Assignment 3

Frog-bloggers defintion of Leisure: (snipets from our own defintions) Leisure is free time spent doing an activity that one enjoys and can positively benefit from. Leisure is a way to relieve oneself from a hectic job, society, or economy and is the balance between body and mind. Leisure is free time that is spent doing something that you enjoy or have fun doing. Leisure as being an extremely, broad concept and is something that gives us meaning to our lives. Overall,
Leisure is free time an individual spends participating in an activity for personal enjoyment and for the relief from ones hectic schedule, which can result in a positive and healthy lifestyle.

From our definition, we discuss the different leisure services we discover in RST 110:

Therapeutic Recreation Service
The goals of the Therapeutic Recreation Service, such as the Pujols Family Foundation, is to provide a program that gives those with disabilities great opportunities to participate in activities and sports that wouldn’t normally be offered to them. Therapeutic recreation services are funded by two things and these two things are sponsors and donations. Without contribution from outside sources these organizations wouldn’t be in existence. These particular organizations are created with a focus on a group in which it is helping. In the case of the Pujols Family Foundation the focus is primarily on kids that have Down syndrome. Therefore, with the funds that are donated and gained through sponsorship they then provide events and activities for these children and families.

The strengths that are involved with theses therapeutic recreation services are that it gives everyone a chance to come together and better a child’s and or a family’s quality of life. They provide extraordinary opportunities that wouldn’t normally be available. This is a strength because these opportunities bring happiness to people’s lives that are full of stress and adversity. A weakness is that many of these programs are run off of donated funds and therefore if donations are minimal then the outcome could be less activities provided. Also, if the funds come to a complete halt that would put an end to most organizations. So, the weakness is that it is relying on commitment outside of the management staff.

Comparable to the other services, therapeutic recreation is intended to provide some sort of leisure to those who participate. The Pujols Family Foundation provides leisure by getting people together and doing fun-filled activities in which many enjoy. The foundations fulfills the purpose it is intending to. This is because it gets a lot of publicity through Albert Pujols and his baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. A lot of the funds are generated and sponsored through the Cardinals. They then put on large scale activities and events, which are available to the families and children in need. This is how they fulfill and successfully meet their goals. -snipes2

Commercial
The goals of the commercial recreation business Joe’s Brewery are to provide their customers with a safe and fun environment to socialize and meet new people. The agency is funded by the money the customers put into it, such as cover charge and the cost of food and drinks. The largest group of people this organization serves would be the college population of the University of Illinois, but anyone can go there as long as they are 19 years old. One thing that sets a commercial recreation business apart from other agencies is that there is no special membership or club needed to enter, anyone can go there. The greatest strength of Joe’s as a leisure service provider is that they are so close to campus and offer so many activities that are appealing to college age students, their business is almost guaranteed to have success because the college will never leave. The biggest weakness is that, while it is open to people of all ages, almost no one comes there who is not of college age, or extremely close to it. This fact does not hurt the business, but it is unfortunate that not everyone in the population goes there. Joe’s Brewery does fulfill its purpose as a commercial recreation business by keeping their patrons safe and providing an enjoyable atmosphere full of people their own age to mingle with.

The greatest difference between a commercial recreation business and a private membership group or a campus recreation program is that there is no membership that needs to be purchased or any paperwork to be filled out to enter. It is very easy to get into this organization, one can just walk right in.

Joe’s Brewery is one of the most popular places for night time entertainment in Champaign, which is of course a college town. Joe’s provides an outlet for students to get away from their studies and have some fun with other people who are experiencing the same thing. Joe’s competes with many other commercial recreation businesses such as restaurants and other bars as well as some other night time entertainment options. -argo1

Public
The goal of a public recreation programs (public agency), similar to the Palatine Park District, is to provide safe, pleasant and affordable parks and recreation facilities. Similar to the other leisure services, the public recreation systems are in the quality of life business, helping to improve health or providing a community with parks, recreation facilities and programs. A public recreation programs is funded mainly by state and federal governments. The individuals served by the agency are members of communities and individuals who take part in the recreation programs that the agency has to offer. Examples of public agency are outdoor recreation including state parks, state natural areas, county and regional park districts, fitness programming, fee-based programs and human service functions. Compared to the other agencies in the leisure delivery system, the public agency offers programs that are community and state direct instead of university related like campus recreation or private agencies, which are only open to certified members.

