities for the all the users of the facility’s services. Leisure in my mind is having the ability and free time to take part in activities of your choice and ultimately disconnect from the stresses of the world. The ARC provides an outlet for people to do that because it gives them that time to themselves to participate in activities ranging from working out and attending educational classes, to going to the career fair or attending social events. The only weakness that I can see is the lack of employee service and recreation it offers specifically to the professors of the University in regards to accommodating their children while they are at work. I think it would be beneficial for the ARC to provide a service where hired employees can watch the professors’ children while they are teaching for an additional minor monthly fee. Overall, I believe the organization successfully fulfills its purpose of creating that perfect environment where everyone can find something to suit him/her. Since there are so many branches to campus recreation, different interests are noticed and everyone is accommodated. For example, my friend is an ice-skater, and she is able to work for campus recreation teaching little kids how to ice-skate. Working at the ice arena is just one of various branches offered by campus recreation in addition to all the services offered at the ARC. Also, there is a branch called Adventure Recreation, where students are able to go on field trips and do certain outdoor activities. Employee service and recreation in balance with campus recreation, commercial agencies, private and public agencies, help the leisure delivery system to work effectively, positively, and successfully.

Employee service and recreation, Elizabeth Kaydanovsky, kaydano1

CRCE was built about five years ago and opened in March of 2005. When building CRCE, there was thing in mind: create a better and healthier life for the everyday college student. Looking at CRCE now, it is clear that with new improvements that CRCE was built for other reasons. CRCE also allows students to learn while in a fun and comfortable environment. It also gives students a place to escape and relax or enjoy their free time. The mission statement is clearly stated on the homepage on their website: “Campus recreation cultivates positive lifelong learning through inclusive and valuable resources that empower our campus to achieve, develop leaders, and serve the global community at the highest level.” The best thing about this is that students can do this for free! All they have to do is swipe their icards when they go in, because everything was already paid for in the fees paid at the beginning of the year. Other people are welcome to join CRCE as long as they have sponsorship from a student of the university, and then they pay a yearly/semester/mid-semester/summer fund. Those connected to the University of Illinois like faculty, staff, retirees, etc. can also have memberships at CRCE for a rate.

The main people that CRCE serves are the students. With everything it has to offer, students can work out, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and also use the many rooms and areas as perfect study places. The next biggest group of people CRCE serves are those students who are employed by Campus Recreation, as well as the non-student employees. First of all they have the opportunity to have a job while at school, and second of all they have the opportunity to learn more about Recreation and what it has to offer to students, as well as a community as a whole. The ways that CRCE serves those people is by sharing with them all that it has to offer. For one thing, there is a three-court gym that can be used for either basketball or volleyball, as well as a Multi-Activity Court where one can play indoor soccer, inline hockey, basketball, badminton, volleyball, group fitness classes, and much more. They also have many multipurpose rooms used for, well, anything!

There are many things that make CRCE one of the greatest recreation places on campus. One of the coolest things that CRCE has is an indoor aquatic center that has a slide, hot tub, volcano fountain, waterfall, and a volleyball net. The aquatic center is a big thing at CRCE because it can be used all year round and it seems that the main focus of it is about having fun. The cardio and weight area, even though it may not have as many machines as the ARC, there are still many different ones to choose from. The main thing that may stop people from going to CRCE is the ARC. The size of the ARC and all that it has that CRCE doesn’t (like more courts, machines, and a rock climbing wall) attracts more people than CRCE on a daily basis. Even though there is that minor setback for CRCE, it has most definitely fulfilled its purpose. It has provided the students of the University of Illinois with a learning, growing, and safe environment. It helps students create a healthy lifestyle and maintain it, as well allows them to relax and have fun in their free time away from school and work.

