Park and Recreation Month is a great time to get inspired and get involved through our community parks and recreation. It's all about getting getting and staying active. Learn how the City of Menlo Park's Community Services department impacts local quality of life through vital services and programs.

1. COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

2. ANNUAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND PARTICIPANT HOURS
ADULT SPORTS
Participants: 5,200 (Gym)
Participant Hours: 22,150 (Gym)
Participants: 450 (Fields)
Participant Hours: 4,100 (Fields)
AQUATICS
Participants: 66,015
(Burgess)
Participants: 5,600
(Belle Haven)
A.R.C.
Participants: 43,000
Participant Hours: 80,000
B.H.A.S.
Participants: 810
Participant Hours: 43,303
B.H.C.D.C.
Participants: 20,160
Participant Hours: 201,600
FACILITIES
Participants: 18,155
GYMNASTICS
Participants: 108,550
Participant Hours: 94,587
M.C.C.
Participants: 41,076
Participant Hours: 321,048
O.H.C.C.
Participants: 1,100
SPECIAL EVENTS
Participants: 1,100
Participant Hours: 32,000
YOUTH SPORTS
Participants: 23,400
Participant Hours: 32,000
TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 334,616
TOTAL PARTICIPANT HOURS: 830,788

4. “healthier & happier”

5. LISA VANDE VOORDE’S CLASSES
“My name is Cindy Roble, a very happy resident of Menlo Park! I
have been receiving copies of the Community Centers Activity
guide for years, but never participated in a class before I
enrolled my 50's, I realized I needed exercise to counterbalance
osteoporosis. All praise to Lisa who has helped me and all
people in her classes to be healthier and happier for knowing
her! I now tell all my clients and friends "Menlo Park has the
Beverly Hills of Community Centers, and it is very reasonably priced!" Thank You Lisa, and
Menlo Park for making this City a blissful place to live!”
- Cindy Roble

6. “joyous movement”

7. PALOMANIAN FOLK DANCE CLASS
“I had polio at the age of 12 and have experienced continuing physical
problems with my spine, arm, and legs since. Last year my physiatrist
prescribed folk dancing for me and I complied, having enjoyed folk
dancing in the past but not really done it for nearly 14 years. I am so
grateful for his prescription and that this fantastic group exists right here in my
town. Now my week is centered around going to the class on Tuesdays. I danced
professionally and also taught belly dancing and dance exercise back in the day, and was rather
depressed at my recent severe decrease in physical ability due to post polio and aging. This safe
and friendly style of dance has stimulated my mind, stretched my physical abilities, engaged my
brain, and wiped away the depression. I have so much appreciation seeing people from teenagers
to 90 year olds out there in the lines with everyone else, catching on to steps, getting exercise in
probably the most enjoyable and safest way possible. Learning the steps boosts memory no matter
how young or old one is. The feeling of community of individuals and couples who love music and
dance has engendered in me a peace and anticipation; every week I look forward to my "fix" of
joyous movement. Thank you, Menlo Park, for providing us with a perfect exercise paired with
extraordinary teachers and gorgeous and varied music.”
- Sharon Bickford

8. “grateful & proud”

9. MENLO PARK CHORUS
“I joined the Menlo Park Chorus (MPC) in January 2013. I have
always loved to sing, but have never really had the courage to
audition or sing in public in any way till I discovered MPC. I had
been taking private voice lessons for a couple of months and
happened to do a search on the Menlo Park web page to see if
there were any singing classes, when I came across MPC. I thought
it would be a great way to actually get a chance to perform, and I
was right! April, the director, and the rest of the members of the Chorus were
very welcoming. It's been a great learning experience getting a chance to sing with fellow community
members of all ages in a safe and comfortable environment. The public performance that I
participated in at the end of the semester was the first time I had sung on stage since the fourth
grade! It was thrilling. I also enjoy the fact that MPC gives back to the community, singing at local
Veteran's Hospital facilities every semester. Since joining MPC, just over a year ago, I have been able
to come out of my shell more, hosting Karaoke nights with friends, and even being asked to sing at a
friend's wedding! I am grateful and proud to be a part of MPC.”
- Giuseppe Vaccaro

