Rutland rec. director wins regional honor
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Rutland Recreation Department director Cindi Wight, seen here with Gov. James Douglas, is honored Sept. 30 at the VRPA’s Governor’s Conference at Lake Morley in Fairlee. Photo provided |
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By STEPHANIE M. PETERS STAFF WRITER - Published: October 14, 2009
In her eight years as Rutland's recreation director, Cindi Wight has done it all — from expanding the city's nontraditional recreational offerings such as theater and Spanish classes to jumping into leadership positions at the state level.
When the call went out for nominations for a regional programming award, Betsy Orselet, executive director of Vermont Recreation and Parks Association, immediately thought of Wight, immediate past-president of her executive committee.
"It just seemed like such a natural fit," Orselet said of nominating Wight for the Joseph Trapasso Programmers Award.
Wight was selected from a pool of nominees from throughout New England for the award and honored Sept. 30 at the VRPA's Governor's Conference at Lake Morley in Fairlee.
The award is a well-deserved honor for Wight and meaningful, too, to the staff with whom she works closely, according to EJay Bishop, superintendent of the Rutland Recreation and Parks Department.
"She's developed some programming ideas that she came up with on her own and has taken them to the moon," Bishop said.
Bishop points to the city's Youth Theatre Program, born out of a conversation Wight had with a parent and of a small workshop in fall 2002, as a fitting example. The program was also highlighted during a speech given by Tom Hubbard, director of the South Burlington Recreation and Parks Department, at the ceremony.
"She had the idea for the theater program, got the resources and found the right person in the community to serve as the director," Bishop said. "Through hard work and diligence the program has really thrived."
Last year, the group was selected to participate in the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company Page to Stage program, a honor usually reserved for school groups.
Bishop also credits her with bringing a running series to the trails of Pine Hill Park about five years ago. He said there were, at its inception, probably five to 10 runners; now, each race will attract 50 to 60 participants.
"She's always gone above and beyond with her energy and made sure whatever program she's gotten behind, she's tried to make it the best it can be," Bishop said.
In addition to her involvement in Rutland, Wight has served two-year stints as the president-elect and president of VRPA. After completing her presidential term in May, Wight began another two-year service as the executive committee's past-president. She's also volunteered to be on the Northern New England Recreation Conference Committee since her arrival in Vermont.
Prior to joining Rutland, Wight worked briefly in Middlebury as the recreation program supervisor. She also spent seven years with the San Juan Island Park and Recreation District in Washington.
stephanie.peters@rutlandherald.com
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