Not only does the campus offer great facilities such as CRCE it also has the arc. The arc is an agency that believes there is a place for everyone. They want everyone to feel welcome there and everyone to be able to do anything they want to. This is a campus facility that believes in a healthy lifestyle. When the arc was remodeled recently, old alumnus and other private donors funded it. It was built with its students and faculty in mind. All the machines are top of the line and very high in technology. It also has an all glass roof so there is a lot of natural light. This agency is not just about recreation but it is so much more. It is comprised of 5 unites. These units are aquatics, event management, facility management, intramurals, personal training and wellness/group fitness. As we know, CRCE provides the almost the same opportunities as the ARC does because it a symbol of public health. As a public recreation center, CRCE gives back to its community just like the services provided at the ARC or eve a private membership gym like Refinery. As a public recreation center, it is readily available to U of I students with payment of their tuition, just like the ARC. However, CRCE provides similar services like that of the Refinery, even thought it requires private membership. When people want to be a part of something that betters their lifestyle, they can go to a public organization or a private one, but the service is meant to satisfy our definition of leisure.

Public recreation center, hayes18

The arc provides service to many people; students, facility, and other private members. During high points they can have up to 10,00 different people walk in through the doors each day of all the campus recreation facilities. Students at the university of Illinois are lucky to have such a nice facility. With everything being so modern and new there is even a place to listen/charge your mp3 player while working out. There are televisions all over the screens to watch while on the machines. Not to mention that all the machines are new and fully up-to-date.

I feel that the Arc has many more strengths then weakness as a main role in University of Illinois’ campus recreation. First one of the biggest strengths they have I believe is the equipment located in the facility. It makes any patron feel clean and in a different world. It allows them to escape and feel relaxed while in the Arc. I believe another strength that the arc has is in customer service. Anyone that has a problem or question while at any of the campus recreation sties at this campus the employees are always willing to help. They are friendly and want to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. A weakness that the arc has is they are not as good at promoting all the services that they have. It was not until I began researching this facility was I fully aware at everything they had to offer. I think that the Arc goes above and beyond its duty a campus recreation facility. Not only does it have a pool it goes further to have a sauna and steam room. There are many group classes that they offer for all their clients at a low price and they are truly concerned for all their members’ health.

Casey Taslitz, Campus Recreation-The Arc, Taslitz1

The University of Illinois' athletic department is a unique agency that differs from the other agencies represented in that it does not have customers. While the ARC looks to provide all the necessary equipment and services that the students could possibly need to work out and stay in shape, the athletic department looks after its members and participants, but in a different way. The department serves the student athletes who attend the university rather than people who are paying for a product or service. Although the athletes who have scholarships are technically "working" for the department, the department focuses on pleasing the athletes just as much as the athletes look to perform and please the department. It is a unique mutual relationship that allows for a special interaction and success among the many faculty, students, and volunteers involved. The department looks after their athletes as if they were their own children. The student athletes are provided with all the amenities and equipment that they could ever need to succeed. However, they do this hoping that it will bring out the best in the athletes and will help them shape their character and performance not only as an athlete at the university, but after college when the student embark on the real world.

Every year the athletic department receives a certain amount of money to spend on its athletes and equipment from sponsors, alumni, donations, students, and sometimes the government. The department has a specific amount of money that is to be distributed to the new recruits in the form of scholarships to participate in a varsity sport here at the university. Also, often times the program is paid by other universitys' programs when they two sides agree on the terms of a scheduled game or match. Aside from the student athletes, the department also looks to provide the best possible entertainment for the students. The student are a big part of the department's revenue.

This agency, like the others has both pros and cons. But the pros, in this case, definitely seem to outweigh the cons. Some of the cons may include the fact that many of the extreme benefits that the department offers for free, (sports apparel, transportation, food), are only available to the athletes and staff. Also, the department is so large that it can sometimes be harder to develop the tight-knit relationships and bonds with people than in a smaller agency of business. However, this is also a pro because it groups together a large amount of people with the same passion and same goal; to win championships. There is no greater bond between people than to be teammates on a sports team. That is why the department strives to build teamwork and other essential qualities that an athlete and team need to succeed on and off the field. Not to mention how entertaining and thrilling it is to see all the hard work and dedication the department and teams put in to pay off in a championship. The University of ILlinois Athletic Department is a great way to bring a community together to watch a special event. It is a different type of leisure than the rest because it deals with being a part of a great activity and bonding experience. Going to the gym can sometimes be more personal and private, but going to an event like a basketball game, brings a community together just like recreational team services at any gym. It is a great way to spend your time and perfectly falls into our definition of leisure.

