Commentary by Tony Elliott
As Fishers Parks and Recreation Director, I oversee all of our parks, programs and special events. It’s not a job that could be done well without an excellent team, and several individuals are responsible for making Fishers a place that’s not only a great place to live and work, but also a great place to play.
Our summer camps, which are nearly full each year, and summer events like Monsoon Madness and Mud Day wouldn’t be the hit they are without the hard work and dedication of Recreation Manager Amber Mink.
In partnership with Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Chief Naturalist Danesa Stolz, has developed the Nature First program, which provides hands-on environmental curriculum for every first grader in the school system. Her expertise is invaluable to our department and our community at large.
This year, we’ve taken on some new initiatives, like the community garden at Cyntheanne Park — which filled more quickly than we could have anticipated — and events at the Historic Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens. We’ve also taken on an old resident favorite, the Fishers Farmers Market.
I’d be remiss not to mention the Summer Concert Series, which had a record-breaking opening weekend with AMP After Dark and the special Jamestown Revival concert. These efforts are spearheaded by our always creative and energetic Events Manager Sarah Jenkins and her team of dedicated staff members.
With such robust events and programming year-round, we rely on local residents and community organizations to extend the reach of our staff through volunteerism. Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator Dan Domsic makes securing volunteers for all our large-scale events look easy, but I can assure you it is not. He has a knack for connecting with the community in a way that benefits us all. His work in securing Fishers Rotary as parking volunteers for the Tuesday Night Concert Series saves the city 50 percent on our overhead costs.
Finally, all of our events and programs are undergirded by two highly efficient individuals who handle customer service, project management and so much more — Andrea Babb and Matt Walker.
Thanks to the whole crew for making Fishers a great place to play!
