CRCE-lsaklak2

My reflection of my agency, Campus Rec through the CRCE location, is going to provide a summary of all the aspects I critically reviewed over these past weeks . First I will talk about the goals/objectives of Campus Rec they are as follows: to cultivate positive life-long learning, provide inclusive and valuable resources that empower the campus to achieve, develop leaders, serve the global community at the highest level, to be a place for everyone, diversify themselves and the programs and services offered, and to overall promote better quality of life. These goals are just right for an agency that serves such a large campus. Within this campus there are so many different kinds of people that all have a variety of needs and the agency would not survive if it didn’t go above and byeond to serve its customers. The funding of Campus Rec is also interesting especially with being a part of such a well-known University. The basic funding is provided by the memberships that are included in tuition costs for students that attend. Money is brought in by the rental of the facilities between all of Campus Rec’s facilities as well. That is a big money maker especially when IHSA and other well known agencies host tournaments and events. Intramurals and club sports provide income as well as alumni donations. The fee for wellness services such as yoga classes and cooking classes bring in a small percent too. Campus Rec has a broad range of income coming from all aspects of the agency which is why it is considered a profit based agency.
Concluding the Campus Rec’s services they provide are targeted for particular individuals. The students that attend the University of course are number one in service providing, then it moves onto the University’s faculty and staff who get the option to obtain a membership and bring along their spouses and children. The other students that are around the area including the graduate students and other community members that use the facilities from time to time are a big number of the customers who use the agency’s services. With the service of all these people the agency must stand out from all its competitors by emphasizing its key program elements that Campus Rec has to offer and how it sets it apart from the other agencies. First it is in service to such a large based community that are within a particular age it helps to create intramurals and programs for them to interact with each other because they will be on the same level of skill. The location of Campus Rec’s facilities is a great advantage because it is within walking distance to majority of all customers. Not only does it provide recreational services but it provides a means of employment for the customers as well which brings in another aspect to serve the community.
The strengths of Campus Rec as a leisure service provider are pretty obvious. First off the facilities they have are top of the line equipped with the best equipment. Their easy accessibility to all the students on the campus and the payment of membership is very easy as well. They include the service charges in the tuition so that everything is done and paid for so you don’t have to worry about it. They have such an array of services that they can host any and all events ranging from sorority philanthropies to club sports to career fairs. They have such a broad range of possibility that you really can never go wrong when you’re at a Campus Rec’s facility. Even though I hate to admit it but the weaknesses that I did come across within Campus Rec is for the special recreation. I felt as if they were equipped for any physical disability to come through their door but as to promoting and making aware of the services they provide was pretty limited. That exclusiveness definitely puts a damper on customer service. Also with the staffing of such young workers sometimes the professionalism is absent, that can also cause inconsistency with the providing of services to customers close in age and major conflicts can arise from that.
In the end I do believe that Campus Rec fulfills its purpose as a recreational provider greatly for the University. I know this by the popularity it has with the campus life and the amount of income they earn. Out of the 10 functions I found that Campus Rec fulfills 7, so you know your agency is good when you have over half the functions accounted for.




