Our department is growing.

On Aug. 16, we will welcome a new team member who will provide an abundance of opportunities for Scotland County. Our new senior coordinator/recreation Pprogrammer will not only enhance senior programs throughout Scotland County but will also create and develop family programming and events for you to enjoy.

In 2017, Parks and Recreation provided 47 fans and 13 window air conditioning units to seniors in Scotland County at no cost. With the recent heat wave we’ve experienced, these opportunities can be lifelines for seniors within our community. As we look to develop new initiatives, programs, and activities we encourage you to join the movement and make Scotland County prosperous through recreational activities.

As fall approaches, we are excited to launch the new phases of our sports programs, as we embody new incentives and rules that are inclusive to the youth of our community. Through these new ideas, we look to create an environment where children and adults are granted the opportunity to grow, learn, and enjoy the lifelong memories sports can create. It is important to spread the word about these changes in order to let the community know we are working for them to create the best atmosphere possible and to ensure all children and adults are taking advantage of the services the County has to offer.

Fall sports this season will include football, cheerleading, soccer, volleyball, and adult softball. For football and soccer, changes have been made to the age groups in order to allow children to begin playing sports at a younger age. Football will consist of 5-12 year olds and soccer will have 3-14 year olds. The weight limit has been eliminated from the program and will now allow all children the opportunity to play alongside their peers. On August 22nd at 6:00pm, Parks and Recreation will host the first annual football combine run in conjunction with the Scotland High School Football Team. Soccer will conduct an evaluation process for the 9U, 12U, and 15U age divisions. The evaluation will be held on Aug. 19 and will take place at the Morgan Recreation Complex.

Cheerleading age groups will operate in conjunction with those established for the football leagues. Volleyball will remain the same as past seasons and will be offered to girls who are upcoming 5th and 6th graders. In addition to youth sports, we will offer an adult softball league that will consist of men’s, women’s, and coed division. We are excited about all the changes taking place within the athletic programs and hope the community comes out in full force to support and be a part of the culture change we are pursuing.

October is a special time of the year from a parks and recreational standpoint as we highlight the joys of Halloween. Our annual “Halloween in the Park” event will be held at the Morgan Recreation Complex October 26th giving thousands of children the opportunity to enjoy a safe Halloween environment, and of course, get lots of candy! Finally, be prepared for a ground-shattering EPIC venture that we are hosting for the first time. Have you ever taken a trip down 401 toward Wagram and wondered what the old prison looks like inside the gates? Well, Parks and Recreation will give you that opportunity with a frightful experience as we will host a haunted house. Tentative dates for the house are October 20, 21, 28 and 31.

Scotland County, you will not want to miss this exhilarating event that is sure to provide good times and a great memory as we “bring back the dead” and fill Wagram prison site full of zombies and frightful creatures. This opportunity wouldn’t be possible without collaboration with Growing Change, special thanks to them and the special initiatives that they are creating in Scotland County.

As the leaves begin to fall and weather changes, our staff continues to make strides for greatness for the citizens of Scotland County. Be sure to add us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as we promote these wonderful events. For further information regarding our fall programming, please contact 910-277- 2585.

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Bryan Graham

Focus on Scotland

Bryan Graham, director of Scotland County Parks and Recreation, wrote this week’s Focus on Scotland, an effort by community leaders on making Laurinburg/Scotland County a better place to work, live, and play.