Park system wins two awards

On March 4 the Monmouth County Park System received two awards at the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association (NJRPA) annual meeting in Atlantic City.

The Advanced Riders and Independent Equestrians (ARIES) of Special People United to Ride program - named in honor of the beloved therapy horse Aries - won NJRPA's 2008 Excellence in Therapeutic and Wellness Programming Award.

Designed to benefit high functioning 4- through 18-year-olds with disabilities, ARIES is a group program that offers advanced equestrian skills to riders who have mastered the basics. Grooming and tacking the horses, riding independently at the walk and trot, and trail rides, obstacle courses, and games are all used to refine student horsemanship, according to a press release.

Staff from the Sunnyside Equestrian Center in Lincroft, where the program is based, said the progress made by these student riders has been "amazing." They were pleased to receive this award in recognition of the program's success, according to the press release.

The Green Heritage newsletter earned the park system its second award at the conference. This seasonal publication was given the 2008Agency Showcase Award for outstanding achievement in the PrintedMaterial Category. Published every year since 1967, the Green Heritage was recently redesigned and combined with the Home Gardener newsletter issued from Deep Cut Gardens, the park system's horticultural park.

Staff are hopeful that the colorful stories and photos about nature, wildlife, recreation and the county's open space preservation efforts will encourage residents to come out and enjoy the parks. The Green Heritage is a collaborative effort of multiple park departments. It has a circulation of 8,500 by mail and distribution and is also available online at www.monmouthcountyparks.com, in the "About Us" section.