SPRD kicks off summer programs

Citizens of Sisters Country joined Sisters Parks and Recreation District (SPRD) for snacks, chats, and the debut of SPRD’s bright new summer catalog on Thursday.

Johanna Talus displayed child-sized garden tools on her table. She spoke knowledgeably about growing ornamental plants and edible vegetables in the Sisters climate.

Talus will be teaching a family vegetable gardening class beginning in mid-June, where parents can dig in the dirt alongside their kids. She said that her company, 3 Sisters Garden Company, plans to donate raised beds to SPRD. Her gardening families and SPRD’s Adventure Campers will be able to plant and grow in them.

At the Starshine Theater booth, kids tried on costumes, transforming into unicorns and fish. Theater instructor Jennie Sharp, wearing rainbows and a tiara, greeted visitors and shared information. Through SPRD, Starshine will premier new camps this summer for three different age groups, from preschoolers through high schoolers.

Teachers from SPRD’s popular preschool and after-school programs were on hand to answer questions. The new catalog announced two separate Adventure Camps: one for “littles” in kindergarten or younger, and one for students entering grades 1 through 5.

Visitors could also meet with a hiking club leader, Rotary club members, a family dog-walking instructor, and others who share their expertise with the Sisters community by partnering with SPRD.

“As the events coordinator, this is my very first event for the season,” said Shannon Rackowski of the Summer Kickoff party.

She described the day as “...wonderful. About half of our camps are already signed up, and we’ve had about 70 people come in during the last hour and a half.”

Due to rainy weather, SPRD was not able to present planned demonstrations of their outdoor park specialties: disc golf, pump bike track, and skate park.

“Other than that,” said Rackowski, “everything inside was great, and it seemed everybody liked all the snacks!”