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Easton Foundations Awards Grant to Alamance Parks Archery Program

Written by Joseph Magyar on . Posted in Athletics, Community Centers, Eli Whitney, Miscellaneous, Pleasant Grove.

Easton Foundations Awards Grant to Alamance Parks Archery Program

The Easton Foundations awarded Alamance Parks a grant to outfit the Eli Whitney and Pleasant Grove Community Centers with the necessary equipment to support the Department’s growing Archery program. The grant will fund the purchase of archery equipment including targets, bows, arrows, archery curtains and rack systems, and acoustic backing curtains for the gyms. This equipment will enable the Department to offer additional archery programs as well as open gym hours for target practice.

Alamance Parks began offering an archery program in January of 2020. The initial program was supported by a grant from USA Archery which provided instructor training and equipment. The Department currently offers four Archery sessions each year led by two USA Archery Certified Level 2 Instructors. Demand for the archery programs consistently exceeds the Department’s current capacity to offer them. The Easton Foundations Grant award will enable the Department to expand its archery offerings to the community.

The next Explore Archery class session will be offered in the fall of 2022. For more information, visit alamanceparks.com


 


Alamance Parks Launches New Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Programs

Written by Joseph Magyar on . Posted in Athletics, Community Centers, Miscellaneous, Pleasant Grove, Special Olympics, Special Populations, Special Populations Events, Visually Impaired Program.

Alamance Parks Launches New Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Programs

Alamance Park is launching a new Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Program. Starting in March 2022, the Department will sponsor programs that are open to the general public and are inclusive for all participants.
 
The initial programs include Trail Walking and Yoga. The first Trail Walking event will be held on March 9 at 10am at Cedarock Park. Participants in Trail Walking will meet once a month at one of the many great trails in Alamance County. This program is perfect for those who are new to trails and want to get active while being outdoors.     
 
Yoga Made Easy begins March 17 at 5:30pm at the Pleasant Grove Community Center. This class is catered to participants who are new to yoga but all skill levels are welcome. Everything needed to participate, including mats and blocks, will be provided.  
 
Trail Walking and Yoga Made Easy are free and open to all participants. For a full schedule of events, please visit alamanceparks.com.
 
For more information about the Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Program, please contact Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Coordinator, Mackenzie Greenly at Mackenzie.greenly@alamance-nc.com or 336-570-6760.

photo of the new playground at Eli Whitney Recreation Center photo of the new playground at Eli Whitney Recreation Center

New Playground at Eli Whitney

Written by on . Posted in Community Centers, Eli Whitney.

Alamance Parks is pleased to announce the completion of a new playground at Eli Whitney Recreation Center located at 4110 E. Greensboro-Chapel Hill Rd., Graham, NC 27253. The new playground was funded by a grant from Impact Alamance as part of their focus on building healthy environments to increase access to physical activity for children and families. The playground was installed last month and includes a sunshade with picnic tables, perimeter benches, spring riders, a main play area platform, multiple slides, two climbing features attached to the platform, pod climbers, monkey bars, and more. Eli Whitney also has new landscaping completed in conjunction with the playground. The walking track still circles the playground.

The playground was designed to reflect the culture and history of Eli Whitney, with a focus on the Center’s original use to house cotton gins, its later life as a school, the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party which just held its 85th annual event, and the textile history associated with Alamance County. The main play area platform is shaped like an old-time schoolhouse. It features panels with quick facts about the history of the original school and of textiles in Alamance County, a panel showcasing the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party, and a panel about cotton gins with an interactive gear and crank mechanism that kids can play with. The spring riders are shaped like Boll Weevils, part of the cotton and textile theme.

Come out to see the new playground, enjoy a family picnic, or walk the track while your kids play! The Recreation Center also features open gym hours, fitness center hours, and more to come.

photo collage of new playground at Eli Whitney

photo from beekeeping program photo from beekeeping program photo from beekeeping program

Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party

Written by on . Posted in Community Centers, Eli Whitney.

Help celebrate the 85th year of the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party! The Quilting Party will be held next Thursday, April 7, from 8:30am-1:00pm at the Eli Whitney Recreation Center. This quilting event has been held at the Eli Whitney Recreation Center since 1931. A combination quilt show and quilting bee, anyone is invited to bring and display quilts, old or new; bring a project to work on; or just come to look around. The community quilt is available for novice and experienced quilters alike to try their hand on. This year will once again feature the Sharing Table, a bring-one, take-one resource for swapping books and magazines about quilting. There is a potluck lunch at 1pm- bring a covered dish if you’d like to join in!