There are several strengths that come with being a part of a public recreation program including the active community and the involvement that is inscribed it. The outdoor recreation facilities promote natural aspects, along with cultural resources. Programs in the public recreation field are for ALL residents, for those with disabilities or aging. The public recreation programs are expanding rapidly and becoming more of a “hot item.” The weaknesses of a public recreation program is that there can be so many facilities and programs, that the upkeep can be difficult along with finding a decent amount of funding to expand the programs. I believe that public recreation programs do fulfill its purpose since the majority of them are well managed, well kept and produced for a meaningful leisure purpose. The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people” (pg. 206). The recreation programs are for the people, just as the leisure delivery system as a whole is. -lbriggs2

Non-Profit
Non-profit agencies are very important and influential on their local communities. A non-profit organization, such as the YMCA, strives to make leisure an affordable comfort for anyone in the community. Youth programs are provided through non-profit organizations. When these agencies are formed it is volunteer-based. The governing board of directors are usually citizens who are very involved with the community. Funding is obtained through community donations and in the YMCA's case additional funds are added through membership fees. What sets non-profit agencies apart from others is this type of agency is volunteer based and is designed so people with all levels of income can have a place to enjoy their leisure time.

One strength of being involved in non-profit organizations is the rewarding feeling employees experience while volunteering. It is always a good feeling when an individual can help out their community or people less fortunate than them. Another strength is becoming a member or becoming involved in these organizations is less expensive than for example joining a health club. If you are looking to start a job where you receive loads of money then you should shy away from non-profit agencies. This organization is committed to serving the people of a specific community with fair pricing and fun activities. The YMCA, for example, is a great place where members of all ages can come enjoy their leisure time for a low price.

Unlike other agencies, non-profit agencies focus on using leisure to "enrich one's life". They provide places for young kids and adults to enjoy their leisure in a family-friendly environment for a reasonable price. However, non-profit organizations and all other agencies share the common goal of making sure people have the choice to do whatever pleases them during their personal free time. -mckenna5

The Tourism and Hospitality Industry
This industry involves airlines, cruise ships, destination resorts, conference and resort centers, amusement parks (for example, Cedar Point), hotels, restaurants, and festivals. The goals and objectives of this agency are to provide for the customer great service, of course some relaxation, and hopefully provide some lasting memories. Tourism has become the world’s largest industry and touches every corner of the United States. Many communities and counties have tourism bureaus, states have state tourism offices, and advertising for tourism has grown at an exponential rate. Employment in the tourism industry is significant in every state. Practically everything that you see, touch, hear, and taste has something to do with tourism. The strength of this industry is they provide the tourist or guest a chance to get away from all their hardships of real life. The weakness of this industry is the money factor and some tourists will not be able to afford some things they would want to do. Bigger companies who are worth billions and some smaller companies worth millions help fund the attractions and sites for this industry.

The overall structure of the basic tourism industry consists of five key elements. Firstly, the tourist, who is motivated by a variety of motivations and needs, ranges from the search for novelty or excitement to aesthetic or cultural involvement. Secondly, the businesses that provide the bulk of transportation services, as well as the attractions that entertain visitors, along with other nonprofit cultural and environmental groups that maintain zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and events. Thirdly, governments of host communities encourage and facilitate tourism programs and attractions, often sponsoring them jointly with other agencies. Fourthly, accommodations, consisting of lodging, food and beverage services, camping sites, and other amenities facilitate tourist visits. Lastly, the locals of host communities provide cultural identity to the destination through their lifestyles, customs, and traditions.

