Assignment #3

What does leisure mean to you? That was the question presented to our group, The Fantastic Four. When we all gave our individual definitions they all differed, but a couple of words kept coming up no matter who was talking. “Relax, freedom, enjoyment,” these were the common themes for all of us. Therefore, to our group, leisure is having freedom to relax and enjoy life with no stress.
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Commercial Rec-Canopy Club-elgabri1

The Canopy Club in general serves as a great example of commercial rec in the Champaign-Urbana area. The major pros of the Canopy Club are that they are the only official venue for bands to play in this area.
This naturally leads to profit via ticket sales along with the price for admission on non-concert days and especially the selling of alcohol. Weakness of the Canopy Club could include that it's location in Urbana does not necessarily draw as many patrons as the location of some bars in Champaign. Overall however, I would argue that the Canopy Club does serve its purpose as that is to provide a venue for concerts and being that it is the only venue of its kind in the area, it does a great job of this.

Once can compare the Canopy Club to a different leisure service provider such as Muvico. They are similar in that they are both unique in the leisure that they provide. Canopy Club is the only concert venue in the area and the Muvico is the only theater of its kind in the state. It is different from typical movie theaters because it has a restaurant, game room, and even the theater chairs are spacious and recline. They are different however because Muvico is an attraction for all ages while the Canopy Club is only for those 18 or older. This is a pro for Muvico and a con for the Canopy Club, although the Canopy Club is fairly cheap, even when considering the concert tickets while Muvico is more expensive because of all the "extras" it has.

Another leisure service delivery system that can be compared to the Canopy Club is the Krannert Art Museum. In fact, the Krannert Art Museum and the Canopy Club are even located on the same street. Although they are in the same general location, not much else is similar between the museum and the club. They types of leisure that they intend to provide are also different. The Krannert Art Museum serves as a place to display University art and to culturally enrich those that visit it. Contrary to this, the Canopy Club is intended as a concert venue and more so a place for its patrons to socialize. Although their intentions vary, they both tend to serve those in the University of Illinois-UC community. One major pro that the Krannert Art Museum has in comparison to the Canopy Club is the fact that it is free to the public, this could potentially attract visitors that would not otherwise go. However, the museum seems to not be as popular as a lot of other leisure services while the Canopy Club thrives and is very popular.

*Sports Management - Quad City River Bandits - dye2*


I visited the Quad City River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park for to find out what they thought about leisure. I am comparing the Bandits views on leisure to Peoria Glen Oak Zoo and the Canopy Club. They have some similarities, and some differences.

First I will focus on the leisure of the Canopy Club in Champaign, IL. The goals of the Canopy Club are to serve as a venue for concerts and entertainment which is comparable to the Bandits mission statement. The Bandits try to satisfy customers with affordable pricing and new attractions. The Canopy Club gets the majority of their funding through ticket sales which is very similar to the Bandits, they both need attendance to flourish. The Canopy Club targets UIUC students more than the average person whereas the Bandits target everyone, the cool thing that the Bandits do is they let kids under 12 in free. Both of the agencies put on special events for their visitors. And both think of innovative ways to kept the patrons on their toes. They both provide multiple jobs and bring kids and people of all ages to a family oriented night of fun. The weakness of the Canopy Club is that it’s only in the Champaign-Urbana area, and not anywhere else. And the Bandits weakness is that tickets may get pricy after a while, and that’s also true with the Canopy Club. Both organizations fulfill their objectives. Both of them are positive places to go with friends or family.

Next, I will compare the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo also. The PGOZ aims at providing a safe and enjoyable environment for families and tourisms. The Bandits feel the same way, safety of the fan and enjoyment are present in their goals. Memberships, not-for-profit organizations support, donations, and merchandise fund the zoo. Which is similar to the Bandits because tickets sales and merchandise are key to keeping the business going. Both of the PGOZ and River Bandits serve essentially everyone. The PGOZ offers classes and other educational opportunities for visitors to learn more. While the Bandits host more entertainment based programs like concerts and fireworks. The zoo is a more educational experience where the baseball game is more entertainment, both equally offer great forms of leisure. The weaknesses of the PGOZ are that there isn’t much variety in the exhibits and some of the walking could get overwhelming. Both also fulfill their objectives, and are great places to go to relax!


*Public Agency - Krannert Art Museum - jahnke4*


The role of the Krannert Art Museum in leisure service delivery lies in the sector of public agencies. As such, it offers programs and services at no cost to the public and is open to anyone who is interested in the arts. Seasonal exhibitions of contemporary works, music and dance performances, lectures, etc. all add depth to the museum-going experience beyond the daily visual displays. To fully engage students, faculty, and members of the community, it offers so many varying services as a way of expanding the leisure experiences and provide maximum enjoyment. The calm and casual atmosphere of the museum itself helps afford visitors a sense of relaxation. This is very important as the main intended purpose of leisure time for many individuals is often to distract themselves from the stresses of life. However, the goals of KAM include more than simply allowing its patrons to forget about outside stress and anxiety.