Mike Goldberg, Fighting Illini Athletic Department, goldbe12

Private membership organization, The Refinery, Graham16
The goals of The Refinery Gym and Events is to offer an overall wellness center for thier clients. They dont want to just provide a place for people to excercise thier bodies, they want people to be able to excercise thier minds and spirit also. They try to achieve that goal by providing thier clients with a good, helpful and kind staff. And also by offering many different classes that apply to certain clients needs. The are funded by the money that they get from the memberships the clients purchase. Funding is never a problem for them because they are recognized as one of the best gyms in the area.
The Refinery serves many different type of people. The groups and individuals that are served by this agency usually live in the community and is anyone who wants to spend thier leisure time excercising thier body, mind and spirit. And also anyone who wants to go to a place where they can meet new people and socialize. Some of the key elements that set The Refinery apart from other gyms is that its just not a "gym", because it offers a variety of things that let its clients have well rounded leisure time. They offer things for the body, mind and soul, which include yoga classes, weight lifting and social events.
Some of the strengths of The Refinery are that it offers many different programs to choose from. Thier clients can choose to excercise thier bodies or thier minds. They can do this by using the large amount of weightlifting and cardio equipment The Refinery has or by taking one of its yoga or meditating classes. The Refinery is also a great place to socialize, clients can socialize while working out, getting a drink at the juice bar, or attending one of thier weekly social parties. One of the weaknesses of the agency is that some classes are only offered at certain times and alot of the class workouts are very structured. This is a weakness because people operateon many different schedules.The only way they can fix this is to maybe offer some personal trainers in the gym that are free to its members. That would maybe make it easier for people to begin doing thier own routines. The Refinery definately meets its goal. It was voted the best gym in the area for two years in a row.
Private membership organization, graham16

One of the major reasons people go to the YMCA is to participate in activities on the indoor, well kept basketball courts. There was always some activity going on in the gym, whether it be basketball, indoor hockey, indoor soccer, or a variety of random sports. The main thing I did on these courts was play pick-up basketball games with other local kids rather than play at worse courts outside with basketball hoops that were nowhere near as good. There was always high level of competition but it was well known that the games were all for fun so there was always a high level of respect for each other and the courts that you played on.

One of the best things about the YMCA is the after school programs they offer to children when there parents can not pick them up from school until later in the afternoon. YChildCare is a school age child care program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Administered by the YMCA, YChildCare provides children with safe, nuturing care in a healthy and caring environment after school. In addition, Another popular portion of the YMCA is the swimming pool. This has always been a staple of the YMCA and has attracted millions of people nationwide.

Nationally funded by local taxes and money from the programs they runs. The YMCA is the perfect place for a person to go to find the relaxation they need. Our idea of leisure is to have that ability to take time for yourself, and the YMCA contains an array of opportunity and activities that fit all different people of all ages. It is a center for family, bonding, enjoyment, competition, relaxation, and growth. It encompasses our true meaning of leisure, and as a recreation center is very successful.

community recreation center, Mike Montemayor

The Pavilion

When deciding to look into a therapeutic recreation service I had many choices. After researching around I found The Pavilion Behavioral Health System. It fulfilled many of the types within therapeutic recreation and that is what attracted me to it. It is a rehabilitation center for those with mental illnesses, as well as there is a school for those with developmental disabilities. The Pavilion offers distinct, highly structured inpatient and partial hospitalization programs for the treatment of alcohol, drug, and psychiatric problems.