Champaign County Forest Preserve District- madden8

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) is a non-profit agency
whose purpose is to provide leisure services and environmental education to all
people in Champaign County. The fact that the CCFPD offers classes and clinics
to teach people about the environment and preserving the environment is what
sets it apart from other public parks. Another thing that sets it apart is the fact
it offers recreation for people with disabilities. Some types of recreation for
disabled people are a garden raised to a height so that people in wheelchairs
can see the flowers, and many of the trails are paved, thus making them
wheelchair accessible. Also the fact that the CCFPD has a central Illinois
museum and classes for children and adults is what makes it different from
your average park.
The park is funded by Champaign County taxes. These taxes mostly go
towards upkeep and employees. The golf course in the park actually does not
take money from the taxes though, but instead charges a fee to use the
facilities. However the golf course is self-sustainable, meaning the fees bring in
enough money to sustain the course without needing any of the county taxes.
Other areas that charge fees are rentals. People can rent out certain areas for
events, parties, weddings, etc. Besides golf and rentals, most things are free,
with the exception of a few classes. This allows people of almost all income to
enjoy the facilities.
The park’s objectives are to are to conserve, preserve, educate and
recreate, and so many opportunities exist for the public that fall under one of
these four main goals that their purpose is easily achieved. The park is
constantly looking for new ways to get people tot heir park by hosting many
events and classes each week. A weakness that arises here is the fact that many
of the classes and events are aimed more towards young children or
retired/elderly people. They are missing a wide range of age coherts with their
specific events. However it does seem like most teenage and adult age people
prefer the unstructured recreation the park has to offer. Another weakness in
the organization regards to the recreation involving a fee, in which case poorer
families would not be able to participate. Overall though the CCFPD seems to
keep in mind the diverse demographics of people when planning events,
activities and the park in general.



The I-Hotel - fatigat1

The tourism and hospitality agencies have a common obvious objective. They aim to cater to their guests and having success measured through the satisfaction of their stay. The I Hotel, as examined, is one of the premier hotels here in Champaign/Urbana. Their goals are very specific to accommodating guests, as there are events and functions happening with the University of Illinois. They are also involved in holding various meetings within the hotel in their newly renovated business center. They population that are intended for this sector of leisure delivery has a very wide range. Some of these intended individuals can include: students, parents, families, or businessmen. The tourism and hospitality agencies seek to coordinate with customers, or guests, needs by insuring an adequate experience with their stay.

This agency is different from other agencies within leisure service and delivery. This agency does seek to earn a profit and how profitable they actually are relies on the execution of their leisure delivery. For example, the people who work at the I Hotel have to make guests feel at home and cater to their requests to receive good reviews. From good reviews, there will be more people interested in staying there. This shows the importance of the leisure service and delivery for the hospitality and tourism agencies commercial success. Some of the services provided at the I-Hotel include: room services, restaurant, bar, spa, fitness center, and conference centers. These services are important for the satisfaction of their guests.

The I-Hotel has a lot of strengths when looking at the hospitality and tourism sector in the Champaign/Urbana area. There are not many other hotels that are directly on campus, which makes the I-Hotel advantageous. Also, when looking at a hospitality view, this agency is targeted for everybody regardless of age because anyone is able to stay there. Also, the other services they provide, such as Greek functions and business conferences, allow the hotel to be more versatile in the hospitality industry and allows there to be more events taking place. The only weakness within the I-Hotel is competition for weekends were a lot of visitors are anticipated, such as fathers and mothers weekends or for home football or basketball games. This creates competition between other surrounding hotels when people are deciding on where to stay for the night or weekend.




Tom Best
Bally Total Fitness

The agency I researched was Bally Total Fitness. This organization focuses on a person’s well being and individual qualities. Bally is a great place for people who are in need of exercise, a challenge, or just enjoying some leisure time. The agency attempts to increase people’s desires to stay fit and enjoy their daily lives more. Bally Fitness is a very diverse agency and contains an environment suitable for all ages. The hands on assistance from the staff is one of a kind. The time and devotion they put into their work is something to really take advantage of. This a commercial organization and benefits from people of all ages.

Bally Fitness Center targets mainly teens to adults, but has room for all ages. Their main equipment and training is used for older teens and adults. However, there is a children center that is very unique and helpful for kids. Also, the elderly are always welcome and can use just about all the machines other adults can use. The center has a lot of diverse equipment and challenges available for people to participate in. The trainers offer any assistance desired and really push the members to complete any task. Bally as a whole is completely diverse and offers so much to its members. The center is the ideal place to participate in a leisure activity.

