Folks can view live streams with notable residents or participate in doorway decorating
Healdsburg’s parks and recreation facilities may be closed and classes canceled, but that is not stopping the city’s community services department from working to bring virtual programs for all ages to residents’ homes.
The department recently launched three programs to help residents stay active and connected during the shelter in place order: Rec at Home, an online resource for virtual activities, clases and tours for all ages; Live from Home, a Facebook live stream series featuring conversations and Q&A’s with notable Healdsburg residents; and the Healdsburg Showcase Showdown, a weekly door decorating contest.
Rec at Home
When the Rec at Home website was rolled out late last month, recreation manager for the Healdsburg Community Services department, Dave Jahns, posted a video on the website to share the news about the new program.
“The community services team has pulled back our onsite workers to just essential staff. For the last week we have been working on projects such as delivering meals and nutritional opportunities to our older adults and our vulnerable population,” Jahns said in the video. “That being said, we have a very dedicated team working remotely on bringing a number of programs, one of which I am pleased to unveil to you today, ‘Rec at Home,’ a digital platform designed to engage you and your families when you are sheltering in place in your own homes.”
Jahns said in the coming weeks, community services will be rolling out additional content geared toward activating the mind and body and while sheltering in place.
“We pride ourselves in being an age-friendly community,” Jahns said in an interview with The Tribune, noting that they want to provide activities for people ages 2 to 102. “The Rec at Home program will meet those needs.”
The Rec at Home page has activities listed for infants, K-5 and 6-8 students, teens, adults, older adults and activities for Spanish speakers.
For instance, teens can take a virtual 360 VR tour of Buckingham Palace, check out the animals at the San Diego Zoo, or participate in a free Nike training class.
Younger kids can enjoy daily doodle lessons, tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art or try out kid-friendly recipes, just to name a few.
Older adults have access to programs such as free yoga, virtual mediation or a free digital book of the week provided by a collaboration with America’s park service and National Parks Service.
Jahns pointed out that various instructors in the community have taken the time to record demonstrations and activities for folks to follow and watch free of charge.
“This includes Little Monsters Culinary and National Academy of Athletics, in addition to others who are currently working on future content,” he said.
Jahns said the main job of a parks and recreation department is to help people come together whether it’s over a class or a walk in the park.
“With the Rec at Home program, this is our way of trying to bring some of that connectivity to our community,” he said.
When asked how the idea for a home recreation program started, Jahns said the idea for a program similar to Healdsburg’s was being thrown around in different jurisdictions and in email threads with colleagues.
“Our staff, who are working remotely, have been instrumental in bringing Rec at Home to fruition,” Jahns said. “The concept of a virtual recreation platform came together as a collaborative effort with our community services team and other colleagues in our field as a way to stay connected with the community in a non-traditional fashion. Once the idea was in place, Facilities and Event Supervisor Matt Milde built the Rec at Home platform from the ground up and is our editing and video guru behind the scenes.”
To check out the Rec at Home content, visit: https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/976/NEW—RECHome.
Recreation Supervisor Garrett Perdigao of the community services department is spearheading the other two new programs, Live from Home and the Healdsburg Showcase Showdown.
Live from Home
This Facebook live video series will feature conversations and Q&A’s with long-time Healdsburg residents and will typically air on Saturdays.
The first Live from Home video aired on April 4 and featured Healdsburg resident, Dick Bugarske.
During the 31-minute live stream event Burgarske discussed what it means to live in the Healdsburg community and how he and his family are staying connected.
Healdsburg Community Services Director Mark Themig listened in on the livestream and introduced the concept.
“Really the goal of this is to help folks stay connected during this time,” Themig explained in the video. “It has been quite interesting how things have progressed so quickly and having folks shelter in place and stay at home is so important right now. What’s even more important is that we stay connected throughout this time. So the idea of this is just a really open conversation.”
Questions for the featured resident can be posted in the comments section of the live stream video on Facebook, or be sent via email to
co***************@ci**************.org
.
Healdsburg Showcase Showdown
Community services has also started a new weekly program called, “The Healdsburg Showcase Showdown,” an activity that encourages residents to get creative and decorate their doorway with materials that they already have at home.
Participants take a photo of their decorated doorway and post it in the comments section of the Facebook post on the Healdsburg Community Services Facebook page, facebook.com/healdsburgcommunityservices/.
The city’s parks and recreation commission members will judge each door and the winners will be announced on the Healdsburg Community Services Facebook page and will gain the glory that comes with the title of, “Best Doorway.”
“We encourage community members to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) and stay virtually connected with one another, at least until this is all behind us and we can come together in person again,” Jahns said.