One of its primary goals is to provide cultural enrichment and education to the population it serves. In this way, it is very similar to other services such as the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo, a tourism agency. Although it differs from the zoo in that it seeks no profit, the Krannert Art Museum shares with it many similar objectives. Both offer educational aspects to their visitors and target people of all ages and backgrounds. The zoo promotes conservation and protection of animal species, while the museum similarly emphasizes the preservation of traditional arts. Another agency, Muvico, a part of the therapeutic recreation sector, shares the characteristic of escapism with KAM by allowing movie-goers to temporarily forget about stress and immerse themselves in the story. However, unlike Muvico, KAM remains inexpensive and encourages intellectual stimulation rather than passive entertainment.

Despite its many advantages, the Krannert Art Museum still has its weaknesses. In spite of the fact that KAM brings in about 132,000 people annually, museums are generally less popular than many other leisure services such as movie theaters. The museum isn’t very interactive either and must often compete with mass media. Even so, the strengths that KAM possesses as a leisure service provider are hard to ignore. Anyone who wishes to visit the museum may do so with a great amount of freedom. Having this freedom thus allows the visitor to leave stressful situations at home and experience enjoyment and relaxation. By providing free and enriching services to the community, the Krannert Art Museum fulfills its mission, and in doing so represents one small piece in the field of leisure service as a whole.


*Nonprofit Organization - YMCA - mcbride9*


For the leisure service delivery system I chose to research the Champaign YMCA. After visiting the agency and interviewing employees, I was able to gather significant information on how the agency is run, what its goals are, and how it benefits the community. The two agencies that I will be comparing to the YMCA are the Canopy club in Champaign and the Peoria Zoo. All three of these recreation agencies are for the benefit of the public but serve their visitors in different ways and are very different from each other.

I found the YMCA to be one of the most unique agencies, mostly because it is a non-profit organization. This reason alone makes the YMCA stand apart from the others because almost all of the other agencies turn some sort of profit through all of the services that they provide. The Canopy club is for the most part entirely different from the YMCA, with basically the only similarity being that they both serve as recreational facilities. The Canopy club is an entertainment venue and because of this makes money from ticket sales, along with profits that come from the sale of alcohol. It serves the community of Champaign-Urbana, mostly students, but makes money from the events that it hosts, so overall it is very different from the YMCA because of its purpose and objectives. The Peoria Zoo is a little more similar to the YMCA because along with being a tourist attraction, it also has some educational value for its visitors by offering classes and it serves as a place to host events, which is one of the main objectives of the YMCA. It also promotes conservation of the environment so it has a similar attitude as the YMCA because of its interest in improving the community. But other than those similarities there is not much in common between the Zoo and the YMCA because the Peoria Zoo still makes a profit from people going there and buying merchandise.

After taking a closer look at all three of these agencies, I was able to conclude that the YMCA was one of the more unique recreational facilities in the area. Although all of these facilities provide a place for their visitors to come and enjoy their leisure time, the YMCA is different because their main goal above all else is to provide a facility for those who want to improve the Champaign community. Even though the other agencies do benefit the community as well, most of them have other objectives in mind, especially the ones that make a profit from their visitors.


*Tourism - Peoria Glen Oak Zoo - mille144*


My sponsoring agency was Peoria Glen Oak Zoo – Tourism. And I compared it to the Krannert Art Museum – Public Agency – and the Quad City River Bandits –Sports Management.

The Peoria Glen Oak Zoo’s goal is to provide a fun and safe environment for families and tourists. The Krannert Art Museum’s goal is to display art, promote young artists, and provide cultural enrichment for students, faculty, and community are similar in a few ways. But one goal the Zoo and Museum have in common is to be educational. The Quad City River Bandits goal is to satisfy customers with affordable pricing and new attractions. The Zoo is funded by memberships, not-for-profit organizations support, donations, and merchandise and the Bandits are funded by ticket sales, advertising and memorabilia, but the Museum is mostly funded by the University. The Zoo, Bandits, and Museum all provide leisure to everyone whether it be tourists, locals, students, or even crazed fans. They are made to suit people of all ages. All agencies have their own key program elements. The Zoo offers classes, provides a place to host events, and has the new Africa! exhibit. The Bandits obviously offers baseball games as well as fireworks, concerts, and concessions. The Museum has contemporary exhibits, performances, and gallery lectures.

