Summer 2018 was incredible for TVRPD. This time of year is a special time for us and always our favorite season. We get to offer many outstanding programs and events that touch so many people across the Tehachapi Valley. As Recreation Coordinator and Supervisor, Ashley Krempien and I have the privilege of being part of these offerings which ensure we provide recreation to as many participants as possible.

We had our 9-week Summer Adventure Camp. We housed campers ages 4-14. In total, we served 540 kids! Each week, campers played active, themed games and activities, created colorful works of art, took trips to the pool and field trips out of town. Every day was something new and exciting.

We had our Youth NFL Flag Football League. Our league had 85 participants between the ages of 5 and 13. This program is neat because it offers an alternative to tackle football. We think players (experienced or not) who are interested in the sport can play with us without the nervousness or fear of tackle. While TYF is a fantastic program that serves tons of kids, we feel that offering an alternative is also beneficial.

At Dye Natatorium, we offered both private and group swim lessons for ages 6 months and older. We taught over 180 kids swimming lessons throughout the summer. We are so fortunate to attract amazing lifeguards and swim instructors to teach our youth.

We had two great runs happen over the summer as well. Our first was the All American 5K on the 4th of July. We like this event because it attracts a lot of runners from outside the area. In total we had 240 runners. Our second run was Mountain Gallop 5K/10K during Mountain Festival Weekend. We had 140 runners. The youngest participant was just 6 years old and the oldest was 94 years old.

Lastly, TVRPD held many free events this summer. We offered six movies in the park, four being at Meadowbrook Park, one at Central Park and the other at Brite Lake. We enjoy these so much because we strive to make them a family outing. Families gather, bringing their blankets and chairs, to enjoy a great show under the stars. Also, we offered three huge Concerts in the Park, in partnership with Fiddler's Crossing. The biggest concert was by a Beatles Tribute band called Ticket to Ride. We had over 500 people fill the park on an early Sunday afternoon and enjoyed an hour and a half of entertainment. It was amazing to be a part of it.

These programs and events could not have been possible without our amazing community partners. We would not be able to do what we do without them. We at TVRPD do what we can with what we have, but when we're able to share a vision with other organizations that want to partner, it makes it a million times better. We're able to expand and improve our programs each year. We're blessed and fortunate to have support and organizations invest in us.

We'd like to thank: Snow Orthodontics, Waste Management, BHE Renewables, Alta One Federal Credit Union, Fiddler's Crossing, Lehigh Cement, Albertsons, Adventist Health, Cerro Coso Community College, Sun Select, Flex it Pink, Advanced Beverage, Subaru and CalPortland.