Bally’s goals are to get the best out of their members each and every day. When people enter Bally they understand their goal and activity at hand. There is no unnecessary pressure or stress involved. People can enter at will and enjoy their leisure time with no regard to their outside problems or activities. The reason people go back to Bally Fitness day after day is the enjoyment of the center and livelihood of the staff. The only negatives within the agency are the financial struggles and desire of people to work out. Unfortunately, people today have lost the will to exercise and stay fit. That results in Bally losing money and possibly going folding over.




Old Orchard Lanes & Links-astoff2 (Andrew Stoffer)
The location I chose for the leisure service delivery is called Old Orchard Lanes and Links. It is a profit organization that provides miniature golf and bowling for the community of Savoy. During my visit I was able to learn a lot about the agency. This includes the goals, strengths, weaknesses, and trends of the agency. All of the employees were very helpful and friendly. They create a great atmosphere for customers. The two agencies I am comparing to Old Orchard are Bally Total Fitness and I-Hotel. They are both profitable organizations that have the goal of serving their community as well. However, they also have many differences.
One of the things that stood out the most for me at Old Orchard was the friendly atmosphere. The manager discussed the consistent positive customer feedback they get because of this. Both Bally and I-Hotel have a similar welcoming environment with a large staff. All of their customers seem to be loyal and satisfied, and their employees are passionate about their job. All of these organizations have the same common goal of serving all ages of the community in an effort to help their well-being. A difference that is evident is the recent trends of each association. Old Orchard and I-Hotel have had a continued success in their business over the past few years. However, Bally has had a decline in sales in recent years. In 2007 they filed for bankruptcy, but they are now trying their best to battle out of it. Another major difference is the fact that I-Hotel and Old Orchard only have one location. Bally is a corporately owned and run worldwide. This creates a different system and experience for the employees even though the experiences for the customers of each organization are much alike.
I was able to find numerous positive similarities between the three organizations. They all have a lot to offer, but they also have things to improve on. After researching each one, I feel that the I-Hotel is the strongest organization, however, I believe that Old Orchard offers the most leisure. They share a similar definition of leisure, which seems to be their primary goal. They want to satisfy their customers by giving them the leisure they are looking for. The customers come back because they enjoy their time spent there. It is how they choose to utilize their own leisure time.




Assembly Hall - hammond8

The Assembly Hall is one of the many organizations in our group that would be considered commercial recreation. It can appeal to so many people, but their main objective is profit. While they do provide sporting events, concerts, plays, and musicals, the big picture is all about making the dough. A lot of the money that the Assembly Hall gets comes from us, the consumer. There are various events that go on at the Assembly Hall that can appeal to all age groups. There can be events that target certain age groups like younger children and plays, and then events that attract all age groups such as a basketball game.
Something that sets the Assembly Hall apart from other agencies is the variety that is offers. Like I stated above there is something for all age groups. This can also be its strength. Because of the various events that it offers, it attracts more people from out of the area. More so right now, people are struggling because of the economy so the tickets and concession prices could affect attendance rates.
I believe the Assembly Hall helps the community and still fulfills its objective. It offers so many things where people can just get away for a couple hours at a time. Even though they pay for that ticket, during that time people can be experiencing leisure. That is the most important thing at the end of the day. You have to satisfy the customer and let them experience leisure.

The Christine Rich Dance Academy and Performing Arts Center – coyne4

The goals and objectives of The Christine Rich Studio (CRS) are to provide high-quality dance and fitness training while teaching life lessons in discipline, focus and respect to members of the greater Champaign-Urbana area. It strives to offer the “best of the best” in dance training in the Midwest (outside of a major city). Students at CRS are pushed towards excellence and the benefits are endless.
The agency is funded by the customers, plain and simple. CRS’ success relies solely on the loyalty of its customers. It has customers who have been dedicated for several years and thus is able to provide such a beautiful facility in which the dancers are able to train.

The individuals/groups served by CRS are students ranging from 15 months to middle-aged (however most are 15 months to high school aged) in the Champaign-Urbana area. The cost dictates families to be at least lower-middle class, unless of course the student is taking one class per week, in which case it is very affordable.