The Pavilion Behavioral Health System, is located in Champaign, IL on 809 W. Church street. The Pavilion Behavioral Health System is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc., one of the nation's leading hospital management companies. According to their website, pavilionhospital.com, “the Pavilion offers comprehensive care to youth, adults, and their families. Located in a quiet residential setting, the Pavilion provides a unique environment ensuring security and confidentiality.” A patient arriving at The Pavilion receives a professional intake assessment, directed by a physician. After the patient's needs are assessed, a treatment plan is recommended. This is the reason that the pavilion exists; it is a place for people to get help with serious mental illnesses.

For the Pavilion, there are two different departments that you can be employed at. One is the actual behavioral center where the types of employment are psychiatric nurses, a recreational therapist, chemical dependency case managers, and the program coordinator. As well, they also have nutritionists, psychiatrists, and other medical psychiatric specialists that may be needed for specific treatment of patients. The treatment team consists of physician specialists certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and counselors who are certified in chemical dependency treatment.

The other option is if you were to be in the educational department. The Pavilion Foundation School is designed to meet the educational needs of the residents. In order for the school to run smoothly they have a certified special education teacher in every classroom as well, they have a demand for school social workers, behavior interventionists, adaptive physical education teacher and speech pathologists.

There are many new programs at the Pavilion and one of them is The New Choice Center for Addictions Recovery, which started in March 2008. It offers immediate access to a full continuum of care including residential treatment, medical detoxification and stabilization of medical and psychiatric problems in an inpatient setting, day programming in a partial hospitalization format, dual diagnosis treatment and access to specialized outpatient services. Those services include intensive outpatient services, individual counseling, family counseling and continuing care. They also are expanding their youth services inpatient program to serve up to 28 years of age. Currently it treats children and adolescents from ages 4-17. Another new expansion is happening in the geriatric services, which is now serving 14 patients.

Therapeutic programming includes individual, group and family therapy, activity and recreational therapy, psycho educational groups and medical intervention. The Pavilion Foundation is a place where people can go to seek help and feel safe to express their problems and know that they will be kept confidential. The Pavilion has many resources available to many different types of residents that enable them to recover. With the added recreation in their treatment processes, they feel that all of their programs are set up for people to have success.

Synopsis: I think that after looking into the therapeutic recreation service, I personally would not be able to work in this leisure delivery system. It takes people who are very patient and who are able to keep their emotions out of their work. I feel that many people that work in these fields can find themselves getting attached to their resident’s recovery stories because they want to help them and get caught up in the process. However, this can definitely be a pro for certain people, because they are able to keep their emotions out of the recovery process and are simply able to aid and treat without confliction. Also, I think that you have to be able to devote a lot of time to a career in this service because whether you work at the mental rehabilitation center or the school for children with disabilities, it takes a lot of time and effort and the days are long. As well the days are more exhausting than a regular school because these children require a lot more attention and guidance. I think the pavilion foundation fits perfectly into the leisure delivery system because in the rehabilitation center they have programs and activities that use recreation as a method of treatment. As well in the pavilion school, there are certain activities, for example modified gym exercises that allow the students to make recreation apart of their lives in a location where it is safe and controlled for their abilities. Overall, it is a very important part of the leisure delivery system. 

hkottka2

 

 

Campus Recreation at the Arc

The vision statement at the Arc is that there is a place for everyone at Campus Recreation and after interviewing Kathryn Sodetz and listening to Michael Danielson speak in class I truly believe that. It is comprised of 5 unites. These units are aquatics, event management, facility management, intramurals, personal training and wellness/group fitness. It was just recently redone and all the machines are top of the line and very high in technology. It also has an all glass roof so there is a lot of natural light. This makes the people using it feel like they are outside but they have perks of an indoor facility.

Students and facility at the University of Illinois mainly use the Arc. They get free membership and there are no fees that they have to pay to walk into and use the machines at the facilities. It is the largest freestanding facility in the nation. It promotes health and healthy living to the people that use it. It is not just simply a workout facility but it is so much more.