Each agency has its own strengths. The Zoo’s strengths are that it is educational, offers programs, and supports conservation. The Museum’s strengths, which are very similar to the Zoo’s, are that it is educational, offers various programs, and it is free to the public. The Bandits’ are that they bring in fans and provide job opportunities. Though all of these sponsoring agencies are great places for tourists and leisure, they do have their down sides. Some weaknesses the Zoo has that would make it not as inviting as a Quad City River Bandits’ game, for example, is that there isn’t much variety and not much changes from one visit to the next. Also at the Zoo as well as the Museum, you have to walk around everywhere so for some this could be difficult. And at times games can be pricy.

All three agencies fulfill their purpose because of the opportunities they offer and the enjoyment they provide. Though the agencies did differ in many ways, they all came together under the same main issue – leisure.


*Campus Recreation Program - The ARC - rizzo5*


The organization that I focused on was the University of Illinois’ “ARC.” The ARC falls under the campus recreation area of leisure. One of the two agencies that I am going to be comparing the ARC to is the Quad City River Bandits, a minor league baseball team. That would fall under the Sport Management category. The other organization is Muvico, a high end movie theater in Chicago that would fall under the Therapeutic Recreation Service category. There were a number of questions presented to us that would help us to compare these seemingly unrelated companies. “What are the goals/objectives of the agency? How is the agency funded? Who are the individuals/groups served by this agency? What are the key program elements that set this agency apart from others? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this agency? Does the organization actually fulfill its purpose?”

The main goals of the ARC are providing a place that students can go to stay in shape and lead a healthier life. The Quad City River Bandits goal is to satisfy the customer with affordable pricing and new attractions, plus kids get in free! Muvico’s goal is providing an entertainment experience that is not “just about the movie.” The ARC is funded by charges included in student’s tuition. The River Bandits are funded by ticket sales, merchandise and advertising. Muvico is funded by ticket sales, concessions, vip parking, children's playroom, as well as a restaurant and bar located inside the theater. Students are the ones who benefit from having the ARC as well as anyone else who uses it. The River Bandits serve anyone who has an interest in baseball as well as anyone who is looking for a typically not-so-expensive way to spend a day. This is similar to who Muvico caters to, anyone with an interest in film, people of all ages and backgrounds. The ARC provides workout equipment, fitness classes such as yoga, spinning and many others. The River Bandits offer, obviously, baseball games as well as occasional concerts, fireworks after games and concession stands. All three of these agencies have a lot of strengths and weaknesses; the ARC’s strength is that students don’t have to pay for each individual visit since the cost is included in their tuition. The River Bandits bring in fans and tourists to a place that usually wouldn’t normally get a whole lot of tourist flow. Muvico has lots of different services all located in one place. The weakness that the ARC has is that it is often crowded so it might be hard to get to the exact equipment that you want to use. The River Bandits might be loud at bad times if a game is going late, and obviously fireworks aren’t the quietest for of celebration, and Muvico can get expensive depending on what services you want to take advantage of. I came to find that all three of these organizations do fulfill their purpose.

In closing, the ARC, the Quad City River Bandits and Muvico, while from a quick look may seem as unrelated as possible are in a lot of ways similar because they all deal in leisure. They all have similar goals in wanting to create a positive environment for those who utilize their services. They go about fulfilling these objectives in different ways since they are obviously all different organizations, but they are all working toward the same ultimate goal, to provide leisure.


*Therapeutic Recreation Service – Muvico Theater – atomcz2*


When asked to be classified, The Muvico Theaters would probably be thrown into the Commercial Recreation Business field. Although that’s an absolutely great fit, I decided to look at Muvico from the perspective of the Therapeutic Recreation Service field. I do realize that most people associate Therapeutic Recreation Services with hospitals and rehabilitation centers, but I think that labels are only a matter of looking at something from a certain point of view; and, truthfully, there can be a lot of those. To me, therapy is something that people turn to in order to relax and forget about stress; I rarely think of it as only being designated for medical purposes. For those reasons, I believe that Muvico is the perfect therapeutic oasis. The agency offers a wide variety of services and doesn’t discriminate against anyone. It is definitely a great provider of entertainment and a fantastic addition to the field of leisure.

Muvico is not one of your ordinary movie theaters. The agency’s main goal is “to provide an entertainment experience that is not ‘just about the movie,’” and because of the variety of services that it provides, it truly serves its purpose. When you visit the site, you’re not only able to see a movie, but also have dinner, grab a couple of drinks, play a game or two on the new Wii… things that wouldn’t be typical at any other movie theater. While Muvico, like many other agencies, is there to serve the people, it also strives to make profit. Its facilities run on ticket sales, concessions, and sales of other services while agencies like the local YMCA or Champaign’s Krannert Art Museum run on donations and making profit is probably not as important as reaching out to the community. Another of Muvico’s great perks is the overall design and architecture of the building. Due to the murals and “historical” feel of the building, you can almost compare it to the Krannert Art Museum and say that it also serves as an art viewing facility. This, combined with all the other great aspects of the facility, gives Muvico something that many other agencies don’t have, diversity.