In general, I believe that the tourism industry does meet their main goal of providing for the customer or tourist with their leisure service. The economy, as we all know, has been down and so has the tourist industry because of the money issue. However, the industry has lowered prices so it is now cheaper than usual to travel. For example, at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio you can get a hotel room for $79 and it’s only $25 for a ticket to the park which is a lot cheaper than usual. To connect to other industries, some hotels and cruise ships provide therapeutic recreation service in providing massage parlors. Also, commercial recreation includes theme parks, hotels, and casinos. Yet, you can say those three could be under the tourist and hospitality industry. In conclusion, there are ten different types of leisure-service organizations in modern society, but they all work together with each other to deliver leisure service to their guests. -nagle4

Sports Management Organizations:
The sport management agencies are agencies that are very unique and have their own responsibilities for the public. It can be very similar yet somewhat different to the rest of the variety of agencies. Like Therapeutic Recreation Services, Sports Management get a lot of their money from sponsors and donations. Most of their money of course comes from for example a stadium, from tickets sales that they earn. The Memorial Stadium in Champaign was funded by donations from staff, students and alumni. Like commercial, sports management gets people together whether rivals in teams or fans of the same team, it's a great way to meet people or just simply have fun with the people around you. This agency serves the public, more specifically, the athletes/players and the fans etc.

This agency like is have said is unique. It is different because it creates an atmosphere of community and appeals to the competitive nature. People pay to participate in this agency, to be a part of the teams in the stadium or separate team fans. Of course everybody can enter in a stadium up to age issues, but when there are handicaps, they have space for them. What sets this agency apart from others as well is the obvious, sports and athleticism!

Strengths of this agency is uniting people together to watch a game or watch your kid play in their team from your local park. Like public, This agent helps get a community for the people to enjoy only difference is the money. This can be a weakness in the agency. Money from ticket sales would be a problem, advertisement is needed to get people to go to the games. Another issue can be parking in stadiums. Very limited parking is often the issue especially in big games. Weaknesses the agency also has is the lack of great security. There is always going to be fights or accidents in the stadium that security is going to need to be there. To conclude, security is very tough to have in every spot of the stadium, but other than that, Memorial Stadium fulfills its goals and objectives because they allow the public to have a great time sitting back and enjoying a game while providing sufficient needs to the public, i.e. food stands. -avila7

Campus Recreation
The goals of the Arc, the campus recreation agency here at the University of Illinois are simple they are to provide a way for the students of this university to have a way to meet all of there recreation needs. It gives us somewhere where we can work out and play some sports that we would not be able to play otherwise. The agency is funded through the tuition that we as students pay and it does not cost any extra for us students to use it. The groups that are served by this are the students, faculty, and residents of the area(for a fee). It is available to all of those groups on demand. The ARC is special because it provides so many opportunities for students to get involved, there is a rock climbing wall, a kitchen where you can learn to cook, there are a couple pools for those people who want to swim. Its strengths are that it is very diverse and that there is a place for everyone who wants to participate in campus recreation. There really are no visible weaknesses to the industry because of the reasons mentioned earlier. I think that the arc most definitely fulfills its promises of providing recreation to the campus and the greater area. I think that they perform this in every way that they possibly can they have everything that you can imagine doing for recreation I think that it is a great place to go.

It compares to the other agencies as follows. It compares most closely to the Y. It is a place where you can go to work out, play some sports, or just hang out with your friends. It does however diverge from the Y because there is a fee involved in it so that’s one of the major differences between that and the level of equipment that is available to the people that use each agency. The one that it is most different to would most likely be the Commercial Recreation, Joe's Brewery because it does not have anything to do with food, drink, and the activities that go on in a bar or club. That is most likely the one with the biggest difference. As for how this fits into the leisure service delivery system I think that it is essential to the delivery system in that without it the college kids would have no way to get the recreation that we need and deserve and it provides kids an extra option besides the shenanigans that normally go on within a college campus. -crist2

Private
The goals of a private organization, such as Five Seasons Sports Club, is to provide a leisure setting for their members, while making a profit. Most of the time the private organizations have a wider variety of activities for their members, and provide optimum service so that they can attract as many members as possible, leading to a better profit. Five Seasons Sports Club, like many of the other country clubs in Chicago-land area, runs off of the money that their members pay, such as a monthly fee. So, if the club does not have enough members or income, than their sales are going to be down and a lot of the time difficult to increase. The club also uses their income to provide their members with more activities, or better service, if they have the money to do so.