Another way that campus recreation gives back to the university is it is the 3^rd largest campus employer with 700 to 750 student employees. Students in many different majors work there. There are many different things you could do while being employed at the arc. You can be a lifeguard, a facility administrator, clean machines, swipe ides, be a referee for intramural games, a personal trainer or even teach swimming lessons. I interviewed Kathryn Sodetz; she is a sophomore that has been working at the arc for a little over a year. Currently she is a lifeguard but she is also interested in seeing what else the arc has to offer. Certain pros she thought of working there was that it is on campus and you can get involved with the university in different ways.

One fact she told me about campus recreation in general is that during high points they can have up to 10,00 different people walk in through the doors each day. The arc also wants to listen to what people on the campus have to say. When figuring out how to redo the Arc they had student fill out surveys and they questions of what they wanted. Therefore the new Arc is made from what students ask for. The employees are there for members if they ever need anything. There are managers always on duty as well if further assistance is needed. There hours are also a perk I came to realize as they open early and close late to fit many different schedules.

Kathryn believed that the one value the arc tries to offer to students and facility is the idea of health. They want everyone to be healthy in many aspects of their life. The employees noticed that students were very stressed, and when figuring out group classes they added yoga and meditation for this very reason. Also they wanted their members to enjoy working out so on many of their machines they have ipod adaptors and they have many different TV’s to watch while on the machines. Another way they promote healthy living is by having a healthy snack bar near the entrance/exist. They sell a bunch of healthy foods so after patron’s workout they can get a healthy meal.

Overall, I have come to realize just how big of a role the Arc plays in campus recreation. Without the new building the students at University of Illinois would still be using old equipment and would less physically fit and mentally healthy. If any of the students or facility on this campus has a problem with campus recreation I say with full confidence that the employees of the Arc would be there, to help you and in way that they could.

Casey Taslitz

Pictures from Google Images

The Refinery Gym and Events--- Champaign

The Refinery Gym and Events is a very unique place that offers a wide variety of things for its members. Located on 2302 West John Street in Champaign, it is thought of by many as the best gym in the area. Whether you are a member to lift weights, do cardio or take a group fitness class, or if you are just a member to participate in their weekly special events, you are sure to find what you need to suit you at the Refinery Gym and Events.

I have always been involved in working out and exercising, so I have been to many gyms I have to admit that the Refinery is very impressive in what they offer not only for your physical health, but also for your mental and emotional well being. They offer weight lifting, cardio equipment, yoga, dance and group fitness classes. They also offer daycare for the children, a full juice bar, tanning and huge fitness rooms that they use to hold parties for their members. It is really a five star place with an excellent staff

When I went and talked to one of the desk clerks named Claudia, she told me that their mission statement is “to provide and overall wellness center for our clients”. I asked her how they work to accomplish that goal and she said it’s easy, by offering friendly service, and not only giving their clients a place to spend their leisure time but helping them make it the most enjoyable. They do this by offering a great child care center so parents can work out with no worries and also by having weekly special events in their banquet rooms, such as the salsa party this week.

The Refinery offers many different employment opportunities. They offer lower level and part time jobs such as floor attendants, child day care workers, and desk clerks. Their full time positions include maintenance workers, sales staff, personal trainers, and event planners. Claudia told me that for some jobs you just need to be a good communicator and have good customer service skills. However other jobs such as the sales staff, personal trainers and event planners need to have a higher education in their field. Most of the time this means a college degree, but in some cases it is just an immense amount of experience.

The Refinery offers so many things for its members that it is hard to narrow down the most popular or current trend. However, when speaking to Claudia, she told me that the group fitness is getting really popular, even for the men. Group fitness offers a wide variety of exercising techniques for the group. One day may be an intense cycling and abs class, and then the next may be a body pump class which is a 55 minute workout that uses weight lifting exercises. The Refinery also offers a full juice bar that allows their members to get a refreshing, nutritious drink after their workout. The bar even has stools so the members can sit and socialize with each other.

