Free Stuff for Spring and Summer!

Here are some fun—and free—activities Apex Park and Recreation District is offering to the community during the next several months. The price is right, so try them all!

• Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 4 at 9101 Ralston Road. For ages 0-8. Bring your basket to the Garrison Street Sports Center by 10:45 and get ready to collect eggs; the hunt starts at 11 am SHARP. If you’ve been to this event before, you know how fast the eggs disappear – and it’s lots of fun for the adults to watch. No registration required; prizes and games included. For more information call 303-431-9600.
  A related attraction (with a fee) on April 4 is the Bunny Breakfast, 9 am at the Community Recreation Center. The breakfast includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, games, the Easter Bunny and rides on the Easter Bunny Express. Children 2 and under are free, $5 for ages 3 and up. Registration deadline is April 1. For more information, call 303-425-9583.
• Annual Father’s Day Car Show, Sunday, June 21 at the Apex Center, 13150 W. 72nd Avenue. This festive day for fathers and families includes a free car/cycle show from 9 am to 3 pm; nostalgic music of the 50s and 60s by deejay Van Jeffries; and other activities (with fees) including a 5K/1 mile run/walk/fun run at 8 am, a pancake breakfast fund-raiser hosted by Arvada-Jefferson Kiwanis, and food/beverage vendors. For more information visit www.apexprd.org or call 303-424-2739.
• Independence Day Celebration, Saturday, July 4. Bring the family and a picnic, play games and get a great seat for the fireworks! Free children’s activities take place from 3 to 7 pm: face painting, games, jumping castles and much more. For details call 303-431-9600. For information on the fireworks, call the City of Arvada, 720-898-7000.
• Summer Concert Series. The dates and performances of this popular outdoor program are still being determined—but in the meantime, you can dream of warm summer evenings with a family picnic at McIlvoy Park, a green and delightful spot in Olde Town Arvada at 5750 Upham Street. The children’s free morning concert series takes place down the street at the Pioneer Pavilion in North Jeffco Park, 9101 Ralston Road. The complete schedule will be announced later this spring; watch for it at www.apexprd.org.

More Summer Camp Choices for 2009

It’s not too early to plan ahead for summer camps! This year we offer your old favorites and some exciting new programs:

Outdoor Thrill Seekers – ages 12-15

A great opportunity for young teens to explore and enjoy our great outdoors with experienced, enthusiastic adult staff! We offer five one-day hikes for all levels on beautiful trails in the mountains and along the Front Range.

Survivor Day Camp – ages 10-12

Too old for traditional summer camp? Here’s an alternative. Survivor Day Camp is for physically and mentally active 10-12 year olds who are interested in outdoor activities and challenging games. Come to any or all in the three-session series. Each session is four days per week from 9 am-noon.

Team 7-12 Day Camp – ages 7-12

The ultimate choice in recreational day camps! Open from 7 am to 6 pm weekdays, June 1 to August 7. Sports, swimming, crafts, outdoor games, field trips and more! Registration starts March 2.

Counselor In Training Day Camp – ages 13-15

For teens who want to build leadership skills while enjoying summer activities. Featuring adventure courses, team-building, rafting, sports, trips, games, trail maintenance, rock climbing and more! Submit your application by Friday, April 24.
For more information on summer camps, call 303?431?9600 or visit www.apexprd.org.

Father’s Day 5K Run/1 mile walk/fun run returns June 21!

Last year, fathers, mothers, children, grandchildren, grandparents and community members enjoyed a fun and refreshing morning run, beginning and ending at the Apex Center on Father’s Day. This event was instantly popular, with its relaxed and family-friendly feel, a pancake breakfast afterward, and perhaps a stroll around the Apex Park and Recreation District Foundation Father’s Day Car Show.
The run is back for 2009 and better than before! This year, it benefits the after-school recreation program at four Arvada middle schools—activities begun in 2009 and set to expand this fall with help from the Apex Park and Recreation District Foundation. The Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization working to support community recreation since 1973, has decided this year to commit all the funds raised by the run to this important effort to keep our middle-schoolers active and healthy.
Proceeds from the Father’s Day 5K will enable Apex Park and Recreation District to offer a 2-hour after-school recreation program at Arvada, North Arvada, Drake and Oberon middle schools. As it stands right now, many children would be unable to afford these recreation programs, so the run proceeds will help give every student the opportunity to have fun and choose positive, healthy after-school activities.
This year’s 5K event starts at 8 am at the Apex Center and winds through the neighborhoods west of the facility, returning back to the starting place at Apex. The 1 mile event begins at 8:15 and also starts and finishes at Apex.
Again this year, Arvada-Jefferson Kiwanis is hosting their pancake breakfast fund-raiser, featuring pancakes, sausage, orange juice and coffee. Breakfast proceeds go to Arvada-Wheat Ridge Ambassadors for Youth and the after-school recreation program. So be sure to save some room for breakfast and then visit the car show…it starts at 9 am in the Apex Center parking lot.
For more information about the course, race fees and registration, visit www.apexprd.org.

Recreation Roundup switching to electronic distribution

This is the last Recreation Roundup to be mailed to Arvada residents. Effective with the fall issue, this newsletter will be available to those who subscribe to the online edition through our website, www.apexprd.org. We’ll also distribute the Recreation Roundup to all Apex Park and Recreation District facilities.
We’re making this change for several reasons: to reduce our paper output and its impact on the environment; to address the rising costs of printing and postage; and to respond to many citizens’ requests for electronic versus printed communication.
You can subscribe to the online edition of Recreation Roundup now; just visit www.apexprd.org and sign up. Subscribers will receive additional coupon offers, so don’t miss out! Thank you for supporting Apex Park and Recreation District, and we look forward to corresponding with you electronically.

District-wide food drive continues through April 3

“Warm Hearts for Those In Need,” a winter food collection campaign to benefit the Arvada Community Food Bank continues through April 3 at Apex Park and Recreation District.
Collection barrels are located at the Apex Center, 13150 W. 72nd Ave.; Garrison Street Sports Center, 9101 Ralston Road; the Community Recreation Center, 6842 Wadsworth Blvd.; and the Racquetball and Fitness Center, 12120 W. 64th Ave.
However, you can drop off donations of non-perishable food at any facility.
Now is a time of great need, according to Food Bank officials; in fact, they are experiencing a 30% increase in clients compared to this time last year. Thanks for helping out! For more information call 303-424-2739.