
St. Helens, OR – The citizens of St Helens have a whole new program for all ages filled with activities and classes galore for Summer 2018 thanks to a new St. Helens Recreation Program. This program is a partnership between the City of St. Helens and the St. Helens School District to fill a need for a centralized program for recreation creating a sense of community. Working in partnership the two organizations had a good start on the inventory of facilities. Project coordinators asked for citizen input on upcoming classes they would like to see and where a need should be filled such as a monthly family movie night. This input created a diverse Summer Recreation Program for St. Helen’s citizens.
Anyone can register for the new program on the website. Over 14 programs from Yoga in the Park, Community Game Night, Co-Ed Volleyball, Painting, Movie Night, Terrarum Making Classes, Walking Groups and so much available throughout the summer months for all ages. You’ll also get information for what’s going on at St. Helens Public Library, Eisenschmidt Pool, Summer Meals, and other community events such as 13 Nights on the River.
Shanna Duggan volunteer with the project also runs a Facebook group called Columbia County Sole Sisters for women to promote health. They provide online support and events to create a culture of a community. Columbia County Sole Sisters is for women only. She also works as the Utility Billing, Court, and Bank Specialist for the City of St. Helens. Working with this project is a perfect fit for Shanna. When you meet her she’ll tell you that she loves to create events to help pull her community together. As soon as she was asked Shanna wanted to help with the project. She shared, “I am passionate about community. It’s something I take pride in, volunteer for, and helps me to find connections for myself and others. I have seen a need for a recreation program since I moved here 16 years ago. When I was asked to help work on this project, it was an immediate yes. To me, a recreation program helps people connect with others, find a purpose, and provides opportunities to explore what is right here in front of us. So many times we leave Columbia County to do things that are already offered locally or could easily be offered here. It’s a win for everyone. I think that in today’s times, with cellphones and other distractions, bringing it back to the basics is such an important thing AND it’s fun. I mean, who doesn’t smile when they are playing freeze tag, painting, or doing a scavenger hunt?”
She said she is excited about the future of the program. ” I would love to see it be offered year-round with inclusive and diverse programs that partner with community members, local businesses, and sports programs. I hope we continue to find ways to offer programs at a lower rate for community members or at a price that’s affordable for low-income populations. I believe a recreation program can be a backbone of a community.”
For the full program, click here. To give more input for the future, please fill out the short online survey. Want a list of events, interested in teaching a class or have questions, please email recreation@ci.st-helens.or.us. or contact Shanna Duggan, City Of St. Helens, Utility Billing, Court and Bank Specialist, 503-397-6272 ext. 160
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