Diversity is Muvico’s greatest strength. The endless amounts of services and attractions that the facility offers to its customers, is what keeps it on top. People come back because they know that they won’t be disappointed. The only thing that can be looked at as the company’s fault, that other facilities like the YMCA or Krannert don’t have to worry about, is affordability. Although the price of the tickets is reasonable, it can all add up after a while - especially when you want to take advantage of the VIP area. As a company whose reason for existing is to provide entertainment, I must say that it definitely accomplishes just that - plus more. It creates an environment in which a person can forget about their daily problems and live in the moment. It’s a form of therapy.


__________

As you can see by each of our paragraphs above, leisure - while being different for everyone - can all be related in one way or another. Whether it be comparing a zoo to an art museum or a minor league baseball team, it can be linked together. Every type of activity can be traced back to the same stem – leisure – the freedom to relax and enjoy life with no stress.

P.S. Congratulations to the Jones family on their new baby.

Leisure Delivery System - Ashlynn Miller - mille144

Introduction
A zoo is defined as a park where live wild animals from different parts of the world are kept in cages or enclosures for people to come and see, and where they are bred and studied by scientists. But it is so much more than that. Zoos are a main source of tourism here in the United States. But I’m here to give you more information about a specific zoo, Peoria Glen Oak Zoo. I had the great opportunity to be able to visit the Zoo and talk to one of the directors and ask her some questions.

Background
Since the late 1800s, exotic animals have been on display in Peoria and were housed around the city in many different parks. All the animals were brought together by the Glen Oak Zoo. The official grand opening was on May 14, 1955 and the main building and children’s zoo cost $180,000. The building was constructed in the shape of a candy cane so visitors could not see what awaited them.

Employment
There are many employment opportunities at Glen Oak Zoo. The maintenance crew isn’t hands on with the animals but they make the zoo look presentable to visitors by cleaning the bathrooms, emptying the garbage cans, and just picking up around the zoo’s perimeters. Educators deal with animals when need be but they mainly work with children, special events, tours, and taking classes around the zoo. A zookeeper, which is a higher level job, work in the zoo and provide direct care for animals including feeding, cleaning, training, monitoring animal health, and educating the visitors are all part of their daily responsibilities. The Glen Oak Zoo works through the Peoria Park District, so if there are any job openings, they will be posted on the PPD website. The Zoo is also linked with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The higher level job openings such as a zookeeper would be posted on the AZA website. A typical work day for most employees would be from 8:30 am to 5 pm, unless an animal is sick, in which they will stay there for however long is needed.

Expansion and Future Plans
In 2000, a master plan to triple the size of the Zoo was adopted. The first phase was Africa! which cost approximately 27.5 millions including construction costs. It opened to the public on June 6, 2009. The Africa! exhibit brings something unique to the Peoria Zoo. Part of Africa! structure stands 15 ft. in the air. The next project is a new 7000 sq ft grand entry complex. It will contain a central plaza, new spaces for ticketing, food services, and gift shop, provide space for educational opportunities, and offer a larger more convenient parking lot. The master plan calls for changing up historic Australian and Asian exhibits, rivers of North America, and a South American Glass Dome.

Benefit
The Peoria Glen Oak Zoo’s main goal is to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for families and tourists, and they also hope visitors learn something while they are there. It’s a place for families to have fun and make memories. Their mission is to create connections that inspire an appreciation for the natural world. Their vision is that the Peoria Zoo will be recognized as a leader in raising public awareness and commitment to conservation. In order to reach out to tourists, they market outside the local area, use their website, and make prices comparable to other tourism spots.

Conservation
Conservation is their cause. Their programs and practices are based on achieving the maximum possible conservation potential. The Peoria Zoo tries to teach everyone how important conservation is. They have a Conservation Center which shows the importance of water conservation and clean water.
The Species Survival Plan states: The Peoria Zoo works cooperatively with other Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited institutions to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. Each SSP manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. This regulates uncontrolled breeding. The Zoo houses 13 species which are managed in the SSP.

Opportunities
The Peoria Zoo has programs for all ages and groups. In Zoo Tots, for ages 2-4, toddlers will learn about the animals around us with crafts, stories and live animals. In Zoo Kids, for ages 5-8, kids will explore the animal world with games, animals, and more. Home Educators Class is for kids who are homeschooled and they investigate a different scientific topic each month. Other programs offered are Scout Programs, Guided Tours, Behind-the-Scene Tours, Zoo Snooze, and Zoomobile. With the new Africa! exhibit, the Zambezi River Lodge was created which provides a great place for business meetings, wedding receptions, and other events.

