Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/745305
Middle Creek Community Center: Celebrating 15 Years On September 11, the center celebrated by providing fun, healthful, educational programming for over 300 visitors. These visitors were able to take advantage of a 20% discount on activities and programs and the chance to win free classes and birthday parties. In just over two hours, staff registered 132 participants totaling over $7,500 in revenue. National Public Lands Day Membership once again set a record with 1,086 teen council members for the 2016/2017 school year. This represents a 13.4% increase of members from 2015. The Cary Teen Council is the largest council in the state. Cary Teen Council Over 70 volunteers mulched trails, planted native plants in the wildlife gardens and installed trail liners at Hemlock Bluffs to celebrate the occasion. The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs and REI supported the event through an ongoing partnership. Town volunteers contributed over 7,000 hours to the Town with a value over $155,000. Creating Active Retirement Years Almost 7,000 fall program guides geared towards those in their retirement years were delivered around Town to libraries, senior housing, grocery stores and houses of worship in an effort to raise the awareness of programming for Cary seniors. A "Live Well At Home" event was implemented for the first time in September with 56 participants who were introduced to local professionals that provided information about senior services designed to assist living longer independently at home. Cary Arts Center In 2016, summer camp registrations grew over 14% from 2015. Revenue grew over 13% for the same time period. This increase was partly due to additional summer opportunities offered in West Cary at Mills Park Elementary. The "Your Door to Cary Community Arts" project, a partnership between the Town and Cary Visual Arts, completed a collaborative project between artist Nate Key and over 60 community members. There were hands-on work sessions using some locker doors removed during the renovation of the Cary Arts Center to create an exhibit that reflects what makes Cary great. The lock door sculpture, "Wrapped to the Future" is located outside of the Arts Center.