The key program elements that set this agency apart from others are its high caliber and structured nature. If a parent wants a student to learn the art of dance, musicality, how to listen and follow instructions, that breaking rules results in consequences, etc., CRS is without a doubt the place to go. Many other agencies in the area offer dance lessons, but they are not as high quality and do not necessarily teach the other aforementioned skills.

A strength of CRS would be its guarantee of value. Value is often defined as benefits minus costs, and in this circumstance, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs. Another strength would be the success rate of students at CRS. One such student, Andrew Cribbett, is currently spending his senior year training at the Washington Ballet School and the Duke Ellington Performing Arts School in Washington D.C. on a full scholarship he received from a competition in Chicago last year. Other students, while perhaps not pursuing dance post-high school, have gone on to Ivy League schools, and their years at CRS helped them get to this level. Parents see this success in newspaper articles and media around the Studio and come running. It is difficult for me to think of weaknesses as I’m a big proponent of this dance studio, but perhaps one would be the cost. It’s not terribly expensive, but in today’s world, even a few extra bucks can be challenging. And it’s a private, for-profit business, and therefore it does cost.

CRS absolutely fulfills its purpose. As stated above, the main goal/objective is to provide high-quality dance and fitness training while teaching life lessons in discipline, focus and respect to members of the greater Champaign-Urbana area. Many past students have raved over what they learned training at CRS. For some of these testimonials, please visit this link: http://www.christinerichstudio.com/studio/testimonials_industry.php. It starts with Industry testimonials, then parent, then student, then alumni. CRS is a wonderful agency in this area that parents, if they have a true interest in the art of dance, should take advantage of!





Conclusion:

After looking at all the different agencies among our group, we found that there were many differences within each agencies strengths and weaknesses. Our group contained seven agencies that were commercial and only had one agency that was non-profit. There were a wide variety of services that were provided by each of our agencies and had different targeted populations. For example, when examining Campus Recreation and the I-Hotel, we found that Campus Recreation was targeted more towards the student base, while the I-Hotel concentrated more on attracting visitors to the university. In addition, it was very evident that each of these agencies provided a different level of accommodation for therapeutic recreation opportunities. To demonstrate, the CCFPD provides programs that are directly for people who have disabilities. However, when comparing the CCFPD to CRCE, CRCE’s programs are not as accessible or abundant. Another difference we saw was how the different agency’s services were obviously intended for specific age groups. For example, the Christine Rich Dance Academy was targeted mainly for kids to teens, while most of the other agencies provided services that were specific to all age groups. However, even though we saw differences among the agencies, we also saw some similarities among the purposes of the agencies goals. Each agency had very different purpose and service delivery. This was shown in our analysis of each agency, however we were able to conclude that each agency strived to achieve an enhanced quality of life for participants. In particular, the agencies were each trying to aid in personal development and strengthen neighborhood and community ties. This was consistent within each of our agencies after reviewing the purposes of their leisure services and delivery.

Group Leisure Definition:
Any activity that gives an individual a sense of happiness and freedom everyday obligations.

Trace Hammond - Assignment #2 - Assembly Hall

Sports Management

Introduction

Paint the Hall Orange. Fighting Illini Basketball. Orange Krush. These all might be things that come to you head when you think about the Assembly Hall, but there is so much more that goes on. There is staff and workers that have jobs to do such as booking events, setting up the athletic schedule, ushering, or even working the concession. Assembly Hall has such a deep history and significance to the University of Illinois, because of its versatility and employment opportunities. All this can apply to the sports management aspect.

History

The Assembly Hall was built in the early 1960’s and finished construction on March 2, 1963. Assembly Hall has been home to the men’s basketball team since 1963 and the women’s basketball team since 1981. The Assembly can hold 16,618 people and with expanded seating, 17,200. During 1999 a multi-million dollar renovation took place that included new locker rooms, a training room and dining area, plus a new tunnel area to accommodate network television trucks and team buses. In 2005, a state-of-the-art video board was installed that cost 1.7 million dollars.

