HomeMy WebLinkAbout121025 email - Rec Center and ProgramsALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Hello Commissioners,
My name is Devon Buckham, and my family and I are just one of the many families who rely on our county recreation programs and the Rec Center. In my work as an educator in East Jefferson
County, I spend most of my time alongside local families and their children. Every day I witness how few opportunities young people in our community already have—and how essential these
remaining programs are to their wellbeing, growth, and connection.
When I moved here in 2000 at age 13, the Rec Center was a refuge for me. The county soccer program was the first place I felt truly connected to other kids. Those early experiences shaped
my sense of belonging in this community. Today, as a volunteer coach for the county’s recreation programs, I see the same thing happening for a new generation of kids. Each season I
watch them build friendships, develop confidence, and form meaningful connections not only with their peers but with the caring adults who show up for them—coaches, staff, and volunteers.
The potential loss of these programs and this place would be devastating. For many youth, the Rec Center is not simply an after-school option—it is the one consistent, safe, accessible
space where they can move their bodies, learn new skills, build positive relationships, and experience community. These programs help young people feel seen and supported at a time
when isolation, anxiety, and disconnection are already widespread.
I understand the financial pressures facing the county, and I know that difficult decisions must be made. But cutting youth recreation is not a cost-saving measure—it is a long-term
cost shift. The absence of safe, structured, community-oriented programs leaves families with few alternatives and leaves young people without the support networks that help them thrive.
The repercussions will echo in our schools, in our public health systems, and across the fabric of our community.
I urge you to please reconsider any proposal that would eliminate youth programs or close the Rec Center. These programs are not extras. They are foundational to a healthy, connected,
and resilient East Jefferson County.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to our community.
Sincerely,
Devon Buckham