Since Janis Burns became the Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department supervisor in mid-May, she has been steadily working on adding new programs and classes to bring people from all over the city to the community center. At the Oct. 1 meeting of the Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, she told the members about some of the upcoming events and informed them of ways they could help.For the children of Jacksonville, the biggest event is the upcoming flashlight candy hunt on Oct. 28. Burns plans for the event to have a festival or carnival feel to it with game booths manned by volunteers to entertain the children when they aren’t roaming the soccer fields in search of candy.
“It’s kind of like an Easter egg hunt, except at night and they’ll be hunting candy,” said Burns. “We’re trying to make it a fun family-type activity.”
Since the event will be held at night, Burns will need several volunteers from throughout the community to keep children from wandering off and help with running the booths. The Kiwanians all readily volunteered to help in any way they could.
Burns also has several programs geared toward senior citizens in the works. Among them is an Oct. 16 health screening set up at the community center. There is a charge for each of the tests done that day. A senior seminar filled with information necessary for senior adults will be held on Nov. 12.
Burns has also planned several classes to inform the community and keep its citizens safe. The first self-defense series taught at the community center on July 21 and 22 was a success with people asking for more. In response, Burns has asked Assistant Police Chief Bill Wineman to teach another course – this time on identity theft.
“From what I understand, he has taught it at City Hall before and really made them think. If nothing else, it makes you think about all the people who are trying to steal your identity today and it’s actually pretty easy from what I understand,” said Burns.
The identity theft class is scheduled for Nov. 6.
Burns is currently working on more classes, including a repeat of the self-defense class and a course on child safety.
During the Kiwanis meeting, Burns also updated the members on improvements at the city’s various parks and asked for their help to complete some of the work.
The restrooms at City Park have recently received a new roof and new doors have been ordered for the building as well. There are plans to work on the basketball court there as well.
At Henry Farm Park, work has begun on the softball fields and Burns hopes to see smaller-scale renovation and improvement project at Germania Springs.
She also spoke briefly about the greenway project, which will create a walking trail and bike path from the Chief Ladiga Trail through the old mill property, to City Park and ending at the square.
“It’s just in the beginning phases,” said Burns. “It’s to connect the Ladiga Trail to City Park and then to the square to get people from the trail to come on into downtown and spend some money.”
Burns urged the Kiwanians to volunteer where they could, getting an assurance they would help to rehabilitate the trail at Henry Farm Park which was constructed by the club.
She told the group she is always looking for ideas from the community of new programs or classes as well as for volunteers to coach teams or help with special events.
“We are always looking for ideas,” said Burns. “We always need volunteers. Volunteers to coach – if any of you have any basketball or softball, baseball, soccer skills and you want to share those with the kids – we are always looking for really good coaches and role models.”
If anyone has ideas they would like to share with Burns or if you would like to volunteer to help with some of the programs, call the Jacksonville Community Center at 435-8115.
