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Recreation Winter Wonders: Exciting Events and Programs This December

Montgomery County Maryland sent this bulletin at 12/03/2024 04:00 PM EST

Catch The Rec Insider on YouTube!

Want a quick recap of everything that's happening with Montgomery County Recreation this month? Watch the December edition of The Rec Insider on our YouTube channel!

And catch up on previous videos by streaming our YouTube playlist.

Save the Dates: Summer Camp Fairs and Registration

Make sure to save the dates for our FREE summer camps fairs taking place:

Sunday, Jan. 5 at Germantown Community Recreation Center
Saturday, Jan. 11 at East County Community Recreation Center

Both events will take place from 1 - 4 p.m. At the fairs, families can meet with recreation staff members and talk with instructors to ask questions and learn more about the offerings.

Make sure to stop by and check out the crafts, games, snacks and more. You will also be able to apply on site for Rec Assist. These events are a great opportunity to get information about the hundreds of offerings and experience fun camp games and activities.

And make sure to mark your calendar! Registration for summer camps will begin Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 a.m. for County residents. Registration will be available at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org and in person. All summer camps will be viewable Friday, Dec. 20. The digital GUIDE will be viewable online beginning Friday, Jan. 3.

Applications for Rec Assist 2025 Open Dec. 9

Montgomery County Recreation will begin accepting applications for 2025 Rec Assist, the department’s financial assistance program, on Monday, Dec. 9. Rec Assist provides County residents who receive eligible public assistance an opportunity to receive a scholarship to use toward most Recreation classes, activities and memberships that have a cost associated with them.

County residents who receive public assistance from any of these programs are eligible for Rec Assist: Care for Kids; Free and Reduced-Price Meal Services (FARMS); Heat and Eat (H-EAT), Housing Assistance from a Shelter; Maryland Energy Assistance; Maryland Medicaid; Montgomery County HHS Rental Assistance Program; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Supplemental Social Security Income; Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) and WIC. Any student who attends a Montgomery County Public School participating in Community Eligibility Provision is eligible.

Once approved, each eligible family member will receive $400 placed on the qualifying individual’s ActiveMONTGOMERY account for use. Rec Assist 2025 funds are available for use from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, or until the funds are depleted. Funds are available on a first come, first served basis.

Rec Assist applications will be accepted online, by mail to Montgomery County Recreation Attention Rec Assist, 2425 Reedie Drive, 10th Floor, Wheaton, MD, 20902 or can be dropped off at that same address Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Once your application is approved, the amount of eligible assistance will be placed on your ActiveMONTGOMERY account within 10 business days. If you applied and received Rec Assist in 2024, it can be used on your account until the end of the year, Dec. 31, 2024, or until the fund is depleted. For more information or to apply online, visit mocorec.com/recassist.

Showcasing Our Services: Future Resource Learning with Cory Morgan

During his tenure as a physical education teacher, Cory Morgan had a passion for putting together programming for his students. He eventually discovered that he wanted to turn those ideas into a larger scale business. Since 2017, Cory and his nonprofit, Future Resource Learning, have been a staple in Montgomery County Recreation’s afterschool programs. The organization is currently up to 18 instructors and 20 classes each week.

“We are a team of educators,” Cory said. “All of our instructors are teachers, youth care professionals or childcare specialists. They are experienced people that understand children. We collaborate and have a series of cool courses.”

Several of these courses include a Future Chefs cooking class, a KidsFit 101 class geared toward sports and team-oriented goals, a Digital Art class that allows students to create graphics, logos and videos, as well as STEM World, which provides students with activities and the knowledge of STEM-filled industries including civil engineering, transportation and renewable energy.

“We’ve got to keep our kids sharp and engaged. We need things to work in our communities and we are here to make a real impact,” Cory said. “As a company, we must advance every year because we have to stay on top of current technologies so that we can continuously introduce each generation to what is happening around them. It’s extremely fun! We experience something new and exciting every year.”

Cory and his team talk throughout the year with parents of participants. They help provide advice and feedback for the great experiences their children had in their programs.

“Our instructors are dedicated and love what they are doing because they are all in on the vision. You’ve got to be passionate.”

Cory recognizes Montgomery County Recreation as an important support system that has allowed Future Resource Learning to thrive.

“MoCoRec is a well running machine,” Cory said “There’s been so many wonderful experiences from the staff. They’ve given us the opportunity to come out and do training. It’s a really great situation and we look forward to keeping that positive vibe rolling forward.”