Employment

As the manager of such a large arena, you have to hire other people to help out with a number of things. There is someone who has to book events such as concerts or musicals. Also, a group of people who sort out the schedule of the events that are going on. There cannot be any conflicts in the schedule. You also have to account for the ushers. These people are so helpful to the most important thing, the customer. Working the concession is another necessity. During my years in high school I experienced working the concession. I know how hard and hectic it can be. So as you can see there are many job opportunities that are available at the Assembly Hall. These jobs play a very important role of what goes into the Assembly Hall.

Trends

Right now, because of the economy people might not choose to go to a basketball game or concert because of the cost. This can be a problem, as good seats at a concert can cost you $75 (I have experienced this.) Not only can tickets burn a hole in the wallet, but food and drinks also add up when at an event. As the economy continues to get better I think you will see more and more people attending these events.

Synopsis

Through all the years that I have attended the Assembly Hall for games and concerts, I have noticed all the work and people that go into “running the show.” For the customer to experience leisure at these events there has to be preparation and hard work that goes on behind the scenes. As the general manger of such a great arena like Assembly Hall there is a lot of work that goes with it. This agency fits into the leisure delivery system by giving the public a place to go to watch a sporting event or concert while still making a profit. It gives the chance to escape.

The Christine Rich Dance Academy and Performing Arts Center – Commercial Recreation

Natalie Coyne – Assignment 2

The Christine Rich Studio

The Christine Rich Studio (CRS), as it is most often called for brevity’s sake, is a privately owned Dance Studio located in Savoy, Illinois. It has been in business for 23 years, although not always at the same location, and is owned and directed by Christine Rich, a lifelong dance and arts enthusiast. As Ben Vereen once stated, “There in Champaign is an oasis for the arts, and the whole world will know and come running. For we in the arts look for studios where we can be surrounded by the love and support that Christine Rich has put inside this magnificent building. The students get the best from the best, her staff of talented teachers leave no stone unturned when it comes to their young budding stars. The one thing that a parent can rest assured in is that their child will be in the best environment to learn to express that gift from within." Christine Rich started as a professional dancer, model, and actor before deciding to focus on her passion for spreading all the arts have to offer to following generations.

Lobby at CRS

CRS has been in business, as stated above, for 23 years. It started out in smaller facilities, such as a unit in Lincoln Square in Urbana, and has since moved into a beautiful, state of the art building in Savoy. It serves students starting at 15 months old and has no age limits. These students come from Champaign-Urbana and beyond, including communities such as Tolono, Mahomet, Rantoul, Sydney, and even Danville and Effingham. Dance classes at CRS range from Ballet (the foundation of dance), Jazz, Tap, Fairy Tale Ballet and Tap for the “little ones”, Acrobatics, and more. While the main focus is fun, CRS also teaches lessons in discipline, focus, and respect. Ms. Rich recognized the need for high caliber training opportunities in communities that are well established but smaller than a major city, such as Champaign-Urbana. Her passion, background in training from “the best of the best”, experience in the professional field of dance, and business-savvy nature proved to be the perfect recipe for a successful dance studio.

Interior Hallway at CRS

Employment at CRS is fairly limited as it is a “small” business. There is one main office manager and several teachers. Teachers of high levels have a background in dance; however, some of the teachers of the younger classes are simply early-education majors who have the ability to learn quickly. If someone wanted to work at this business, or at any dance studio for that matter, they should have a passion for the arts, a willingness to work long, hard hours, patience, and an open-mind for such a dynamic field.