Private organizations often attract more of the middle to upper-class in society, because there is a monthly or annual fee that the member must pay in order to be a part of that organization. Private organizations either have a wide variety of services that they offer, or focus on one specific activity, such as a tennis club. The strength to belonging to a private organization is that you are most likely going to get the best. For example, Five Seasons Sports Club has so many different sports and leisure activities, but all of their staff is professionally trained and experts in their area. They have around 10-12 different tennis pros on staff, and they all have the skills to work with every age group and level of player. Working with the best, is always a plus, but a possible negative side to belonging to a private organization, is that it can be expensive, and not everyone can afford to belong to one.

Private organizations provide the necessary facilities for one to participate in leisure activities. They fulfill their goals because one is able to spend their free time doing fun or healthy activities that they enjoy. Private organizations offers similar things that other organizations do, except that it is in a more enclosed and controlled setting. Five Seasons Sports Club is an enjoyable place to belong to, that one can spend their free time and enjoy leisurely activities in a healthy setting. They keep their customers happy, while still making a profit of off them. -white46

Summary:
As you can tell from all of our posts, we all took positive elements from our leisure services and in a way felt that the specific service we chose was to some extent the most beneficial. We mentioned differences and similarities along with more positive traits in certain leisure service systems. From commercial to tourism, non-profit to public, all the differences are evident, but the leisure aspect stays constant throughout. We concluded that all have positive and negative benefits, but overall have the same goal to serve communities and individuals in a way that will help their health and provide activities for free time. Even though our group, Frog-bloggers, may have some specific leisure service systems we like more than others, we feel that each and every system is important to specific individuals and groups while providing a selection of available leisure activities.

Assignment 2: Joe's Brewery

Introduction- I decided to research Joe’s Brewery, which is a bar and grill located at 706 South Fifth Street right here in Champaign Illinois. During the day and into the early evening, Joe’s is most widely used as a restaurant with excellent food and multiple television screens to watch your favorite game or television show. At night it transforms into a very popular bar that is frequented by many University of Illinois students. There are many activities to do at Joe’s like playing bags or darts, dancing, and they also serve alcohol, if you are of legal age.

Background- Joe’s provides leisure to a few groups of people. During the daytime one can find mostly U of I students and a few adults who come there for lunch. Daytime hours provide food and entertainment for anyone who would like to come, no matter the age. At night, the scenery changes, as you can imagine, it is almost exclusively college-age people who are drinking and socializing with other college age people. Joe’s main source of revenue comes at this time of day and this is the main reason why they exist, to provide entertainment options for college kids.

Employment- I asked senior manger John Doyle what one would need to do to work at Joe’s and he said that all you would need to do is go to Joe’s and pick up an application (preferably during daytime hours). Further research on the internet showed me that there is also an application online that you can print out and fill out before delivering to Joe’s. The most common job opportunities at Joe’s are cooks, bartenders and bouncers which are also known as doormen.

Current Trends- Doyle explained to me that the largest and most troubling issue for them is the prevalence of fake ID’s and underage drinking. The bar is penalized every time someone is caught inside their establishment who is not 19, and of course if they are drinking and are not 21. He informed me that Joe’s actually had to shut down the entire first week of school for violations this summer. Other than this problem Joe’s has not had many problems with anything else this year.

Definition of Leisure- According to Mr. Doyle, Joe’s does not have an official definition of leisure, but he told me he thinks their main goal as a leisure establishment is to provide a safe, fun environment for anyone who wants to follow the rules and have a good time. The greatest benefit Joe’s provides for the community is the role it plays as a social gathering where people can interact and participate in many activities. There are a wide range of things for people to do at Joe’s to mingle and even play competitive games such as darts and bags.

Synopsis- Joe’s brewery is a place where many different kinds of people can enjoy a multitude of activities. Very few places offer the wide variety of activities that Joe’s does and I think that is what makes it so unique. There are always employment opportunities available due to graduation and the fluctuations of employees schedule from semester to semester. If you are looking for a fun and safe place to work or just enjoy a night out in Champaign, then Joe’s is a great place to be.

Willie Argo

Assignment 2Two2: The Pujols Family Foundation

Introduction
Many kids who are underprivileged, handicapped, or have mental retardation do not get all the luxuries that those without those setbacks get. Through the Pujols Family Foundation these kids who have any of the listed are given opportunities to do everything that they aren’t expected to be able to do. These kids are deemed by most as “different” well with this foundation they get to prove that assumption wrong and prove they are just as “normal” as anyone else.




