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Pleasant Grove Community Center 2016

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 backpackGreat 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!

Cedarock Park 2016

What’s coming to Cedarock in 2016?

photo from beekeeping presentation including flowers and books about bees-We are bringing back the Foxfire in Cedarock Park program series, in partnership with Alamance County Public Libraries. There will be an event on a select Saturday each month from May through October. Foxfire in Cedarock Park seeks to share and celebrate Appalachian culture and traditions. Each event includes presentations, live demos, and hands on activities for participants. Programs last year included beekeeping, canning, and more. This year we will present on some new topics as well. Stay tuned for dates and program info! The final event will be Ghosts in the Park, held after the Fall Festival on October 15th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alamance Co Champion Tree program logo

 

-This year welcomes the return of the Alamance County Champion Tree Program. The program recognizes Alamance County’s largest, oldest, and most historic trees. We are once again accepting nominations for trees in the Champion, Historic, and Landmark categories. For a list of eligible species and information on nominating a tree please visit http://acchampiontree.wix.com/championtrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of open farm sign at Cedarock Historical FarmThe Friends of Cedarock Historical Farm will continue to hold Open Farm Days at Cedarock Park Historical Farm select Saturdays from May through December. Come for an opportunity to tour the Garrett House and see living history demonstrations of life on the farm in the late 1800s. The last event in December is Christmas at the Farm, with special holiday activities. Learn more about the Farm here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of winners from 2015 cane pole fishing hole derby-The junior Cane Pole Fishing Hole Derby will be held on April 2nd and October 8th. Anyone can fish, but the contest is for kids ages 5-12. Cane poles only- you bring the poles, we bring the worms. A limited number of poles are available at the park. Prizes will be awarded to winners in two age groups for the biggest and the most fish caught.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Trails Day Host Event Badge logo

-We will hold special hikes/activities at Cedarock Park and our other locations to celebrate National Trails Day in June and National Recreation & Parks Month in July– last year we held guided hikes and a popular photo scavenger hunt at Cedarock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

farmfestadjusted

-The annual Preserving Our Heritage Festival will be held August 27th. Join us for bluegrass music and demonstrations of traditional crafts such as basket weaving, beekeeping, quilting, and displays of antique farm equipment, tractors, trucks, and cars. The Garrett Farm will be open for tours, and food and drink are available for purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

disc golf basket-The annual Sneeky Pete Classic Disc Golf Tournament presented by Spike Hyzer will be held September 23rd-24th. Cedarock Park will serve as tournament central. This is a 2-day, C Tier PDGA event. For more information visit www.discgolfunited.com or email Chuck Connelly at chuckster@spikehyzer.com to sign up for email updates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo of milk can toss at festival-This year we will bring back our new Fall Festival on October 15th with family-friendly outdoor games, candy prizes, hayrides, face painting, and tours of the Garrett House. The Festival will be followed by Ghosts in the Park storytelling, the year’s final installment in the Foxfire in Cedarock Park series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo of runners from 2014 run at the rock-The annual Run at the Rock will be held December 3rd. This is a popular trail race with 7 and 14 mile course options complete with rocks, mud, rolling hills, and views of the waterfall. The race is followed by popular hot food and is friendly to everyone from first-timers to some of the best trail runners in the state. Stay tuned to the Run at the Rock website for details.

 

 

 

2016 at Eli Whitney Community Center

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 PartyUncle 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.

First Day Hikes Contest

Win a prize from CamCor!

We’re celebrating NC State Parks’ First Day Hikes with a special contest. Kick the New Year off with a jump on everyone’s favorite resolution to get more active. It’s easy- Enjoy New Year’s Day outside!

1) Visit any of the Alamance County Recreation and Parks Department parks or any section of the Haw River Trail on January 1st.
2) Take and post a selfie from the park/trail to our Facebook Page or theHaw River Trail page.
3) Please use ‪#‎FirstDayHikeAC‬ in your post. You must post on January 1st to qualify and use the hashtag exactly as written.

You will be entered into a raffle for prizes from CamCor. We will announce winners on Facebook on January 2nd.

Eligible locations include:
Cedarock Park
Great Bend Park
Shallow Ford Natural Area
Any Section of the Haw River Trail (please visit www.thehaw.org for a complete list, includes any Paddle Access)

Happy holidays and happy hiking!