Classroom at CRS

There are a few trends and issues that affect CRS in today’s society. First, there seems to be a great deal of poor parenting, which is reflected in students during classes. Students of the 3 or 4 year old classes seem to ignore rules and authority and want class to be a place they can just run around for a given period of time. While free play is a wonderful and necessary thing for a growing child, class time is for learning and focusing. All too often these children who tend to misbehave have characteristics echoed in their parents. Also, the current economic recession is an issue that CRS must face. When discretionary money in families is cut, “discretionary” activities are cut, and dance, as a recreational activity to most, might be the first thing to go. It is CRS’ responsibility to prove to customers that dance training is highly beneficial and not something that should be cut out of schedules.

Ms. Rich with 2 of her "stars"

The definition of leisure, from CRS’ point of view, would probably be that leisure should be spent engaging in activities that strengthen your mental, physical, and emotional capacity. It is something that should bring you joy while improving your health. CRS benefits the population it serves by first and foremost providing high quality dance training. If someone wants to learn dance and get the best overall training in the Champaign-Urbana area, CRS is the place to go. But it not only offers wonderful training, it also teaches life-lessons in time management, discipline, focus, and multi-tasking, all skills that will transfer to other endeavors.

Former student, Andrew Cribbett

The Christine Rich Studio is a phenomenal institution in this area. It combines training with health and with musicality to provide services unmatched in this community. A pro of CRS would be its guarantee of value. Value is often defined as benefits minus costs, and in this circumstance, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs. Another pro would be the success rate of students at CRS. One such student, Andrew Cribbett, is currently spending his senior year training at the Washington Ballet School and the Duke Ellington Performing Arts School in Washington D.C. on a full scholarship he received from a competition in Chicago last year. Other students, while perhaps not pursuing dance post-high school, have gone on to Ivy League schools, and their years at CRS helped them get to this level. It is difficult for me to think of cons as I’m a big proponent of this dance studio, but perhaps one would be the cost. It’s not terribly expensive, but in today’s world, even a few extra bucks can be challenging. And it’s a private, for-profit business, and therefore it does cost. But as I stated above, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs. Dance classes at the Christine Rich Studio will not disappoint. The view of leisure at this business is reflective of mine in that physical activity, mental activity, and overall healthy endeavors are an important part of what leisure is all about. And dance to me is not only a physical activity, it’s an undeniably beautiful art form. I will wrap things up with a quote from Henry Havelock Ellis, “Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is not mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself.”

Tourism/Hospitality Industry: The I-Hotel

Introduction

The I Hotel is one of the few hotels that are directly on campus here at the University of Illinois. Being located near Assembly Hall, the I Hotel attracts many visitors of all different demographics such as, students, parents, families, and cooperate functions. The I Hotel’s primary function is to ensure the best hospitality for their guest by making sure their customers are satisfied with their stay. The I Hotel also has a large conference center where various events are hold in their large banquet halls. There are also many different amenities guest receive while staying at the I Hotel. They are able to enjoy the most modern enjoyable settings such as an outside lounge patio, Houlihan’s Restaurant and Bar, fitness centers, and spa access.

Background

The I Hotel is not just your ordinary hotel. Its modernity and features places this hotel and conference center high above your typical Holiday Inn. They absolutely deserve the name “I Hotel” because of their location on campus and association with holding social events for fraternities and sororities. The primary nature of the I Hotel’s existence is to provide a place where people can stay comfortably away from home and enjoy their stay elsewhere. They also, however, focus a lot with cooperate meetings via there various conference centers and hosting various social events for clubs and Greek life here at the University of Illinois. 

 

Employment and Trends

Being involved in the hospitality and tourism industry, there are many job opportunities available. These jobs can include: room service and house keeping, guest services, front desk management, general management, banquet planning and management, etcetera. These are only a few jobs in the field, however there are a couple different ways to obtain such positions. Many workers in the hospitality and tourism industry work to where they are at with the “work your way up” mentality. People who have been around and know how the overall operations of the hotel are usually promoted. However, people who posses a degree in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism or in anything management related are able to skip pass starting at the bottom. People who major in these areas have opportunities to start off as managers and coordinators within the hotel and conference center.