Background

Albert Pujols is an all-star baseball player but he also has a big heart when it comes to helping children. The Pujols Family Foundation was started in 2005 and primarily focuses on children who have Down syndrome. Albert and his wife Deidre have a daughter who has Down syndrome, which is why they want to help; it is near and dear to their hearts. Not only do they help those with Down syndrome but they extend out further and help those who disabilities or life threatening illnesses. Albert’s goal for the foundation is striving to provide extraordinary experiences for these children. Many of their goals and beliefs can be found on the website pujolsfamilyfoundation.com, also this is where anyone can go and donate by simply following the donate tag from the website.


Employment

There aren’t employment opportunities in that this is a foundation looking to raise many to provide extraordinary event for these children. However, many volunteer to help out the organization to make it possible. There is a board who oversee the Pujols Family Foundation and this is as follows:
o Founder and Chairman: Albert Pujols
o President: Deidre Pujols
o Executive Director/CEO: Todd Perry
o Program Manager: Jen Cooper


What types of events are provided?

Many various things have been done in the short life of the Pujols Family Foundation. They try to get the kids out and make memories and great experiences. Some events they have had were father-son and mother-daughter bowling night in which a large group went out and did exactly that had a bowling night. Also, the most publicized event they had was the all-star baseball game and home run derby that Albert Pujols put together and personally from watching the video of Albert’s All-Star’s the kid’s really played well. They have also put together winter wonderland type activities when closer to the holidays and the foundation also provides cooking classes for the young men and women who participate within the foundation.

Benefit of the Agency

The goal in what the Pujols Family Foundation is providing to the community is to give kids who normally wouldn’t get to experience certain events a chance to experience those events. For example, the baseball games that they have hosted are a great opportunity. There aren’t many places where kids with Down syndrome all get a chance to gear up and play some ball. This is providing hope and excitement to these children, which will help to provide a happier and more enjoyable life.

Synopsis

The Pujols Family Foundation is a great organization and is providing primarily children with Down syndrome a change to have extraordinary experiences in which gives them hope. They get to come out to the events and relax and have fun when normally they wouldn’t be given a chance because they are deemed “different”. The con to the foundation is there aren’t employment opportunities but in the same note the pro side of it is it’s a great chance to volunteer and be a part of something extremely special. I encourage many to get involved and help out. It’s these types of organizations that change the way people are perceived and this particular organization is striving to provide a higher standard of living for those who must live with Down syndrome or disabilities.

The colors, the excitement, the rush and intensity, all part of a great football game! The Memorial Stadium located in Champaign Illinois, right in corner of Pennsylvania and Fourth street, has a lot to offer to fans, tourists and many others other than excitement. It is a stadium built to remember and commemorate the men and women who died in World War One and World War Two. Students, alumni and other supporters for the construction and few renovations of the stadium contributed together about $ 2 million dollars for its construction. This Stadium was built November 3, 1923.
An interesting Story about this stadium is that the story says that a bulldozer got buried underneath the stadium because of severe weather, all this during construction. It was going to cost a lot of money to remove it but it was cheaper to leave it in there. As a result, the bulldozer still remains down there.
My recreation Career area that I'm focusing on is Sports management since stadiums are part of it. It can link up to commercial use as well for all the cost to have one fun day inside the stadium. The memorial Stadium has a lot jobs to help it run. The stadium needs workers like ushers, to assist fans and other people to help them find their seats and what sections they belong at. Other workers in a stadium would be vendors, who sell snacks, treats and food to costumers. Vendors mostly have ties with the agency with a union to make money.
Stadium managers in general have to know how many seats the stadium needs, the more seats, the more money to fit in fans. But more seats means more territory. Renovations are going to be a big part of this stadium, the renovation at had lastly was in 2001 with ASTROPLAY(the turf). A big one as well was when concrete was replaced. The current capacity the stadium holds is 62,872 people. At one point, there was a game that the number of people was a bit more than 72,000. This leads to another concern, security. Everyone knows rivalries will happen or even when there aren't any, there will be insults especially if they had a few drinks here and there between fans or even players themselves, with the occasional clown that gets into the field for attention. Security is going to need to be there to straighten everything out and even kick people out if it comes to that extend.
Current trends and issues would be security base issues. Security has to make sure situation does not get out of hand. Safety is an essential part so no law suits won't happen. Parking can be a concern in The Memorial Stadium. Not a lot of parking is available. Parking is about 15 dollars per automobile. Other type of transportation to park can vary in prices.
Leisure for this agency means having a good time. They want to make sure people can relax while enjoying a game. Whether it is time off of work to see a game, or just enjoy the half times, this agency promises time off of work to have fun.
Synopsis:
For a student, about an 11 dollar charge to enter the Stadium to watch a game. This Memorial Stadium has a big business. It deals with a lot of security, safety and enjoyment. Vendors with unions make good money for the agency. Stadium manager has to make good decisions to help out its future in its business. Just like the seating situation, they need to think about what is best. Jobs such as ticket ushers help run the agency, while parking ushers help keep the crowding to a minimum and everything being rightfully maintained. This is The Memorial Stadium, and it sure is memorable as soon as you consider all of what is going on inside of it.

