| July 2024

Join MoCoRec for Independence Day Celebrations

Get into the holiday spirit and join fellow County residents this week at Montgomery County's two FREE Independence Day fireworks celebrations, one on Thursday, July 4 and the other on Saturday, July 6!

Thursday, July 4: Germantown Glory at South Germantown Recreational Park, 18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds. Live music will begin at 7 p.m. featuring Central City Orchestra. On-site parking is available. Plan to arrive early!

Saturday, July 6: Mid-County Sparkles at Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington. Live music will begin at 6 p.m. featuring Joe Falero and Downtown Sound. Only handicap parking is available at the high school. Ride On shuttle services will be available from Westfield Wheaton starting at 5:30 p.m. Stay informed as there will be road closures.

The fireworks displays will begin at approximately 9:15 p.m. at both celebrations. The timing of the fireworks may change due to weather conditions. Lawn chairs, blankets and coolers are welcome at both events. There will be food vendors at both locations.

The celebrations are family friendly events. The County prohibits alcoholic beverages and smoking. Pets and tents are also not allowed. 

Celebrating National Park and Recreation Month

July is National Park and Recreation Month! Montgomery County Recreation is inviting residents to enjoy in the hundreds of recreation programs offered that contribute to a healthier lifestyle and enhance the quality of life for all ages, cultures and abilities. The month-long celebration is a National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) initiative. Community members can share their stories about what Montgomery County Recreation means to them on social media through Facebook and X using the hashtags #WhereYouBelong and #ParkandRecMonth24. A few highlights during the month include Camp Kindness Day on July 17 and National Park and Recreation Professional Day on July 19.  Learn more about Montgomery County Recreation and the wide variety of programs we offer by visiting our website.

Recreation Summer Camps Underway

Summer is here, and our camps are in full swing. There are still limited spots available for July and August if you are still looking for something for your kids to do this summer. From therapeutic recreation to sports, arts and more, there is a camp for everyone! To search our wide array of camps and to see which are still available, visit ActiveMONTGOMERY.  

New Playground Unveiled at East County CRC

Montgomery County Recreation’s East County Community Recreation Center has a brand-new playground available for families to enjoy! Summer campers got to enjoy the new equipment, celebrating with a special event on Tuesday, June 25.

The new playground features equipment for ages 2 – 12. It includes a climbing structure, small slide, seesaw and mini car for the children to enjoy. Visit the center at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring, to check out the playground and more. East County CRC also has an outdoor sport court available for use. The center is open Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Have questions? Call 240-777-8090.

Damascus Community Recreation Center and Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center are also scheduled to have playground upgrades in the coming year.

Beat the Heat at Our Outdoor Pools

We are in the midst of a busy summer season so make sure that you take some time to cool off at one of our seven outdoor pools!

The latest episode of our podcast, Inside Recreation, goes into detail about all our locations across the County, pool passes, amenities and important safety rules to remember. Residents can buy memberships, which can help you skip the line when entering the pool! 

Host Carmen Berrios Martinez speaks with Bridget Gallagher, a Recreation Supervisor on our Aquatics team, about how to have a fun and safe summer at the pools with your friends and family. 

Heading to the pools on July 4? You can buy tickets in advance. Make sure to know before you go! Many of our pools reach capacity on hot and busy days, so sign up for Recreation Alerts and check the website for updates.

The podcast provides the community with another way to get information and updates from the department. You can listen to Inside Recreation on a variety of platforms including Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. You can also watch this episode of Inside Recreation on our YouTube channel.

Showcasing Our Services: Kim Moake

The strength and longevity of many of Montgomery County Recreation’s wide array of programs comes from the dedication of our instructors. Few display this more than Kim Moake, who recently celebrated 50 years of service with the department as a class instructor with the Tompkins Karate Association (TKA). Moake originally joined TKA as a student in 1972 and impressively began teaching just three years later.

“I enjoyed the people and the martial arts and very much appreciated the format that Dale Tompkins (Founder of TKA) developed that allowed it all to be affordable,” Moake said.

Moake's work in teaching County residents Tang Soo Do Korean karate and jujitsu has spanned generations and created lifelong enthusiasts of the sport. Moake said that what has kept her energized as an instructor is the community of people she has met, and the lasting friendships developed over the years.

“They (TKA) are amazing martial artists and teachers,” Moake said. “All of the people we have worked with in MoCoRec are creative, energetic and supportive. They are flexible and engaged and are interested not just in hosting our classes, but also in helping them thrive and evolve. It’s a great match!”

TKA currently has classes at nine of our Montgomery County Recreation centers and at Bethesda Elementary School. Currently, Moake is teaching at Wheaton and Germantown Community Recreation Centers.

“It allows us to be involved with the Montgomery County community in a fun and meaningful way, Moake added. "This relationship allows us to impact so many people in ways we would never be able to on our own.”

Interested in learning more? There are still some spots available in our summer classes that you can register for with ActiveMONTGOMERY. And be on the lookout for more classes when our fall program registration begins.