The Refinery’s definition of leisure is “spending your free time doing what makes you feel good, mentally, physically, and emotionally”. Also, the main benefit the Refinery provides is a place for everyone to go and feel comfortable about working out and exercising, while also helping members meet new people by holding their weekly social events. I believe the Refinery is a great gym with a great staff and a great goal: to provide an overall wellness center, not just a gym.

Synopsis
After visiting the Refinery, I realized that it is much more than just a gym. It is also a daycare, a dance club, a bar and an overall activity center all wrapped up into one. I think the pros of a career at the Refinery are very good. You will be able to meet new people every day and help people reach their goals. Also the setting is great. Who wouldn’t want to wear sweatpants and a t-shirt to work every day? The only con of working in that agency is that there isn’t much chance for promotions. Finally I believe the Refinery fits into the leisure delivery system because it provides many opportunities for people to enjoy their free time the way they want to.

Fighting Illini

The Illinois Athletic Department is a major program here at the university that oversees the entire athletic body, including all of the varsity sports. The Fighting Illini athletic program is known as one of the most accomplished programs not only in the Big Ten, but also in the country. The program consists of 21 different varsity sports available for both men and women. Of these 21 sports, included are the major sports like basketball, baseball, and football for men, and volleyball, softball, and soccer for women.

The University of Illinois was established in 1867 and the first recorded national championship belonging to the university’s athletic program dates back to 1900. With a long history of tremendous success and achievements, the Fighting Illini athletic program continuously strives to maintain their outstanding character and reputation. To demonstrate the programs intentions, a mission statement exists to allow people to see what qualities power the department’s progression; “To have the highest quality athletic program in all sports that allows the University of Illinois teams to compete for championships in the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.”

At the forefront of the program lies the administration headed by the Director of Athletics, Ron Guenther, and Sr. Associate Athletic Director, Terry Cole. However, these positions would not be reasonable to obtain by a college student still attending the university, or even a young male or female newly graduated with a degree. Therefore, there are positions available for those who are not fortunate enough to be a student-athlete and play for the varsity teams. Team managers and equipment managers are a few examples of potential student jobs. Also, students can also work at the facilities as receptionists and as planners and organizers. If interested in these jobs, applications, emailing, or simply meeting with department staff can be a potential way to obtain a job in the program.

I was able to interview a friend who is one of the managers for the football team. When I asked him why he would want to work as a team manager, he responded, saying “People work as managers because they like the sport and they enjoy being around the sport each and every day. Also, it is a great way to network for the future and to meet new friends for the present.” This is very understandable because sports must be an enjoyment and a passion, not only for the managers, but also for anyone who works within the athletic department. Next, when I asked whether he considered working as a manager as leisure, work, or fun, he said “All of them. I view it as work because it’s my job and I get paid for it. But it is also leisure because I enjoy being with my friends and joking around with them at work. That being said, it’s impossible for it not to be fun. Once in a while we get to throw around and play catch.”

In recent years, the athletic program has begun focusing its efforts on the fans of the sports teams they are so used to concentrating their work on. New efforts have been made to accommodate the students who are true Illini fans. At football, basketball, and other sporting events, there are student sections for the students to come and pack the stands and cheer on their team. Also, the creation of the Orange Krush section at basketball games has allowed the die-hard Illini fans to be a part of a group of fellow student fans who share their passions. Not to mention that the department provides all the necessary resources for the athletic teams to win and become as successful as possible.

This particular agencies definition of leisure would most likely outline the topics of enjoyment and hobby. Although they may be working, the members of this department work in it because of the strong passion they have for the field they encounter every day. For someone who enjoys either watching or playing sports, working in that field would be a dream and a privilege. There is no single definition for leisure in this agency; however, they tend to focus their attention to making the viewing of the sports enjoyable for the fans and the playing of the sports enjoyable and successful for the athletes and staff.