2 Two 2 Assignment

Private-membership organizations are country clubs, or places that thrive off of the money that their customers and members pay. There is normally a yearly or monthly fee that the member pays, that goes toward the club and services that they provide for their customers. Five Seasons Sports Club, in Northbrook, Illinois, is a private-membership organization that promotes the well being of human beings. It is one of seven other clubs throughout the country, primarily in the Midwest. The first club was founded in 1988, but the one in Northbrook opened in 2000. For about four to five years the club in Northrbook struggled to bring in enough members and income. They were constantly changing managers, and had too many employees for the little amount of members that belonged. It wasn’t until 2005 and 2006 that their program started to take off and show improvement. They had a new Chief Club Officer, Lina Lubbat, who stuck around long enough for the club to start to succeed.

It is called Five Seasons Sports Club because it consists of five different clubs, tennis and racquet club, fitness club, swim club, dining and social club, and a day spa club. The whole club consists of eight indoor tennis courts, eight indoor tennis courts, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool with diving board, spa and hair salon, fitness area with machines, two paddle courts, a cafe, a snack bar, one racquet ball court, two dance studios, a nursery and a game room. Five Seasons wants to be able to provide for everyone, and cater to the family and not just focus on the individual. They have a wide variety of activities that one could do, so that they provide all that one needs to exercise, socialize, play, relax, eat and enjoy time with family and friends.

Five Seasons Sports Club has just recently in that past couple years really changed their program for the better. They were struggling with having enough members, and had too much open court time. One could almost get a court at anytime they would have liked to, whereas now it is very difficult to book a court at anytime of the day. Chris Sheldon, a tennis instructor and head of the tennis program, was promoted from working as a tennis pro to head of the whole tennis program. She was then able to use her connections to bring in a good staff of tennis instructors, which really kicked off the program. This is what the club really needed because these instructors brought in some of their customers, as well as attracted new members. Five Seasons thrives off of their members, so the more they have, the better. They also recently expanded their fitness area, adding brand new machines, and re-did their cafe and increased the quality of their food.

Five Seasons Sports Club is all about being able to provide to all people, and encourages families to join rather than individuals. There are a wide variety of activities and options for them, so there are many different jobs. Pretty much anyone could get a job kind of working behind the scenes, like cleaning up around the club, working the front desk, washing towels, or serving food. It is a little more difficult to just walk-in and get a higher job, like head tennis instructor, fitness trainer, or sales manager. Usually to get a higher job that pays a little more, you have to no someone behind the scenes to get you in and give you a good rep, as well as be well educated in that area. For example, Chris Sheldon was looking to hire new tennis instructors so she looked to people that she knew for help, or to hire. The club is looking to hire the best of the best because they want to provide the best for their customers. The customers are the ones bringing in the income for the them.

The agencies kind of “motto” is: that they have, “All the ingredients you need for winning at life.” They consist of the five different parts to the club because they feel that those are part of the ingredients to win at life. Five Seasons has a variety of activities and facilities so that they can attract families and a wide variety of people. The more people they attract the better it is for their profit because that means more people paying money for the same facility.