10. “strength, stamina,
& flexibility”

11. ARRILLAGA FAMILY GYMNASIUM
“About 15 of us, all over 60, get together and play basketball a
few times a week. We play as hard as the young guys do,
running full court most of the time. We have a great
opportunity to play in a great facility that is clean,
accommodating, plenty of parking and has a friendly staff.
Many of us have had injuries and health issues over the
years so it’s great to come out and rebuild
strength, stamina and flexibility in a fun environment.
It truly is the best $2.00 you can spend.”
- Will Smith

12. second home
&
vital service

13. SENIOR CENTER
Esther came to our Center over 5 years ago as a community volunteer
assisting with the 2nd Harvest Brown Bag program at the Center on Thursdays,
and then with the dining hall operations. She was chosen as the Volunteer of
the Year because of her dedication to the program and the seniors. When her
son was killed in a neighborhood shooting, the staff managed to connect her
with an organization who hired her as a Title 5 worker, helping at the Senior
Center. Not only did this provide her with more regular hours away from her
home, where she had a hard time being due to the recent loss of her son, but it also helped with
replenishing their dwindling savings. Now, Esther comes to the Center as a patron but she also
continues to be very active as a Title 5 employee. She calls the Center her second home, and
enjoys spending time here daily with friends and staff who have supported her all along.
Aura started attending the Center just over 3 years ago. Very active, energetic, and with a big smile,
she soon found many friends at the Center. Her daughter worked in Menlo Park at the time, and used
the Center as a daycare for her mom. Diagnosed with dementia, Aura continues to come to the
Center daily and is watched over by her friends at all times. Encouraging her
to eat lunch as a main meal for the day, to take part in exercise classes,
peer counseling, and arts. Aura is a common example of the seniors we get
at the Center who depend not only on the vital services we provide, but they
also rely on the local community to care for them when their family members
are at work.

14. stability & support

15. BELLE HAVEN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
At Belle Haven Child Development Center (BHCDC) we have a
performance measure around supporting a strong sense of
community. A great example of how we have achieved this
performance measure is a family that has been in our program
since 2009. This mom first came to our program when her first son
was 3 years old. This mom had been through many difficult events
throughout her young life and BHCDC provided the stability that
she needed. The teachers established an excellent relationship
with this mom which was a huge contributor to her success and
participation at BHCDC. The program helped this mom find the resources in
the community to assist her with all of her needs, which included better housing and food. She was
also very concerned about her child’s needs and his behavior in the program. The BHCDC program
and teachers assisted this child to help progress his development. His behavior improved
substantially and he was well prepared for kindergarten when he left the program.
Then in 2012 this mom brought in her second son into our program when he was also 3 years old.
Again BHCDC provided this family with the stability and support on daily basis. . The program
also helped this mom keep her current job and then she was able to find a better paying job while
this child was in the program. Her second son also was well prepared for kindergarten when he
graduated from the program just this past June.
This family shows how BHCDC supports a strong sense of community by consistently having families
bring their children to our program year after year and child after next child. BHCDC continues to
have a superior reputation for quality childcare as shown by the history of family members who
bring the next generation of young child through our program.