Facts
The Zoo is home to over 100 species of animals from around the world. They are not planning on adding anymore animals anytime soon, but with the Australian Walkabout that has been talked about, a few more species may be brought in. The Glen Oak Zoo’s estimated attendance for 2009 is about 225,000. Adding the new Africa! exhibit caused the number of visitors to double. This opened at the beginning of June and June is their busiest month so they greatly benefited from it.



Synopsis
As you can see, the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo offers various opportunities to locals as well as tourists. Many people do not realize the amount of the work needed to keep the Zoo serviceable. Not only does a profession in this field require a commitment to conservation – it requires hard work. It’s not always fun. Much of the work requires physical strength along with the ability to make thorough observations and keep information up-to-date. Though it does have its downsides, an occupation here would give you a satisfaction that you could not receive anywhere else. The Zoo is dedicated to conservation, education and recreation. A place devoted to creating connections that inspire an appreciation for wonders of the natural world, the Zoo invites people to explore, discover and learn about nature.

Quad City River Bandits - Assignment 2

I had the priviledge to vistit the Quad City River Bandits (Single-A Affilliate of the St. Louis Cardinals), and beautiful Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa. I am from Moline, Illinois, so it only made sense to visit the Bandits, and learn more about their organization. The new ownership of the River Bandits took over in November of 2007. Changes in ownership were due to lack of interest in Quad City Baseball. When the Bandits came in, they had one goal. "To satisify the customer, with afforable pricing, and new attractions." The Bandits hired an entirely new, energetic staff to make baseball fun again. Within one season, the organization had record attendance. By adding fireworks, concerts, a tiki bar, and many other new attractions. Baseball fans quickly started flocking back to Modern Woodmen Park (Stadium). I had the pleasure to talk to the Assistant GM, Stefanie Brown. She went on to tell me, that there main focus was to cater to the needs of the fan. Every decision they make as an organization is based on the needs of the fan. They want the fans experience to be memorable. "People go to baseball games to get away, they bring their friends and family to help share a memorable experience.", she said. In 2008, the organization made a bold decision to make kids tickets free, every game. Here is a picture of some of the attractions they built to accomodate the new spectators. Here is more background on the Bandits. The name River Bandits was brought back by the community after a "Name the Team" contest. The new ownership group is a big fan listening to the communities wants and needs. The Quad Cities River Bandits are a single A team of the St. Louis Cardinals and is located in Davenport, IA right next to the beautiful Mississippi River. Which you can see the bridge from the field.

The Bandits exist because of the community support. The River Bandits front office likes to be involved in the community through their huge reading program, mascot and player appearances, donations, and volunteering time. We exist because we make the ballpark a fun and affordable place for families to visit. I talked to Kirk Goodman about the types of jobs that are available, and the best ways to get a foot in the door. He went on to say, " The best way to get into baseball is through internships and gaining experience. Almost every single person in the industry has started off at the bottom as an intern and working hard and taking on every task to work their way up." Also, The best way to get recognized as an intern is to not complain when things are asked of them and constantly asking, "What next?". He definately stressed that it is also vital to network. A lot of baseball opportunities come up because of who you know. So, getting to know and staying in touch with others in the industry is key. Besides front office jobs, there are over 100 positions for public relations, and promotional services. They have so many attractions, somebody has to run them. Like Mr. Goodman stated earlier, an intership is the best way to get your foot in the door. You go from blowing up the inflatables to more important jobs in the future. Here is a video clip of me sumo wrestling during the 7th Inning Stretch. (I'm in the Red).


Some of the current trends in the baseball entertainment industry are always changing. Always being on your toes and being creative are the best ways to get fans to remember their experience. Mrs. Brown said, "Current trends in minor league baseball is always being creative with promotions and things going on at the ballpark to get people talking". For example, she told me that they had a candy drop this year from a helicopter, where there were around 800 kids running around in the outfield trying to catch candy and marshmellows that were being dropped out of a helicopter. That is definitely something not only kids but parents as well will be talking about for a while. Mr. Goodman said it best when he said,"We say that we are in the memory making business and we are able to do so by again making the ballpark a fun and affordable place."


Leisure plays a huge role in the industry of Minor League Baseball. One of the main goals of marketing and promoting is to get fans to come back again and again. With so much going on with the recession, and loss of jobs, all people want to do is relax and forget about it. You go to a baseball game to watch America's pastime, enjoy your company, and clear your mind. There isn't much else like it. Mr. Goodman said, "A baseball game is unlike anything else, not many places let you forget about your concerns at work and home, I think I have the best job in the world. Where else can I do what I love and get paid for it?" Here is a picture of me and my friends enjoying the unique atmosphere.
. Lucky for us, there was a concert after the game.