I have been a member of this club almost since it first opened, around 2001. I have been there when they went through their slumps and highs. It is a great facility that provides so much for their members. I think that it is a good country club, and the members definitely get a lot for what they pay, but I would not say that is cheap to belong there. The employees are trained to treat their customers properly and provide them with what they want, after all they are the ones paying. The club struggled a little in the beginning, but now they are very successful and have learned what it takes to run a private-membership organization. Five Seasons Sports Club fits into the leisure system because they are providing people a space to practice leisurely activities. The members are paying for these facilities because they are given the best and a wide variety of them all in one club , and have chosen this place to practice their leisurely activities.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Introduction

The specific agency I wanted to research and find more about is the Cedar Point Amusement Park. Where is Cedar Point located? Cedar Point is located in good old Sandusky, Ohio surrounded by Lake Erie with beaches connecting to Lake Erie. Now, you are probably thinking that all Ohio is known for is the Cleveland Cavaliers stud superstar Lebron James, but actually Cedar Point is home to some of the tallest and fallest roller coasters in the world. It is a family-friendly park that has been named the Best Amusement Park in the World for a record nine consecutive years! In hearing that and actually going to Cedar Point two summers ago, it is by far one of the most thrilling and at the same time relaxing trips I have ever been on in my life.



Background

I was lucky enough to get a hold of the Group Sales Office over the phone and asked them about who they are and talk about how the park has changed since it has been around. The Sales Rep said that Cedar Point has been around since 1870, but it started with just people hanging out at their beach. Then, in 1892, the park’s first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, opened. It stood an amazing 25 feet tall and reached an unbelievable top speed of 10 mph. I’m just joking around, that height and speed is a kiddy ride nowadays. Not until 1970 did Cedar Point turn itself into a real roller coaster park having 14 rides and a Kiddieland. Now we come to present day where Cedar Point is made of: 69 rides, 17 roller coasters, four huge kids areas, a gigantic water park (Soak City), four resort hotels, luxury RV campground including cottages and cabins, two large marinas, an entertainment complex (Challenge Park), award-winning live shows, gift shops, restaurants, and more. It is extremely clear to see why Cedar Point has been voted the best!

Employment Opportunities

Each year more than 4,000 seasonal employees work and play at Cedar Point, including 2,500 who live right at the park. The 2,500 live in dorms built for the workers. Cedar Point hires people for dozens of different types of jobs: bartenders, ride hosts, office clerks, food hosts, desk clerks, room attendants, gift shop clerks, weight guessers, lifeguards, and more. Cedar Point also offers you the opportunity for advancement into supervision for most positions.

Furthermore, Cedar Point hires and trains more than 100 lifeguards each year for Soak City, the Cedar Point Beach, and the hotel and marina pools. The lifeguard training staff is certified by Ellis and Associates, Inc., based in Kingwood, Texas. The lifeguard staff at Cedar Point has earned numerous aquatic safety awards from Ellis and Associates. These designations are awarded to lifeguard crews that consistently exceed the requirements for certification and provide the highest degree of swimmer protection in the industry. As a result, these employees are working hard trying to make sure the customer is safe and enjoying themselves at Cedar Point.

More in-depth look at the Park

Leisure is displayed throughout Cedar Point and at Soak City which includes: a water park featuring more than a dozen thrilling water and inner tube slides, a gigantic 500,000-gallon wave pool, two relaxing inner tube river rides, two kid’s areas and more. Soak City also offers guests a wide variety of sunny and shaded lounge areas for those who want to work on their suntan or find a quiet spot to read a book or catch a nap. Also, it features a food court, lockers, showers, rest rooms and changing facilities and a merchandise shop with everything from swimsuits to suntan lotion.

Getting off the topic of Soak City, most of Cedar Point’s 17 roller coasters are wild and thrilling. In addition, Six Flags’ roller coasters do not even compare to their roller coasters. I went to Six Flags this summer and Cedar Point two summers ago, and Cedar Point just gives you so much more of a rush. I rode on Top Thrill Dragster and Millennium Force multiple times and they were the two best roller coasters I have ever been on. These two rides are truly special and bring lasting memories. I can still remember how much fun and smiling I did when I was at Cedar Point.