Synopsis: Overall this experience was very enjoyable. I’m a fan of all sports and find them entertaining, as well as educating and influential. It was a pleasure to research one of the top athletic programs in the country. There are so many aspects of the program that can be considered elite that it is hard to come up wit cons. However, a potential con would be the enormity of the department. Since it is so large, some of the smaller programs and sports may be overshadowed by the larger sports like football and basketball. But yet, these sports still manage to thrive and succeed. For myself, sport is a major component of leisure in my life so this department could not have been more appropriate for me to research.

- Mike Goldberg, goldbe12

ARC - employee service and recreation

The Activities and Recreation Center is a public recreation center located at 201 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign. After renovation of the previous facility, the new construction added on 120,000 square feet and an upper level. This facility goes above and beyond with offering much more than just a workout facility. Many functions are held here ranging from birthday parties to business fairs. There is a very broad range of employment options and this truly is the reason the ARC has expanded its horizon.

What used to be known as the Intramural – Physical Education Building was shut down in 2005. After more than two years of construction, the Activities and Recreation Center was born. This is now one of the largest on-campus recreation centers in the nation being about 340,000 square feet big. There are aquatic facilities like an indoor and outdoor pool. In addition, the gym provides recreational facilities like gymnasiums with various numbers of basketball and volleyball court facilities. Lastly, there are strength and conditioning areas, racquetball and squash courts, jogging track, specialty areas, multi-purpose rooms and locker rooms to name a few more.

There is an abundant array of employment opportunities ranging from higher up positions like instructors to just managing the beauty and cleanliness of the facility. Some employment opportunities are can be found in the Adventure Recreation, Aquatics, Event Management, Facility Management, Group Fitness, Ice Arena, Intramural Activities, and Personal Trainers areas. If working for the branches of Adventure Recreation, Event Management, and Facility Management, there is a lot of supervising and staffing done to ensure smooth business to continue. If someone has experience and training, he/she may be interested in working in the Aquatics, Group Fitness, Intramural Activities and Personal Trainers branches. However, it is important to note that the employers at the ARC stress that advancement in positions can be achieved in any position in any branch. Raises and promotions are very attainable, and employees are encouraged to reach their full potential.

In terms of the employee service and recreation offered, there are various benefits that employees of the University receive. After speaking with a facility assistant, he explained that if a professor who works at the University is interested in the ARC’s facility, they have the option for a membership or to sponsor themselves as guests. The only benefit they receive for membership is getting charged $29 a month, but having it automatically being a payroll deduction from their University paycheck for a minimum of 6 months. As for sponsoring themselves as guests, they can just walk in and pay the $10 fee instead of having someone sign them in. As far as recreational programs go, they just receive the same benefits as any member of the facility.

For student employees of the ARC, there are more recreational options because they receive a free intramural team opportunity, free group fitness pass, five free guest passes, free swim lessons and two free skating session passes. The student employees are offered many more recreational opportunities because they are presented with all these free opportunities to participate in various activities that the ARC facilitates.

The agency’s definition of leisure is having the free time to come to the ARC and be presented with a variety of activities and opportunities. They give you the option of doing anything from taking education classes and workout classes, to business career fairs, to ultimate mind and body disconnection from the real world. Even though there are so many places and areas of recreation, every section makes you feel like that is the most important activity because everyone’s area of interest is catered to. This way, every single person feels his or her time is spent not wasted and fully enjoyed. Using part of the definition of leisure of this facility, the fact that so many areas of interest are offered is the main benefit of this agency. Somehow the ARC has the ability to be so flexible and stay true to its title as the Activities and Recreation Center.

Synopsis: My experience while working on this assignment and researching the information has been very enjoyable. It would be rewarding, interesting, and fun to be able to work at a recreation center just like the ARC. The pros of a career in this kind of agency consist of doing something that you love and enjoy, and providing others with the opportunity to also love and enjoy all the programs as offered. The job would be rewarding because you would be helping people achieve their healthy potential by helping provide stress free unobligated time for them. I can’t think of any cons because cons don’t exist when you are interacting with people daily and ultimately helping them reach good health, have fun, and disconnect from the stresses of the world. This agency is basically the epitome of the leisure delivery system. It offers an incredible amount of opportunity of leisurely activities catering to all people. The ARC is providing relaxation, activities, organized events, and a social place welcoming everyone to come and enjoy their time how they see fit.