My overall experience at Modern Woodmen Park was surely a memorable one. This industry has everything I am looking for when I apply for a job after college. I love sports, marketing, and public relations. I plan to apply for a summer internship for the River Bandits after school is over. The Quad City River Bandits definately qualify as part of the leisure service delivery industry because they are constantly finding innovative ways to get fans to keep filling the bleachers. Their main customers are the fans, that's what keeps this organization running, the fans. The pros of this industry are working with people, working in sports, meeting tons of new people, definately tons of upward growth within company. The cons would be that when you start out wages are low, other than that I really can't think of any cons. I would like to thank Mr. Goodman, Mrs. Brown, and the whole Quad City River Bandits organization.

The Canopy Club, Leisure Service Delivery--Jehan El-Gabri

I decided to go to the Canopy Club as a representation of a local commercial recreation business. The Canopy Club opened in 1998 and is mainly known as a concert venue. It is actually the only "true concert venue" in the Champaign-Urbana area. They are also known for hosting benefits for social and environmental changes.

The Canopy Club is located on Goodwin Avenue in Urbana. The head employment includes the owner, Anthony Rossi, the head talent buyer Ian Goldberg, and talent buyer/head of advertising Seth Fein. It is a privately owned business and also are in conjunction with Manolo's Pizza and Empanadas, serving their food. As alluded to previously, the Canopy Club is mainly intended to provide live music and serve as a venue for a vast array of artists. As explained to me by an employee there, Eric, the Canopy Club prides itself on providing live music from every sort of genre, making them a great place to go to for all campus students.

When visiting the Canopy Club, I was able to speak with one of its employees, Eric. Eric has several roles there including helping to set up for shows, cleaning the building, and even checking ids at the front door. I was curious to know how he got this job as he is a junior and this is his second year working there.
He said that one of his good friends worked there before him and suggested him, but that employees do tend to recognize familiar faces of people that go to the Canopy Club often. The application process seems to be fairly standard, one must fill out an application and potentially have an interview. Eric said that like most businesses in the area, the Canopy Club tends to hire at the beginning of the school year, possibly at semester, and then before summer.

Current trends for the Canopy Club include "Pizza + Pitcher and Movie" every Sunday, where they serve Manolo's Pizza, have discounted pitchers of beer, and show a different movie every week. Tuesday night is especially busy at the Canopy Club, busier than most bars or clubs in the area due to Piano Man, a night filled of piano playing and singing of crowd favorites. I asked Eric about any issues the Canopy Club may face, and he said that they are lucky in that they are a unique entity for the Champaign-Urbana community but still must compete with bars in the area for customers. Also, since they are located in Urbana, people may enter if they are 18 or older, this gives them an advantage over bars located in Champaign where one must be 19 to enter.

Leisure can be applied to the Canopy Club in that it provides a venue for people to go and enjoy music and performances. It is also a place for people to socialize wit their friends and to meet other people. When I asked Eric how he thought leisure relates to the Canopy Club he said that one of his favorite things to do to relax and enjoy himself is listen to music, and the Canopy Club provides just that.

I would argue that the main benefit for the Champaign-Urbana community that the Canopy Club provides is their music venue which they seem to be most proud of. Because of all the shows that the Canopy Club as, it makes it unique and a great entity to this area. The Canopy Club personally helps to musically educate the Champaign-Urbana population by hosting bands including: Flogging Molly, Girl Talk, Umphrey's McGee, Wu Tang Clan, Sufjan Stevens, and many more of many varieties.


Synopsis:
After visiting and reporting on the Canopy Club, I learned a lot more that I previously knew and was much more impressed than I expected to be. I personally believe that working at the Canopy Club would have a great number of pros. It seems to always be exciting, there are different things going on every night and such a large number of bands go there and play that it would be rewarding to work for the establishment that brings them to this area. I also would assume that if one were to work there, they would likely be able to see a lot of the bands perform which would simply be memorable on its own. Cons that I could foresee in working at the Canopy Club include the fact that they are only open at night, which just means working at a less "normal" time. I would also guess that working there could get stressful at some times because you are expected to provide fun for your customers and seeing as alcohol would most likely be involved, I could see problems potentially mounting. Although working at the Canopy Club could theoretically be stressful, I believe that it does fit perfectly into the leisure delivery system as a commercial recreation business. I would argue this because the Canopy Club provides entertainment for those that go to it. Entertainment is a key part of leisure, and one of the most basic parts of it as well.

