Photo by Marvin Lynchard
Thanks to a generous private donation, Redmond Area Park and Recreation District has developed a way to honor and welcome our community’s veterans. Aquatic Director Jessica Rowan took it on herself to develop the Hero Pass program, after being approached by a donor interested in encouraging Redmond area veterans to participate in recreation and life enrichment activities to improve physical and mental wellbeing. “Redmond has a large veteran population,” Rowan explains, “nearly 3000. But our research showed that veterans remain an underserved part of our community.” Rowan undertook six months of research, including meetings with local veteran support organizations, to develop an incentive program that would best meet the needs of the largest number of area vets.
“There are many programs for veterans that are needs-based, that require the veteran qualify through a disability or economic hardship,” Rowan observes. “This is not the direction we wanted to go with our Hero Pass program. It has been our goal to provide this incentive without these qualifiers. If a community member has served and been honorably discharged, then they qualify for a Hero Pass.”
Rowan’s research included a number of recent studies examining the causes of difficulty transitioning from military to civilian life. Whereas the military is structured by rules and order and hierarchy, civilian life can feel chaotic and unstable by comparison. The shift to a civilian environment can bring a sense of boredom and isolation. “The good news,” Rowan says, “is that community engagement and social contact has been shown to greatly reduce these negative feelings, improving overall health and wellness for veterans.” Team sports can provide a sense of teamwork, rules, and achievement. Aquatics programs and exercise at the Activity Center offer improved health and strength and a chance to interact with others with similar interests.
Photo by Brittany Rankin
Rowan’s research also showed that it can be challenging to find a replacement in civilian life for the feeling of belonging that servicemen and women find in the military. Cascade Swim Center and the Activity Center are community environments where friends and neighbors can meet and catch up while participating in recreation and exercise programs. Being a part of a sports team or becoming a regular at lap swim or the gym can bring a sense of belonging and familiarity that puts civilian life on firmer ground.
“The goal of the Hero Pass is to be able to say thank you to our community members who have served,” Rowan describes, “and to foster participation in community based recreation and enrichment.” Honorably discharged Redmond area veterans who live within the District boundaries are eligible to receive a Hero Pass. Recipients can use this card to receive a 20% discount toward RAPRD registrations and passes for their participation in recreation, fitness or enrichment programming. Since the purpose of the program is to encourage sustained engagement in recreation and enrichment programs, passes are discounted, but not daily drop-in fees. As Rowan explains, “As the goal of the program is to engage the veterans, themselves, the Hero Pass can only be applied to programs and passes that they, themselves, will participate in.” To this end, veterans can receive a 20% discount for their families when they buy a pass for the whole family to enjoy an activity together, such as a lap and recreation swim pass for the pool.
Photo by Army National Guard Staff Sgt Emily Suhr
“Providing life enrichment programs to our community members is our mission, and this is particularly true for our area veterans,” Rowan says. “We are blessed to have a significant portion of our community that has made the choice to serve, and we feel that it is an obligation to honor their sacrifices.”
The Hero Pass project is funded through charitable donations, with special recognition to the tremendous generosity of the Pollock family, in honor of Elmer and Geneva Pollock. If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to the Hero Pass project, call or visit the RAPRD Activity Center or Cascade Swim Center, or donate online here:
If you are an honorably discharged veteran who lives in the Redmond area, you can bring proof of District residence and your DD-214 to the pool or the Activity Center to receive your Hero Pass.
Photo by Marvin Lynchard