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Lessons Learned
The past few weeks have zipped past in a whirlwind of projects and
activity. Even with the cold, wet spring, there have been mountains of
chores to do to get ready for the coming summer season. The days have
just raced by…Earth Day …Mother’s Day…and now it’s almost
Memorial Day! Where does the time go?
At home, a long list of outdoor projects
were demanding immediate attention including raking leaves, mulching
flowerbeds, and cleaning ponds. I reluctantly gave in and took on the
job of water sealing our decks—a project I had successfully avoided
all last year! For me the job is incredibly tedious and boring. To make
matters worse, we have several large decks including a second floor
balcony. As much as I hate the job, I could run from it no more. I
reluctantly braced myself for a very long day of painting. My partner,
Bob, took custody of our dogs while I got down to work. Our youngest
dog, Sketches, could not understand why I would not allow him to join in
the fun. He ran excitedly from window to window barking with great
exuberance in an attempt to get my attention. I ignored him as best I
could. However, hour after hour of the tedious chore, along with
Sketches’ non-stop barking, began to get on my nerves. Out of
frustration, I called to Bob to get the dog to stop the noise! In an
effort to help, Bob took both dogs to his upstairs office. This allowed
Sketches to go out on the upstairs deck to more closely observe my
efforts. This succeeded in stopping his barking for a short time, but
inevitably, it started again. By this time, I was 5 hours into my work
and was now sealing the area directly under the upstairs deck.
Unbeknownst to me, hours of fruitlessly demanding my attention had worn
Sketches’ patience a bit thin. After all, his favorite playmate had
abandoned him! It was then that Sketches hit on a new plan to gain my
attention. If barking didn’t work, there was always one sure-fire way
to get my attention. As I worked diligently below, he sidled up to the
guardrail above me...lifted his leg and proceeded to pee. Oblivious to
his actions, I found myself the victim of a very unpleasant “rain
shower!” I yelled to Bob for help, but the damage was done...more to
my pride than anything else. Without a doubt, Sketches had found a very
effective way to demand my “FULL” attention! I couldn’t help but
think there was a lesson in all this for me. One thing’s for sure;
this is one spring project I know I’ll never forget!
Busy Times and Challenges Ahead
In recent weeks, the Division of Parks and Recreation has been a busy
“beehive” of activity. Limited budgets and numerous job vacancies
have forced staff to be very creative in getting projects accomplished.
Thanks to their dedication, along with much needed assistance from
volunteers, most parks are in good shape and ready to face the demands
of the upcoming summer season. While this is certainly good news, the
current fiscal concerns of the state mean the Division will need to
continue to “tighten the belt” for some time to come. I know park
staff remain committed to doing all they can to ensure visitors continue
to receive quality service. Visitors can help by doing their part to
keep our parks neat and clean. Together, we can ensure our parks remain
among the best in the country!
Recognition and Appreciation
In the last issue of Letters, Steve Elkins mentioned I had recently
received the “Secretary’s Award for Diversity” from the Department
of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The award was created by
DNREC in recognition of the important role diversity plays in creating a
strong and capable workforce. In addition to this, the department also
instituted its “Respect” campaign to foster a more informed and
accepting work environment. The success of these initiatives has been
the result of the tireless efforts of numerous DNREC employees. To be
singled out from among this special group of people is very humbling. I
have always been proud to work in DNREC and am passionate about my work
in the Division of Parks and Recreation. I have been incredibly
fortunate to work with an amazing group of people whose friendship,
support and acceptance inspire me every day. The truth be told, I
received my “real” award years ago when I became a DNREC employee.
After all, there is no better award than to work for an agency that
believes in you and celebrates those unique qualities that make you
special.
Enforcement Update
Among the most difficult topics to address in this column are
enforcement-related issues. After all, who likes to be told what they
“can” or “can not” do when visiting a park? People come to parks
to get away from the problems of everyday life. They do not want to be
faced with restrictions that limit their ability to enjoy the outdoors.
But rules and regulations are necessary to protect the natural resources
and the visitors who come to recreate there.
When I started writing this column in
Letters, the first subject I addressed was an ongoing enforcement
problem involving individuals, almost exclusively males, who were
“cruising” select parking areas and ultimately participating in
sexual activity in the parks. My goal in addressing the issue was to
inform readers of our Division’s policies concerning this subject. As
a gay male and employee of the Division, it was important the community
understood that public nudity and indecent behavior are illegal and
would not be tolerated. I stated the Division’s policy that any
individual—male or female, straight or gay—would be arrested if they
were found to be involved in such activities in the parks. While these
articles seemed to help, the problem never really went away.
Last week, the Division received a
complaint from a family who recently visited the resort area. The
parents and their young children had taken the opportunity to hike a
nearby park trail. The family’s outing was ruined when they had the
unfortunate experience of discovering a group of males involved in
sexual activity.
Obviously, any parent would be alarmed
and upset by such an experience. Parks are not places for such behavior!
It is very important that the community understands the Division will do
active enforcement, including surveillance of problem sites, to get this
situation under control. It is not our intent to intrude on legitimate
visitors. Individuals who visit the parks to meet friends have nothing
to worry about as long as they do not become involved in illegal
activities.
The gay community has a stake in this as
well. This type of illegal activity does nothing but perpetuate old
stereotypes. The inappropriate actions of a few individuals give our
entire community a bad name. I hope you will understand and support our
Division’s efforts to correct this problem.
Nature’s Best Bets
If you are looking for fun Spring activities, some “best bets” at
Cape Henlopen Nature Center include:
Treasures of the Pinelands •
Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m.
Participate in a scavenger hunt for natural treasures along the wooded
Pinelands Trail. Pre-registration is required. Limited to 20 people.
Guns of Cape Henlopen • Monday, May
26, 1 p.m.
In honor of Memorial Day, hike from the observation tower to Battery 519
and learn about some of the artillery pieces mounted by the U. S. Army
during WWI and WWII. Learn about the role of these “big guns” and
how they were responsible for defending the Delaware coastline.
Pre-registration is required. Limited to 20 people. Cost is $3 per
person.
For
more information on these and other park programs, contact the Seaside
Nature Center at 302-645-6852.
Stephen Schilly is Park Operations
Administrator Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. He may be
reached at sschilly@state.de.us.
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