MoCoRec Celebrates with 13 NACo Achievement Award Wins

Montgomery County Recreation is proud to have received 13 recognitions in the 2024 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievements Awards! Since 1970, the NACo Achievement Awards have recognized outstanding county government programs and services. Noteworthy programs receive awards that cover a vast range of county responsibilities.

Learn more about the Department's programs that were recognized:

• 55+ BBQ Bonanza - After the COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery County Recreation sought to celebrate the success and fellowship developed by the senior community over the years as well reengage them into programming after the lengthy period of social isolation. The 55+ BBQ Bonanza event allowed Recreation to bring more than 800 seniors together to participate in games and activities, including Bingo, crafting floral arrangements, line dancing, a petting zoo, mini golf, volleyball and more, along with delicious food for everyone to enjoy. 
  
  
• After-School Professional Development Program - Montgomery County Recreation created an event for seasonal and part-time employees, similar to a professional development program found at the state or national level. Our Youth Development team felt that this program would be beneficial for this contingent of staff to allow them to learn more in-depth about the wide reaches of recreation, and to allow them to go further as professionals. 
  
  
• Buckets and Beats - The event aimed to create a safe and enjoyable space for young people to connect, participate in positive activities and foster community bonds. Several of the activities included pop-up skateboarding, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and live painting. The event also served an opportunity to provide access to positive community resources. 
  
  
• Centenarian Celebration - As residents reach the centenarian milestone, the County wanted to acknowledge all the contributions they have made over the past 100 years to their community, in this case in Montgomery County. Recreation's Senior Programs Team felt it was important to take the time to provide a high-quality celebration for these well-deserving residents and their family members.
  
  
• NFL Flag Football with Referee Academy - Recreation's Flag Football League was designed to give youth of all abilities, a chance to learn and play the sport at an affordable price. The league is set up with a recreational and coed format, with an additional division that serves as a girls' only division. Benefits have included being part of a team, improving football skills and keeping youth sports both fun and accessible.
  
  
• Rec N' Resources - The goal of the Rec N' Resources event was to eliminate barriers that exist in the eastern region of the County due to a lack of knowledge and access to transportation. The event featured outreach tables and families who attended were able to receive information regarding programs, jobs, childcare, secondary education and free services. Games and demonstrations took place so that parents could walk around and focus on the resources while the children participated in the activities. 
  
  
• Rec Your Way - The Rec Your Way program provides recreation, tailor made to its audience. It allows an individual, Parent Teacher Association or other organizations the ability to create their own recreation experience with high quality and organized programming. 
  
  
• RecFit - Montgomery County Recreation made its RecFit passes free for County residents, in 2023. The free pass provides access to full equipped fitness rooms, open gym (drop-in) activities and game rooms at any recreation center during regularly scheduled hours. Residents can sign up for the pass in-person and it can be used any of our recreation centers. Montgomery County Recreation to able to provide free and equitable access to these facilities which helps residents improve health outcomes without costly gym memberships. The program has been extremely successful and free membership continued in 2024.
  
  
• Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) - SOAR is a program run by Montgomery County Recreation for active adults ages 55 and older. SOAR offers one-day, high quality, tourist experiences at an affordable cost, with financial assistance available to those that qualify. These trips are designed so that everyone leaves with new experiences and new friends.  
  
  
• Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center Teen Visioning Event - As Montgomery County Recreation was getting ready to open the brand-new Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center, it was important to get community feedback with the plans for opening. Middle and high school students were invited to join the department to learn about and share their input for the new center. This was an opportunity for students to ask questions, share ideas and provide feedback, while earning Student Service Learning hours.
  
  
• Teen Camps - Last summer, Montgomery County Recreation held two Teen Camps at Kingsview and A. Mario Loiederman Middle Schools that were six-week summer programs offered by the department, specifically designed for middle school students. The Teen Camps provided teenagers with a safe and engaging camp experience, while also giving parents an alternative camp option for their child. From sports, arts and crafts, guest speakers, field trips and more, the Camps not only offered exciting lifelong memories, but also provided youth with the opportunities to build friendships, connect with caring adults and participate in activities that keep them healthy and engaged during summer months. 
  
  
• Teen Mental Health First Aid - VIBE Checkup Program - The Teen Mental Health First Aid curriculum teaches young people how to identify mental health crisis events and how to best respond to help themselves and/or their peers. The VIBE Checkup program was designed to provide safe spaces to youth to allow them to check in on their feelings, receive mental health and well-being support and to connect with peers.
  
  
• Winter Wellness Campaign - Developed by our Senior Programs Team, this campaign promoted, supported and provided older adults with various fitness and wellness classes during the winter months. Participating locations across the County offered free classes, programs and activities working specifically on flexibility, stamina, balance and strengthening for the older adult population. 

Congratulations to all of our dedicated staff for the success of these award-winning programs that provide so much value to County residents!

NACo is a nonprofit organization that provides services to the nation’s 3,069 counties and represents county governments across the United States. The NACo Achievement Awards recognize a county’s outstanding commitment to public service in various categories.  

Upcoming Events with Montgomery County Recreation