Synopsis

Cedar Point is just an amazing place. You forget you’re in Sandusky, OH. It truly does feel like a real get-away. People come from around the world to feel the true experience of touring Cedar Point. Only positive things come to mind if I would ever work at Cedar Point, there are a wide a variety of jobs and it is such a great atmosphere to work in. They obviously demonstrate on how to be a leisure system by all the different things they provide for their guests. In researching Cedar Point there are two things that have stayed the same since 1870. The first thing is the beach, the beautiful, sandy Lake Erie beach. The second thing and the best thing are smiling faces. The smiles that Cedar Point guests have been sharing since the first ferry crossed Sandusky Bay so many years ago. The same smiles that will definitely be echoed at Cedar Point in the future, as Cedar Point continues with the very best in family fun and excitement.

Assignment 2 TWO 2

PALATINE PARK DISTRICT
Palatine, Illinois

Benefits:

Many of us were involved in sports, clubs, attended festivals or music programs, played at the local parks or swimming pools growing up, and now that we are older, we have begun to realize that the park district was and currently is the backbone to a successful community. The Palatine Park District, similar to park districts across the country, has a vision for providing safe, pleasant and affordable parks and recreation facilities for the Palatine community. Since the park district is a public agency, it hopes to enhance the quality of life by promoting healthy habits and well-being for residents in the community. The Palatine Park District has grown tremendously and has brought many leisure activities into the area. An example of the expansion on the park district was in 1994, a non-profit organization, The Palatine Park Foundation, was formed to help the Palatine Park District in continuing commitments of service to the community.

Background on the park district:

I met with one of the Palatine Park District Registrar Office employees. We will call her Susie Q. (to stay on the safe side of the Internet world). Susie Q. gave me the inside scoop how the park district is run, the events, activities and employment opportunities that are given through the park district. Susie Q. has been a park district employee for 5 years and explained it is a great part-time job, giving her time to also run a family owned sewing business out of her home. Her job entails working with resident questions and concerns, visitors and is a member of the park district team with other park district employees. Her favorite part of her job is primarily meeting residents of the community and in a sense “bragging” about what the park district has to offer. Susie Q. tells me that the new fitness area and the music amphitheater are the top favorites by residents in the Palatine area.

Employment:

The list of employment opportunities through the Palatine Park District is endless. I have first hand experience since I am a park district employee during the summers as a lifeguard and coach. There are full-time, part-time and volunteer opportunities. Some of the full-time and part-time jobs include fitness instructors, coaches, and teachers. Examples of volunteer programs are theater ushers, special event planning, and tutors. There are many facilities through the park district, which makes job opportunities more available, from swiping member passes to being a receptionist or a superintendent, looking over a large variety of the programs offered.

Current trends and information:

As said before, there are several facilities that form the park district and several favorites that the community is very proud to have, including:

• sport fields

  

• forty-nine parks
• four public pools
• frisbee disc golf course
• a dog park
• stables
• skate park
• forest preserve trails
• golf course

Along with those specific outdoor recreational options, the park district provides places for theater and music including Cutting Hall and the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater (picture to the left). All of these parts of the park district bring an environment that is natural, enjoyable and available for residents and visitors. The Palatine Park District webpage provides a calendar of upcoming events and where they are located. Having the accessibility to such facilities lets residents and non-residents become involved in the programming. The lists seem endless with the amount of variety brought to the table for people of all ages. Programs related to arts & crafts, athletics, camps, dance, fitness, gymnastics, performing arts, and swim team are all provided. The Palatine Park District provides residents with a catalog informing the community of when and where programs are located at an affordable cost. Fall, spring, winter and summer catalogs are available to keep residents of the community involved.

Synopsis:

Families play at the parks, swim at the pools, enroll themselves in sports, exercise programs, even tutor programs within their communities. The opportunities that the Palatine Park District offers to the community are abundant and continue to grow. Employment opportunities are available and reasonable. The facilities are kept modern, clean and available to residents of the community. Susie Q. recognizably found her job to be a positive one. She enjoys serving the public and personally as a park district employee do too. When I meet the people of the community, work with friends from the community while getting a pay check makes the park district leisure employment. So, whether it is a music festival, a walk down the trails or throwing the frisbee disc, the park district provides public leisure for individuals and families. The Palatine Park District has a mission and stands by it.