October 2019
Newsletter
Welcome Ryan Marble!

While Travis was in the process of traveling back to the coast, Ryan, the new AmeriCorps trails coordinator for Polk County, was moving from Southwest Colorado to take up where Travis left off. Ryan was born in Johnson City, TN & spent much of his childhood rambling through the hardwood forest. Memories & hopes of preserving the unadulterated places in Appalachia have brought Ryan to Polk County.

Over the last couple of weeks Ryan has been familiarizing himself with the trails in Polk, meeting the community, and making new friends. Ryan is excited to be part of an organization committed to healthy and sustainable land use. Ryan believes that outdoor recreation & environmental education are the wooded path to preserving the wild beauty found around Polk County and Western NC. Ryan likes to talk to everyone, and is always excited to meet new people.

Program Updates
Art Class Session 2 still has spots left!
All classes are on the following Tuesdays: October 22, 29, November 5, 12, 19, & December 3 (No class Thanksgiving Week).  There is a 20% sibling discount.
1)  Crafting for Christmas:  Gifts to give or keep , $70, ages 10+, 5:15-6:45, max class size 15, must be comfortable with glue gun.
2) Preschool/Kindergarten (ages 3-6) , $45, 10-10:45, Max size 8 children, parent attendance required. (Waitlist only)
3) Project-based art, ages 5-9, 3:45-5:00, $70, max class size 15 (Waitlist only)

Visit  http://www.polknc.org/art_class.php for more information or to sign up. Come create with us!
Homeschool Gym Meetup
Our free Meetups for homeschooling families have returned!
Tuesdays 1-3 pm for ages 6 and up
Thursdays 9:30-11 am for ages 6 and under
This month, we will be learning all about Soccer and Volleyball!!

Visit  http://www.polknc.org/Homeschool.php for more information. Thanks for playing with us!
Family Dance Party
Join us at the Saluda Library on Wednesday, October 16 for Family Fun Storytime or Columbus Library on Tuesday, October 22 at 10:30 am for the Rising Readers program, and stay for a dance party!  We will have fun music, dancing, and games for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers. See you at the library!

Future dance parties: 
Nov. 13, & Dec. 11 @ Saluda Library!
Nov. 26, & Dec.10 @ Columbus Library!
Sports Updates
Fall Soccer Update!

WeeBooters will finished the season on Saturday, October 5. Playoffs for the other leagues will began on Monday, with semifinals and finals on Saturday, October 12! What a season so far! Stay tuned for the season wrap up next month!

Click here for all current soccer information, including up-to-date standings and schedules!
Fall Volleyball has begun!

The 2019 Fall Volleyball Season is finally here and is in full swing!!!! We have over 120 players signed up between four leagues, creating a total of 18 teams for this season. We are less than one week away from the first game and have already seen some intense practices! As the season continues we are excited for lots of fun!!!

Click here for a full update and all volleyball information, including up-to-date schedules.
Youth Basketball is here!
Registration is open until November 8!
Click  HERE to sign your family up for an eTrak account. Once you and your child(ren) have an account, you can register them for basketball. If you already have an account (you do if your child has participated in any rec programming in the last year), you can register them for basketball or call us and we will help you!
10U and 12U players, please plan to attend an evaluation in November 16 (tentative date).
Games will begin in January.
  For updates on youth basketball, click here!
Trails Update

Trail workdays
Thursday, October 24, 9 am-11am: Rec Complex Trail

Email trails@polknc.org if you have questions or to let Ryan know you are coming.
Check out our Trails Facebook Page for other upcoming trail workdays!
September 30 Trails Meeting Summary
  • Ryan marble, our new AmeriCorps Trail Coordinator, was introduced.
  • Update on White Oak Mountain: Peter, a renowned trail developer, plans to visit in the winter to advise on this project.
  • Alexander's Ford has a newly constructed trail worth checking out!
  • New climbing park near Tryon: anyone interested in trail construction or experience in climbing development would be a welcome addition!
  • Volunteers with River Keepers met on the 21st to remove trash from the Green River. Canoes and duckies were loaded to maximum capacity as they floated down to Lake Adger. Approximately 15 tires of various sizes were recovered along with a plethora of assorted sandals.
  • Our next trails meeting is 6 pm on the October 28th at Saluda Outfitters--we hope to see you there!
Polk County Parks and Recreation | recreation@polknc.org | 828.894.8199 | Visit our website
See what's happening on our social sites:
Like us on FacebookView our photos on flickr