The current trends and issues you are starting to see with the I Hotel are very closely related to working with the University of Illinois. This is because they make accommodations for those big weekends when family come down to visit—football games, father’s and mother’s weekends. Since immediate hotel location on campus is limited at the University of Illinois, it is important the I Hotel caters to these important weekends through marketing and high reviews. Also, they have been concentrating more on their conference center section and trying to bring in more banquets, conventions, and banquet meetings, within the University and outside functions.

Summary

To summarize the function of the I Hotel’s services, they plan on accommodating guests so they are completely satisfied with their stay. The I Hotel’s definition of leisure is definitely rooted around this central theme of relaxation and enjoyment. They are concerned for the well-being of their guests and try providing the best possible atmosphere away from home. Through their various amenities and services provided by the hotel, they are able to capture an outstanding living experience for their guest. Leisure takes on more therapeutic approach at the I Hotel because of their spa and fitness facilities. It can also be seen as more relaxation time as leisure where you can enjoy time away from obligations. The I Hotel provides leisure service and delivery to their guest to make them satisfied with their stay here in Champaign/Urbana.

 

  

Drew Stoffer-Assignment 2

Old Orchard Lanes & Links

Introduction:

When you think about leisure, what comes to mind? Maybe the thought of a relaxing day on the couch, laying out at a pool, or going out to the movies. Activities such as golf or frisbee are what come to my mind when I think about leisure. Because of this, Old Orchard Lanes and Links was the perfect place for me to research for this assignment. It is a place for people of the Savoy community to relax and take part in such activities.

Background:

Old Orchard Lanes and Links is a local bowling ally and miniature golf course located in Savoy, Illinois on Neil Street. The bowling alley opened in 1964, and was later bought by a family in 1994. It has always been open to the public and is a popular site for people of all ages from Savoy, Champaign, and Urbana. There is an arcade, lounge, and snack bar located in the bowling alley. During the summer of 2002 the family invested in a miniature gold course that they built adjacent to the bowling alley. It is an 18 hole outdoor course that is open every summer. Both the lanes and links have been quite successful.

Employment:

None of the positions at Old Orchard Lanes and Links require a college degree. Most of the positions are not skilled jobs. There are cashiers, supervisors, maintenance employees, and managers. The managerial positions are the only ones that require some prior experience. New employees tend to be hired in the spring, because they increase the size of the staff for the summer months. It is easy to get your foot in the door if you are already a frequent customer or you show your passion for leisure activities. They love hiring people that have friendly personalities and enjoy coming to work, they try to create a great atmosphere for the customers.

Trends and Issues:

The manager touched on many issues regarding vandalism and theft. Both are very common because it is a place that attracts many children and young adults on the weekends. He discussed how they have received great positive customer feedback results, although the business faces some financial loss due the theft and vandalism. They have hired more supervisors to monitor areas such as the arcade to fix is problem. When I spoke with a cashier he told me that most of the customers are polite and have a good experience when they come, however he felt that some of the equipment the employees use needs to be updated and restored. Overall, everything appeared to be going very well.

Definition of Leisure:

The manager was ecstatic to describe Old Orchard's definition of leisure. He talked about how he believes leisure is how people choose to spend their time and that he loves having the opportunity to be the one to fulfill this for the members of his community. He said that there is nothing that makes him happier than seeing familiar faces. As a business their goal is to have consistent customers that continue to come back and have a great experience. He said to be realistic every successful business needs to make money, however, the primary benefit they receive from the business is that warm feeling of happiness. They want to give back to the community and much of this is because they are a family owned business. The family took over in 1994 for this very reason, and it just so happened that it was lucrative in the process.

Synopsis:

After visiting Old Orchard Lanes and Links I have a much better understanding of the operations of the business. I really liked how passionate they were about their job there. It seems like they have great customer satisfaction as well as employee satisfaction. I'm not quite sure if I could see myself working specifically at a place like this, however it definitely motivated me to want to work in this field one day. They do a fantastic job delivering leisure to the community. Although, I think they could improve on meeting employee needs. The workers seem to enjoy working there, but they lack some of the proper equipment, training, and pay. I think if all of those were met they would have more valuable employees that could possibly mean much more to the business in the future. In the long run it would be a great investment.