Pictures are from the Campus Recreation website

kaydano1

Champaign County YMCA

The Champaign County YMCA is committed to strengthening and enriching the development of kids, adults, families, and the community. It is located on the corner of Elm St. and Wright St. The YMCA has numerous areas with activities for all ages, whether it is a swimming pool, excersize machines, free weights, basketball courts, and running tracks. I have been a member at the YMCA for most of my life and when I came to Champaign, if it had not been for the state of the art recreation centers on campus, I would still be an active member there today.

When Senator William B. McKinley passed away in 1927, he left a generous sum to start a YMCA for Champaign-Urbana. By the time the will was probated in 1929, the depression hit and plans for the new YMCA were postponed until 1937. The YMCA struggled for years to be a legit recreation center in Champaign but in the 1980s and 1990s, saw the Y emerge stronger financially. Programs were busting at the seams, as evidenced by the new gymnastics program, youth sports, summer day camps, and after school programs. Proclaiming a new name, the Champaign County YMCA, which more accurately reflected the area served, the Y is in a position to continue to grow to meet important needs of the whole county. The YMCA's strategic vision is to provide accessibility to the YMCA, to strengthen our membership community, to develop strong teen participation and programs, and to strengthen children and family participation and programs.

One of the major reasons I went to the YMCA back home in Bourbonnais was to participate in activities on the indoor, well kept basketball courts. There was always some activity going on in the gym, whether it be basketball, indoor hockey, indoor soccer, or a variety of random sports. The main thing I did on these courts was play pick-up basketball games with other local kids rather than play at worse courts outside with basketball hoops that were nowhere near as good. There was always high level of competition but it was well known that the games were all for fun so there was always a high level of respect for each other and the courts that you played on.

One of the best things about the YMCA is the after school programs they offer to children when there parents can not pick them up from school until later in the afternoon. YChildCare is a school age child care program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Administered by the YMCA, YChildCare provides children with safe, nuturing care in a healthy and caring environment after school. YChildCare is full of excitement and challenges for children. Activities center around age, interest, cultural and educational themes and seasonal happenings that vary week to week. It is a great service that the YMCA offers to the community because these programs are keeping youth off the streets, out of trouble, and under the supervision of trained employees.

Another popular portion of the YMCA is the swimming pool. This has always been a staple of the YMCA and has attracted millions of people nationwide. The YMCA has been America's leading swim instructor for more than 100 years. The Y's aquatics programs extend beyond instruction. They also provide recreational, competitive and specialty aquatics programs for all ages and abilities, including parent-child classes, water exercise and therapy, water safety and rescue, and water sports. Also, they provide simple water arobics classes for children learning to swim and to keep senior citizens in shape when they can not use the excercise machines available in a different part of the Y.

Along with the after school programs for youth, the YMCA also offers a variety of youth sports league for both boys and girls. Their sports programs develop more than skills, they develop character. They offer a variety of programs for youth, including recreation and league sports. Coaches often volunteer, including many parents, emphasize teamwork, cooperation, and developing good values. Such leagues consist of youth basketball, indoor soccer, indoor hockey, and even volleyball. I played in a number of these leagues when I was younger and can say that I learned a lot from these leagues, it just wasn't always about winning and losing. It's good that I learned this at a young age rather than be extremely competetive and disrespectful at the same time.

Synopsis: After this assignment I realized all the things that the YMCA offers and understand how important it is to the community. It was a very interesting assignment and also made me realize how much I would want to work for a recreational agency such as one like this. It impacts the community in such a positive way that you enjoy your job and at the same time, it is still a full-time job. Also, since physical fitness is such an important part of my life, I realized this is one of the jobs that would best suit my lifestyle because I also like to work with kids. In doing all this research, I see hardly any cons working in a recreation center and look forward to possibly having a career just like this one.

-Mike Montemayor