Frank Perez welcomed everyone to the 15th Zoom meeting of the Centerville Rotary Club, as we are still unable to meet face to face due to the coronavirus. Frank welcomed our speaker, Becky Benná.

 

Brian Hayes led the Pledge of Allegiance, Mike Wier recited the 4-Way Test, and Ray Merz led us in a prayer.

 

President Frank Perez provided these updates:

 

 

Chuck King announced a service project opportunity to rebuild the Rotary memorial brick walkway at the Kennard Nature Nook in Grant Park. He needs a couple of workers to help on August 21, beginning at 8 am. Ron Hollenbeck and Sofie Ameloot volunteered to help.

 

Yankee Trace restaurant is closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. Wayne Davis noted it was a restaurant worker who had been taking precautions. Other employees have been quarantined and have been given the opportunity to be tested.

 

Our Happy Dollars for this quarter are going to Project Warm – please be generous with your Happy Dollars for this good cause. You can send your check to the club mailbox:  Centerville Rotary Club, PO Box 41431, Centerville, OH 45458.

 

Frank noted that so far, we have collected $1,561 in Happy Bucks this quarter.

 

Boyd Preston served as Sergeant at arms again this week.

Sofie suggested everyone download ClubRunner on their phones so it is easy to find club member’s contact information.

 

 

 

Arnie Biondo introduced Becky Benná, who is one of the top parks & recreation professionals in the Dayton area, and is also well-known across the country. Arnie said he’s known Becky for 40 years as they worked together at Kettering Parks back in the day. Becky was the director of Miamisburg Parks before moving to Arizona for several years. She returned to the Dayton area in 2011 when hired as Executive Director for Five Rivers Metroparks.

 

Becky said she owes a lot to Arnie, as he not only hired her as an intern out of college, but also introduced her to her husband! She is also a Dayton Rotarian, and formerly Miamisburg Rotarian.

 

Becky came to Metroparks when the economy was bad, so they started looking for ways to do things differently (just like now with the pandemic.) Their goal is to get people connected to nature, which they do at 30 park locations with over 16,000 acres. The parks closest to Centerville include Sugarcreek Reserve, Cox Arboretum, and Medlar Natural Area.

 

 

Five Rivers Metroparks was established in 1963, as a citizen initiative. They are an accredited park agency, as they adhere to the highest standards for parks. They constantly focus on how to effectively communicate to the public.

 

Once COVID hit, the staff worked to reassess the short-term goals and made incremental changes to programs and facilities as changes were announced. When the Dayton tornado hit, they lost many old growth trees, so they started harvesting tree nuts, planted, cultivated seedlings and replanted 100,000 trees to replace those lost.

 

From a recent public survey, a priority identified was to provide opportunities for an active lifestyle. Explore the Outdoors is a weeklong nature camp, offered virtually through a partnership with ThinkTV.  The survey also identified the #1 desired amenity is trails to provide connections in the community. The Miami Valley area has the largest network of paved trails in the country (350 miles), which includes 160 miles under Five Rivers Metroparks management.

 

 

Metroparks also has a law enforcement division, working 24/7. Rangers patrol in car, on foot and bikes to assist the public and ensure safe parks.

 

A favored activity includes community gatherings, which are difficult now. The 2nd Street Market was a popular indoor venue, but it has been moved outside this year to accommodate social distancing.

 

When the coronavirus struck in March, the staff felt strongly about being able to keep the parks and trails open for the public to have a place for physical and emotional well being. They asked the public to help them stay open by following distancing guidelines. As in most park systems, they saw a drastic increase in park usage - 40 percent increase! Some parks across the country had to close due to overcrowding. The COVID pandemic clearly demonstrated the need for parks as an essential service.

 

 

Becky announced Metroparks recently launched a new mobile app where you can get park and trail information easily from your phone. Check out the website for information on how to download it.

 

 

Then Becky shared a story about a young woman who came back to Dayton to recover from COVID. When she first started walking, she was not able to walk more than 5 minutes without being winded. She and her parents discovered the Metroparks Trail Challenge program and throughout June and July, they completed all 17 trails. She was able to build her physical and emotional health by walking with her parents on these trails!

 

 

When asked about funding, Becky said the primary source of revenue is a property tax levy that is voted on by Montgomery County residents every 10 years. They receive some state funding, but as that was being cut, they developed a park foundation which raises funds for specific projects.

 

She was asked to explain the Ranger’s authority, so Becky noted they are commissioned law enforcement officers who assist the public, respond to emergencies and provide mutual aid. Carol Kennard shared that Five Rivers Metroparks Rangers were one of the first officers on the scene of the Oregon District shooting. Those Rangers received recognition from the Ohio Parks & Recreation Association for their public service during the tragedy.

 

For more information check the website www.metroparks.org

 

Frank Perez thanked Becky for the great information and said for everyone to be safe, stay dry, and have a great week!