Assignment 2: YMCA (Mike McBride)

The Young Men's Christian Association, known to most as the YMCA, is a non-profit organization that has facilities all throughout the country to provide a healthy, safe environment for leisure activities for people. It has rooms for people to stay in, as well as offering various activities for people to participate in, however, these activities vary in the different facilities. For the Leisure Delivery System project, I have chosen to visit the YMCA in Champaign, Illinois, to learn more about certain aspects of this particular facility.
As mentioned before, the YMCA is a non-profit organization that provides a healthy and safe environment for leisure activities. The YMCA in Champaign is one of the many quality facilities throughout the country, and it hosts events for the community, focusing on clubs or organizations that are interested in improving the community. The YMCA's main goal is to contribute to the bettermant of the community for which it serves and it's focus on reaching out to the community has helped Champaign for a long time and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come.

I found this to be a unique facility when learning about their employment situation. The Champaign YMCA for the most part employs only University of Illinois students. I thought that this was respectable because they hired students who needed the financial help for tuition. So as far as working there, I would qualify because I am a University of Illinois student, and in order to get my foot in the door I would have to state my case to them about why i needed help financing my education.
I also inquired about current trends and issues going on at the YMCA. I was informed that they are currently working to fund new equipment to help make the facility more accessible to people with disabilities, and one of the things mentioned was a ramp in the entrance for people with wheelchairs. I was not surprised to find out that they were striving to help those with disabilities because their main objective has always been to improve the community and this is an issue that should be addressed in more places, so it was encouraging to see that the YMCA is making strides to be part of the solution to this issue.

Based on what I saw and the information I gathered while visiting the facility, I would have to say that the YMCA is devoted to healthy activity for anyone who wants that option. They believe their main benefit to the community is being a facility for people who want to come together to plan and act in order to make our community a better place. Anyone who wants to meet with a group of people in order to make strides to improve the city of Champaign needs to look no further than the YMCA, their doors are always open for those working for the good of the community.

After visiting the YMCA and speaking with an employee, I was impressed with how much the facility contributes to the community. Being non-profit says enough in itself but everything that the agency did and provided was for the improvement of the community. It was also very determined to help students with financial needs by offering jobs to help with their tuition. They were very helpfule in answering my questions and helping me gather as much significant information as I could to find out exactly who they are and what they do to provide the community with a quality leisure facility. However I most likey would not pursue a career with this agency because of their lack of involvement with athletics. Sports are a big part of my life and unfortunately there is not much they have to offer in this field. But all in all this is a great facility that delivers leisure services to society and most importantly they are improving by working to make their facility accessible to more and more people.

Campus Recreation -- The ARC (Mike Rizzo)

The University of Illinois has one of the most extensive campus rec programs that I have seen. The newest and undoubtedly nicest facility that we have acquired is the Activities and Recreation Center, otherwise known as the ARC. The ARC is an amazing fitness center that has anything that anyone could want. The ARC is located at 201 East Peabody Drive. Champaign, IL 61820. And their phone number is (217) 333-3806

I asked an employee of the ARC why they wanted to work in the campus rec division of the U of I and they referred me to the first page of a brochure available at the front desk of the ARC. It read. " 'Opportunities...family...flexible...friends...home...' These are just a few words students use to describe their experience working at Campus Recreation." Campus rec is one of the largest on-campus employers. There are 600+ students working in this department with jobs ranging from personal trainers to planning events and assisting customers.

The ARC is a state-of-the-art facility that everyone on campus should at least go check out once. The lower level, which is mostly weights and racquetball courts, is 11,000 square feet. The main level is 21,000 square feet. There are approximately 142 total stations including cardiovascular machines like treadmills and bikes, plate loaded weight machines, and cable weight machines. There is also 84,145 total pounds of liftable weight. There is also a 1/5 mile track that circles the whole upper level.



The ARC is not just about lifting weights and doing cardio. There are 10 basketball courts, a rock climbing wall and like I said above, racquetball and squash courts. Campus rec also organizes intramural activities. This year there will be the following sports: Softball, Flag Football, Sand Volleyball, Kickball, Soccer, Volleyball, Racquetball and many many more through out this and next semester. These activities cost anywhere from $10-$85.


Campus rec also holds a number of club sports and martial arts clubs. There is absolutely anything from badminton to underwater hockey to pistol shooting to trap and skeet. There are also a ton of different martial arts clubs to be a part of. Goshin Jitsu, Kendo Naginata, Kuk Sol Won and many more.


The ARC offers personal training packages as well. These are open to anyone and are one hour a piece. You can do an individual personal session which costs anywhere from $100 (non member $120) for 4 lessons-$252 (non member $324) for 12 lessons. You can also do a group or partner lesson which costs $76 ($96)-$204 ($258). To register for these classes you can go to www.campusrec.illinois.edu.