As Future Resource Learning begins to approach a decade as a nonprofit organization, Cory said the passion for creating quality content for children, is what keeps him going and looking toward the future.

“I love what I do,” Cory said. “We’re building a great legacy. A company that really cares and that parents can trust. I don’t see this stopping. I think it’s that strong. I’m here in Montgomery County and I’m here to stay.”

Winter Registration is Underway

Colder weather has returned, which also means that our registration for Montgomery County Recreation’s winter classes and programs is ongoing! Winter offerings include fitness, sports, visual and performing arts, therapeutic recreation and more.

Programs are viewable online. Register now at ActiveMONTGOMERY.com. For more information about registration, visit the website or call our customer service team at 240-777-6840.

And make sure to plan ahead for our spring registration, which will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 a.m. for County residents.

We Want to Hear from You! Fall 2024 Survey

Thank you to everyone who participated in a Montgomery County Recreation program this fall. We hope you had a great experience!

Your feedback helps us to improve and offer more programs that you enjoy. Please take a few minutes to complete our online survey here. If you participated in more than one program, you can submit a survey for each program.

By completing the survey, you will be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card to use toward Montgomery County Recreation programming. We appreciate your time and continued support.

Learn More About Soccer4Change in Latest Episode of Inside Recreation Podcast

Among the number of afterschool programs that Montgomery County Recreation offers to students, Soccer4Change serves as a comprehensive collective approach to soccer outreach. The program has been designed to eliminate the financial hurdles of participation in the sport for middle and high school students.

Listen to Episode 10 of our Inside Recreation podcast, to hear more insight about Soccer4Change! In addition to teaching important life skills including sportsmanship, teamwork, accountability and respect, Soccer4Change aims to reduce the sense of isolation and social pressures that can cause youth to participate in more risky behaviors by creating a pathway between school and out-of-time support. Soccer4Change helps participants improve in emotional management, problem solving and fostering a greater connection to their community.

The episode is available on most major streaming platforms including Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel.

There are currently spring and fall Soccer4Change leagues as well as a winter indoor futsal league. Learn more about Soccer4Change by visiting our website.

Upcoming Events with Montgomery County Recreation

We have a lot of great events planned at our Montgomery County Recreation centers! Make sure to check out the full calendar on our website.

Friday, Dec. 6, 55+ Luncheon, 1 - 3 p.m. at Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center
Saturday, Dec. 7,
- Holiday Craft Show at Bauer, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center
- Therapeutic Recreation Build a Holiday Cookie Tree Event, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center
- Winter Wonderland with the Flash Bus, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at East County Community Recreation Center
- Therapeutic Recreation Letters to Santa, 1 - 2 p.m. at Germantown Community Recreation Center
Sunday, Dec. 8, Holiday Craft Show at Clara Barton, 1 - 5 p.m. at Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center
Monday, Dec. 9, Countywide Recreation and Parks Advisory Board Meeting, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at Administrative Offices, 2425 Reedie Drive, 10th Floor, Wheaton
Thursday, Dec. 12, Tiny Tot Holiday Puppet Show, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at Wisconsin Place Community Recreation Center
Friday, Dec. 13, Holiday Nite Out, 6 - 9 p.m. at Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center
Saturday, Dec. 14,
- Winter Wonderland, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Damascus Community Recreation Center
- Cocoa and Crafts, 12 - 2 p.m. at Ross Boddy Neighborhood Recreation Center
- Therapeutic Recreation Santa's Workshop, 1 - 3 p.m. at Holiday Park Senior Center
- Therapeutic Recreation Social - Holiday Celebration, 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Holiday Park Senior Center
- Deck The Halls with Spaghetti and Meatballs, 5 - 8 p.m. at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center
- Winter Celebration at Longwood, 5:30 - 8 p.m. at Longwood Community Recreation Center
Sunday, Dec. 15, Snow and Ice Family Festival, 1 - 4 p.m. at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center
Monday, Dec. 16, Winter Wonderland Dinner Party, 5 - 7 p.m. at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center
Friday, Dec. 20, Cocoa and Crafts, 5 - 7 p.m. at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center
Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas. All centers and offices are closed for the holiday.
Saturday, Dec. 28, Therapeutic Recreation Saturday Night Social - New Year's Celebration Dance, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center

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