16. “bonding time”
“best buddies”

17. ONETTA HARRIS COMMUNITY CENTER
“I like to play basketball and go into the gym. I like to be
here because it is fun and Avery and Sandra are my
best buddies. I like to be around all the people that
come up to OHCC. I have met lots of friends here and
always have someone to play with.”
- Keyjuanne Mgee (Age 10)
“I have been coming to take classes, mostly the fitness ones since 2009.
I started out by taking Zumba Classes and it is my favorite class
because I love to dance and stay active. I have also been taking
Kickboxing and Boot camp. Since I started, I have had more
energy, feel less stressed, am more relaxed and feel good
about my body image. I have encouraged my daughter to
come to fitness classes for mom and daughter bonding time.
My daughter has lost about 20 pounds since she started
participating here at OHCC. The teachers are very good and
they really motivate us. The classes here have also been a great
way to socialize and meet new people”.
-Sonia Salinas

18. “realize his potential”

19. MENLO PARK GYMNASTICS
“As soon as my baby could walk, he jumped. Up and down staircases. I
decided to enroll him in the Mommy-and-me class at Burgess as an
alternative to a padded cell. He loved the classes and called the gym
“jump-jump”. Each of his teachers were great and he learned what most
kids do in these classes – waiting patiently for others, following rules, self-
control and he loved the joy of freedom of movement. Back then, my
husband and I worked long hours as trainees in residency so the
convenience and affordability of the city program couldn’t be beat. As
time went on, my son progressed in his skill level and the greatest joy on
his 6th birthday was that he could join the level 1 boys class. With coaches
Matt and Yousef, Noah learned self discipline, trust and that the only way to move forward is through hard
work. Though they no longer work at the gym, these two men remain as very important figures in his life and
the boys who have been with him since level 1 are like brothers. Now as a successful competitive gymnast and
on the verge of young adulthood, Noah is thriving in an environment which has supported him since he was a
baby, in a small safe community where he can manage his schoolwork and time and walk to practice. His coach
plays an important role in helping him realize his potential, work through his fears and serve as a positive
role model in life as well as in the gym. All of these virtues can occur through any gymnastics training program
but given that gymnastics training is rigorous and time-consuming, to have all of this in my very back yard is
really a dream come true.
I hope the program can continue to support and maintain a happy and satisfied staff of qualified and
experienced teachers and coaches so that others may benefit as my son has.”
- Louise Furukawa

20. “extended family &
so many memories”

21. .
MENLO CHILDREN’S CENTER
“MCC was more than a daycare and more than an afterschool
program for my three boys. MCC was an extended family that helped
me raise my kids. Teacher Ronnie was a favorite for my strong willed
middle child and Teacher Kelly was the gentle hand my shy
youngest needed. Enrique and Fidel are the two leaders that my
kids would run to look for every new year! I never worried about
my kids while they were at MCC and could leave them in a place
they were excited to go. Fantastic program, inventive curriculum, caring and
trustworthy staff, I can't recommend it enough.”
- Kalia Napoleon
“Growing up, I attended the “Rec”, which was Menlo Parks’ after school program
at the time. It was located at Burgess, one of the many fine parks we have.
Not only did I enjoy going there throughout my elementary school years,
I also benefitted from the yearly summer camps. I enjoyed the camps so
much and made so many memories that while looking for employment
I sought out Menlo Children’s Center. I have been working at MCC since
high school and am happy to be able to give back to the community I
received so much from but most of all to give back to the kids
I enjoy working with so much. “
- David Abbott, former student and current MCC leader

22. “gratitude”

23. MENLO ATHERTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
“I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the City
of Menlo Park for its assistance in making the Menlo-Atherton
Performing Arts Center available to community presenters at
affordable rates. With the support of the City,
Music@Menlo has been able to significantly increase the
community enjoyment of our free concerts, including our Prelude
Performances and our Koret Young Performers Concerts, which had
previously taken place at significantly smaller venues. These concerts
provide a wonderful opportunity for community members to experience classical music
performances at the highest level at no cost, and also are a chance for local families to
introduce their young children to classical music.”
– Edward Sweeney (executive Director for Music @ Menlo)

24. “healthier & happier”

25. “joyous movement”

26. “grateful & proud”

27. “strength, stamina & flexibility”

28. “second home” & “vital service”

29. “stability & support”

30. “best buddies” & “bonding time”

31. “realized his potential”

32. “extended family” & “so many memories”