Kimberly Madden- Assignment 2

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Background

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) began in 1935 when the County acquired the land. The forest preserve district recreation area was formed by World War II veterans in 1942 after their return home from war. This gave them a job and therefore served as a kind of “stimulus package” for the veterans. Now the CCFPD is an extensive non-profit recreation facility and nature preserve whose goals are to conserve, preserve, educate and recreate.

Activities (paddle boat, discovery garden, golf course)

Leisure Activities

The leisure opportunities at the CCFPD are endless. For those who use leisure as activity, they have to option to go golfing, hiking or running on one of the many dirt or paved trails, playing games on one of the may open grass areas or even go paddle boating on the weekends. Those who enjoy more relaxed forms of leisure can partake in fishing, horticulture activities or walking through the gardens. Lastly for those wanting to use their leisure time to become more educated, the CCFPD offers many classes for children and adults, along with a central Illinois museum. They even have a garden especially for children called the Children's Discovery Garden.

Employment

This just brushes the surface on all that the CCFPD offers, and to keep up with all the activities, the CCFPD hires between 25 and 50 employees depending on the season. During the spring and fall the CCFPD becomes busier and more help is needed. There are many different job opportunities including recreation and business related jobs, and also a site superintendent and his/her assistants, maintenance workers, and museum curators. For the jobs in the head quarters, business, recreation or related field degrees are needed. Depending on the position a management, public relations, marketing, leisure or other business related degrees may be required.

Volunteers

Volunteers

Now because the CCFPD is non-profit and relies on tax money, hundreds of volunteers are used to reduce costs. Sometimes a degree is even needed for a volunteer. For example, most of the museum curators are volunteers who are retired people with history degrees. They help identify and validate donated articles for the museum. On average the CCFPD volunteers put in a collective total of 500 hours per month.

Enabling Garden

Equal Opportunities

The hundreds of volunteers are especially needed during these economic times. The CCFPD has been exceptionally busy as a result of the recession, mainly in part because a lot of the activities offered are free. There are only a few exception like golfing, renting facilities for events, and some classes that require a fee. So in this case social class does not prevent a person from having a wide variety of fun leisure and educational opportunities. At the CCFPD disabled people have leisure opportunities too. There is an enabling garden with flower beds raised high enough for persons in wheelchairs to easily see the flowers. They also have a wooded one mile paved loop trail, and handicap accessibility in the museum.

Education

As a forest preserve the CCFPD educates people on nature preservation and also has a foundation set up to raise money for land acquisition and tools to maintain county land and to keep trails clear to promote use. As part of the educational part of land preservation, the park offers many classes to learn about the land so that people can get a better appreciation for nature. Some classes include seed collecting, mammal tracking, survivor day and remarkable reptiles. Leisure as defined by the Volunteer Coordinator Kim, is “something you enjoy that isn’t routine, like a hobby or a passion.” The CCFPD strives to promote a healthy lifestyle for people and the planet Earth.

Summary

The CCFPD is a great place that benefits the environment and all types of people. The opportunities for leisure are endless so I would encourage interested people in visiting their website or subscribing to their newsletter. I would also encourage those interested in the recreation field to volunteer. This is a great way to explore many opportunities of recreation all in a single location. Benefits from working here would be that you are in a great setting and you get to plan fun events to get people involved in nature, education and activities. Also since the industry is actually doing better than most you have the comfort of having a stable job. The downside to working for the CCFPD is that depending on your position, I’m not sure how hands on you can be with the activities and the park, your job is to provide leisure activities not necessarily participate in the leisure activities. Overall I had a great experience with the CCFPD and I hope to volunteer for some events they hold myself.