Announcing signage on trail around golf course

Visit the newly signed Gettman Loop trail around Chehalem Glenn Golf Course. This 1.6 mile easy-to-walk loop circles the course through areas of woods as well as alongside the course itself. Just follow the signs in order to stay off the golf course cart paths. Mostly level with a few small inclines and declines, this trail includes surfaces of wood chips, dirt, fir tree needle carpet, and crosses short footbridges over the creek with bridges just wide enough to accommodate golf carts.  
  
To get there, look for the two trailhead signs on Fernwood Road on the side with the pavilion and driving range (across the street from the pro shop). Park in the lot, it's free.

Read the front page article in the Oct. 14th issue of the  Newberg Graphic.

Three Rivers League Basketball try outs

Chehalem Park and Recreation District and Newberg Basketball will conduct youth basketball try outs for the upcoming Three Rivers Basketball season on Sunday, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, at Newberg High School.

The Three Rivers League (TRL) is a competitive program for players with advanced basketball skills.

All students in grades 4 through 8 who reside within the Newberg School District are eligible. Students interested in participating are required to attend a minimum of one try out in order to be considered for team selection.

Boys’ try out times are 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for grades 4 through 6, and 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. for grades 7 and 8, followed by the girls’ try out times of 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for all grade levels.

A player try-out fee of $ 20 (nonrefundable) must be paid before a player is eligible to participate. The try-out fee will be applied to the $225 player registration fee for those selected to a TRL team. Players not chosen for the TRL will have their try out fee applied toward registration in the CPRD Jr. Tiger Basketball program (This is not a league program).

Practices begin in early November. Games will be scheduled for weeknights and weekends through early March.

Coaches are needed for both TRL and Jr. Tiger Basketball. For registration and further information, contact the registration desk located inside Chehalem Aquatic and Fitness Center at 503-537-2909 or visit the youth sports webpage at cprdnewberg.org. 

Julie Petersen named Sports Coordinator

CPRD is pleased to announce Julie Petersen has been named Sports Coordinator. While she is new to the role of Sports Coordinator, her face is familiar in the sports department.

She has volunteered in the CPRD sports department for nine years, coaching soccer, basketball and softball; instructing in CPRD sports camps; scheduling practices and games for Three Rivers League and Jr. Tiger basketball and Little League softball; running sports clinics; helping with youth and girls’ NHS basketball; and supervising school facilities during CPRD athletic events.

“I have been involved because I care about children and think sports and recreation activities are essential to positive childhood development.,”

 says Julie.

Julie currently serves as Newberg Little League Vice President and Newberg Youth Football Registrar.

Originally from Forest Grove, Julie moved to Newberg nine years ago. Her grandfather, John Paola, was Fire Chief in Newberg from 1969 - 1983.  She describes her family as a “sports family.” She is the mother of one boy – Kyle, a senior at NHS, and a girl, Tori, a student at MVMS. Both of her children have been actively involved in CPRD programs.

Julie holds a Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance with an emphasis on Exercise and Sport Science from Oregon State University. For ten years, she owned and operated Fund Your Path LLC, employing six people. Before that she worked in computer programming and office support positions at Willamette Industries in Portland.

Recreation Supervisor Mark Martin says, “Julie has been heavily involved with the sports department and an asset for the past nine years through her volunteerism and support. She brings familiarity with our programs, and has relationships with CPRD staff, coaches, and our community partners.”

Julie can be reached at jpetersen@cprdnewberg.org and 503.519.7364.

Public meeting to unveil plans for aquatic and fitness center

Pool renovation news!

Mark your calendar for an important public meeting to unveil site and floorplan - 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13th at Chehalem Cultural Center lobby. At this meeting, the design team will be presenting the proposed site and floorplan as well as conceptual images of the building. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.

Soccer officials wanted

Fund created for Garrity Memorial

A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family of Mike Garrity host a memorial event. To donate to the event, go to www.gofundme.com/8g6epa8gd9s. Those interested in providing meals for Linda Garrity can contact Flowers-Dawson at Bonnyflowers2008@yahoo.com.

Seth Gordon

Newberg Graphic

The longtime CPRD sports coordinator dies unexpectedly at age 62 

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The Chehalem Park and Recreation District was shaken after receiving news that longtime sports coordinator Mike Garrity died at his home sometime Friday morning. 

Garrity was 62. 

First hired as a gym supervisor in 2001, Garrity rose to the position of sports coordinator and has been synonymous with youth sports in the Newberg area ever since. 

Although quiet and reserved, Garrity was an enthusiastic supporter of youth athletics. 

Mike Garrity

Sports and recreation supervisor Mark Martin said he will miss hearing Garrity’s stories about what happened on Newberg area playing fields over the weekend. 

“He always enjoyed watching them participate and compete,” Martin said. “He wouldn’t tell me stories about coaches and refs. He would always tell me stories about kids, how one did this or another kicked the ball in his own goal on accident. He just liked the innocence of those kids.” 

In addition to knowing just about everybody connected with sports in the community, Martin said Garrity was the go-to person in the office for computer issues. 

“About the time he came on, the agency kind of went into the computer world, on the Web, and we went to electronic registration,” he said. “We really didn’t have an IT person and Mike really took the leadership on that. That’s something we’re very thankful for. He was just invaluable from that standpoint.” 

Garrity was a state champion in the pole vault in high school and all-state football player growing up in Montana. He went on to play tight end for Western Montana in college. 

Martin said that although Garrity had been dealing with health issues ever since being injured in a motorcycle accident six years ago, he seemed to be doing well, which is why the news of his passing came as such a shock. 

“It’s a tough one,” Martin said. “We’re in a little bit of numbness over here.”

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Sports Coordinator Mike Garrity. Details will be released as they become available. Please be patient with us as we work together to continue our sports programming as scheduled. Our sympathies are with the Garrity family.

Update: There will be a memorial service scheduled soon. Meanwhile, if you would like to mail condolences, please address to Linda Garrity, c/o Chehalem Park and Recreation District, 125 S. Elliott Road, Newberg, OR 97132.

New! PiYo® - Combination of Pilates and Yoga.

Have you heard of PiYo® yet? It is an exercise class that mixes Pilates and Yogo for an amazing, low impact, workout. We are excited to start offering classes in September. For registration details, visit this webpage.