Synopsis: There are a lot of schools that have gyms and fitness centers, but very few with one as advanced as our ARC. I make it a point to go there every day, and I love it. There is always something new to do, or a new activity to try out. I have found a love for racquetball, and am hoping to join in an intramural volleyball league sometime this year. Like I said above, everyone on campus should take a trip to the ARC at some point in their career at the U of I, even if it's just to look around and see what is available. There are also many many job opportunities at the ARC that would be great training for anyone wanting to go into the Recreation Sport and Tourism field. So all I'm asking is to go and check it out, I know I love it there and hopefully you will too.

Assignment 2: Krannert Art Museum - Justin Jahnke

When asked where they prefer to go in their leisure time, most people would probably respond by naming their favorite movie theater, amusement park, or restaurant. Although each of those destinations is a great source of relaxation and escape from the grind of everyday life, none of them provides quite as much stimulation as a visit to an art museum. Viewing art encourages active thought while still allowing the visitors to leave their anxieties at home. Fortunately, there is a fantastic museum located right here on campus that is open to all students, faculty, and members of the community, the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, located at 500 E. Peabody Drive in Champaign.

The Krannert Art Museum was opened in 1961 to create a home for the University’s collection of art and today is the second largest art museum in Illinois. It is a unit of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and includes the Kinkead Pavilion, an addition to the museum completed in 1988. After taking several pictures of the stylish exterior, I walked inside the 48,000 sq. ft. facility to meet with Diane Schumacher, the museum’s Director of Publications and Marketing.

Throughout its ten galleries, Diane informed me, 9,000 works of art from various corners of the globe are held. Cultures represented within the museum include American (Pre-Columbian and U.S.), ancient Mediterranean, Asian (China, India, Japan, Thailand), and African, among others. Most of what the museum displays is traditional, but it also displays various contemporary works in seasonal exhibitions. As stated in its major objectives, KAM aims “to exploit the special assets of the University and community to develop dynamic collaborations across often disparate disciplines and interests,” as well as “to be a leader in visioning and realizing the future of arts.” Clearly, an equal emphasis is placed on both past and current styles and works of art.

I asked Diane about her background and how she came to occupy her current position at the museum. She studied art, graduating from Illinois with a Bachelor’s degree and earning a Master’s from Indiana. She came back to work as a docent at Krannert in 1988, but also served as an educational coordinator and trained docents before assuming a Membership and Marketing position in 2000, which became Director of Publications and Marketing. Although the path to her current role is indefinite, Diane said that a strong knowledge of art history, as well as a background in art, is important.

KAM claims to fulfill its mission by “exhibiting diverse and contemporary artists, embracing new media and technologies, and supporting emerging artists and the creative process,” as well as by ”programming activities that encourage and inspire lifelong learning, contemplation, and a passion for understanding.” Some activities provided include the various contemporary exhibitions, music and dance performances, and gallery talks and lectures. For those with particular interest in the work or artists, special exhibitions are held in which the artists actually meet with patrons of the museum to share more about the creative process. The museum also offers a “hip-hop café,” much like a poetry slam. Much of Diane’s job is devoted to organizing and planning these and other events, in addition to cataloguing the museum’s works.

The Krannert Art Museum brings in about 132,000 people annually. I asked Diane what she thought the term “leisure” meant in terms of the museum’s visitors, and she described it as having the free-time and curiosity, passion, and a love of art. She said personally her favorite part of working at the museum is being exposed to all the wonderful art everyday and getting a chance to experience it casually, as well as working with colleagues who are “creative,” “energetic,” and “hard-working.” With all that is going on at the Krannert Art Museum, the next time I decide to go out I may just decide to forgo the movie (~$8 for admission), the amusement park ($15 for parking), and instead opt for the free displays of creativity (although an optional $3 donations is customary).

Synopsis:
An art museum may seem like an inherently uninteresting venue to most people these days, but in reality there is a lot more going on than just hanging paintings and glass-enclosed sculptures. The Krannert Art Museum, for instance, provides many interesting programs reflecting many current trends. Music and dance shows offer variety to the museum-going experience, while hip-hop café allows visitors to experience the live creativity of other members of the community. Even the art itself is made more appealing by docents who provide tours and gallery talks, creating more depth for the art. These features are what marketing professionals like Diane Schumacher work to create in order to make the leisure service more enjoyable to leisure-seekers. Although there are many other responsibilities, one of the most important aspects of Diane’s job is creating an appealing environment for visitors to the museum. So in the future, if you need to think of a fun activity for you and your friends, consider taking a trip over to the Krannert Art Museum. It’ll be something new and different, and you may even save a few bucks (which is as important for a college student as anyone).