Free & open to the public. For more information or to volunteer call 919-259-8510 or 919-595-6224. Additional information is available on the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party Facebook Page.

You’ll also have the opportunity to see the recent improvements to the Eli Whitney Recreation Center. Alamance Parks staff have worked hard this past winter to overhaul the fitness center, repaint the facility’s interior, and update the landscaping. We have also installed a new playground, supported by a grant from Impact Alamance, which will be open to the public in time for the Quilting Party. The new playground features a custom play structure reflecting the culture and history of Eli Whitney Recreation Center, a large sunshade awning with picnic tables under it, and ample seating for parents.

 

photo of pleasant grove community center photo of pleasant grove community center

Pleasant Grove Community Center 2016

Written by on . Posted in Community Centers, Events, Pleasant Grove.

photo of PG fitness room-Pleasant Grove Community Center’s fitness room underwent major updates in late 2015, gaining new equipment and fitness posters. There is a new outdoor bocce court as well and the Center’s Open Gym hours will also resume after Youth Basketball season ends in early Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of cornhole boards, painting palette, and popcorn for movie night-Pleasant Grove has also expanded its program offerings to include arts and crafts classes, game days, movie days, chair yoga, and more. For a full schedule of PG’s February activities click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of constellationsGazing ahead- Pleasant Grove staff are working on organizing some star gazing events for 2016. Last year, we hosted the N.C. Science Festival’s Annual Stargazing Party and it sparked interest in additional star parties. The clear skies and low light pollution of rural Alamance County make it a great place to learn about the stars. Stay tuned for more information about these events!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo from summer camp expo 2015-The annual Summer Camp Expo will again be held in March. The public expo features information about local summer activity options including full summer, weekly, half day, sports, arts & tutoring, specialty programs, and children’s health programs; as well as vendors, door prizes, games, and crafts. Stay tuned to the website for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of a camping tent and chair with backpack–Great American Campout! Join friends and family at Pleasant Grove in June for a night of family-friend camping. In celebration of the Great American Campout, the PG fields will be set up to host tents, campfires, and a night of camping fun. We are inviting local Scout troops to attend and help novice campers learn more about how to start a campfire, and other essential camping basics. The event will be friendly to new and experienced campers alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PG summer camp logo

 

–Pleasant Grove Summer Camp will be held during the summer months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of volunteers working at Santas Workshop-Pleasant Grove will again host the annual Santa’s Workshop in December, during which volunteers and the community work on handmade Christmas gifts for donation to local assisted living facilities. Each year, Santa’s Workshop makes handcrafted Christmas gifts that go out to over 675 local senior residents and goody bags that go to approximately 500 caretakers. There are new crafts each year, snacks, a special “Elf Yourself” photo station, and an opportunity for photos with Santa!

photo of EW community center photo of EW community center

2016 at Eli Whitney Community Center

Written by on . Posted in Community Centers, Eli Whitney, Events.

Exciting improvements are on the way for Eli Whitney Community Center!

 

rendering of Eli Whitney playground-Thanks to a grant from Impact Alamance, we are replacing the outdated playground equipment with a new playground set that reflects the culture and history of the Eli Whitney community. The playground will be in place by early April. The playground includes a play structure with multiple slides and climbing elements; spring riders; swings; benches; and a central picnic area with a sunshade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of fitness bikes at Eli Whitney-Our staff have been working hard on renovating the fitness center at Whitney to include updated equipment and instructional posters. Work is ongoing and will be completed this Spring. The fitness center is open during open gym hours. Open Gym will resume after Youth Basketball Season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photos of quilts from Uncle Eli's Quilting Party–Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party will celebrate its 85th year on Thursday,  April 7th. Eli Whitney has hosted the Party since 1931. During the event, area quilters bring quilts to display and projects to work on together, followed by a potluck lunch. There is usually a special exhibit and a Sharing Table for quilters to share resources such as quilting books, magazines, and fat quarters. The event is open to the community. Anyone may attend and bring a quilt, project, or covered dish for the potluck, or just come and enjoy! For additional details, please see the Uncle Eli’s Quilting Party Facebook Page. For more information or to volunteer, call 919-259-8510 or 919-595-6224.