18
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
SPRD: Restrictions
have challenged
recreation staff
Continued from page 3
community to know how
grateful she is that the local
option levy was approved by
the voters, helping to sustain
SPRD through this difficult
time.
Better Together in Bend
helped secure some emer-
gency funding for youth ser-
vice providers in the area,
including SPRD. Holland
added they were also able to
get some COVID-19-related
funding for things like clean-
ing supplies and some staff
support.
At one point, Holland and
the new business manager,
Sarah Hiatt, were the only
staff left in the building. In
late May, they were able to
hire back Jason Huber, rec-
reation coordinator. Because
of program cancellations,
the revenue just isn9t there
to bring all of the staff back
right now. However, they are
currently hiring for a num-
ber of contract and part-time
positions which are listed
on the SPRD website. The
eventual staff makeup will
be designed for the size and
needs of the community.
Over the summer, the staff
that remained wore many
hats, with the preschool staff
running the day camps they
could offer.
Youth service agencies
are highly regulated when it
comes to COVID-19 restric-
tions and guidelines because
of the range of ages served
and the variety of programs
and classes offered. Because
SPRD has to follow eight dif-
ferent sector guidelines, they
have to default to the strictest
guidelines, which limits what
they are able to offer.
< We 9 v e b e e n t r u l y
impacted by the number
of programs canceled due
to COVID-19 guidelines,=
Holland explained. <This
summer we could only do
a few day camps, and after
only two weeks, we had to
cancel the softball program.=
This fall, any of the pro-
grams they will be offering
will have caps on the number
of participants able to enroll.
For example, there are three
classrooms for the preschool
program. Two will be able
to accommodate 10 students
and the third one could even-
tually take 20 students.
<We have had to be really
creative in how to stay in
touch with our patrons,= said
Holland. And the effort has
paid off, as she explained,
<I am really grateful to live
in Sisters. We are getting
compliments on our main-
taining communication with
the community and keeping
some programs going.=
Prior to COVID-19,
Huber had his entire fall
sports program laid out, but
those plans have changed.
Instead, he will be run-
ning the <Outlaws Training
Program,= which will offer
skills and drills and condi-
tioning programs for foot-
ball and soccer. The soccer
skills will be offered for first
through eighth graders and
the flag football is designed
for first through fifth grades.
SPRD is working with the
Sisters School District to
ensure their programs will
match what is being offered
in the schools. Programs
will be run according to the
OSAA guidelines.
Several adult classes are
currently occurring: Zumba
via Zoom, and Shannon
Rackowski9s Stretch and
Flex at Coffield Center.
More will be added as the
pandemic threat lessens.
Holland indicated, <We
have been working hard
behind the scenes to run pro-
grams that meet the needs of
the community and to slowly
get more programs off the
ground. Everyone has been
so supportive.=
She went on, <I think
we9ll be sitting in a pretty
decent position when every-
thing is back up and running.
In the beginning we may
have to keep our number of
participants lower to meet
people9s comfort levels.=
The Nugget Newspaper Crossword
By Jacqueline E. Mathews, Tribune News Service
— Last Week’s Puzzle Solved —
I think we’ll be
sitting in a pretty decent
position when everything
is back up and running.
— Jennifer Holland
With the elementary
school opening this past
Monday, the Kids Club will
start up on October 5 or later,
depending on staff. This is
the before- and after-school
program at the elementary
school gym for kindergarten
through third-grade students.
Registration is taking place
this week.
Camp SPRD is for fourth-
through sixth-graders,
Monday through Friday, 8
a.m. to 3:30 p.m., offered
until winter break, or until
Sisters Middle School opens
its doors for on-campus
learning. Camp is scheduled
to begin October 12, based
on securing staff.
SPRD board member,
Bob Keefer, was elected to
serve as the president of the
board of directors, with Jeff
Tryens taking the vice-presi-
dent position. Heath Foott is
deployed with the National
Guard but receives regular
updates. Peggy Tehan and
Rosemary Vasquez are the
other board members.
<Our board members are
truly advocates for services
and programs for kids and
adults,= Holland said. <In
these difficult times they
shared their insights from
previous experiences.=
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