The Spirit of Springfield

Executive Director: Lauren Anastasiades

Lady Footlocker, Powerbar, Rite Aid, Dunkin Donuts

• To those in attendance,

• In 2010 the Springfield Recreation Agency hopes to create the annual Spirit of Springfield festival schedule. This event will include festivals and attractions that will benefit the city of Springfield, as well as improve the overall quality of life for its participants. To accomplish this task, the Recreation Agency and I wish to receive your financial support.

Sincerely, Lauren AnastasiadesThe Executive Director of the Spirit of Springfield

Value of RecreationIntrinsic and Extrinsic Factors:

Self-RespectFun and enjoymentSocializationHealth Benefits Community Cohesiveness (Civic Pride)Family cohesivenessReduction of Juvenile DelinquencyProvides economic benefits (attracts businesses and

attracts employees)Boosts tourism (during these hard economic times)

• Video Clip• “The Benefits of Recreation”

• This video includes information about the physical, emotional, and psychological

benefits of recreation.

Springfield, Massachusetts

• In 2000, 34% of poor residents in the city lived in neighborhoods with poverty levels exceeding 40%.

• Demographics- 79% white, 11.2% Latino/Hispanic 5.5% Black/African American

• Residents under the age of 18: 24.3% Single Parents Households 10.6%, Foreign Born since 2000, 6.7%

• 18th Most violent city in America“The Springfield Police Department will do all they can to ensure safety at the Spirit of Springfield. The police department will contribute their time and effort to the citizen’s quality of life by protecting and servicing the community.”

• -Springfield Police Department

The Springfield Agency

• Operates and Secures:– The Springfield Pancake Breakfast– Peter Pan Taste of Springfield (TBA)– Basketball Hall of fame Induction Ceremonies– Holiday Balloon Parade– Mattoon Streets Arts festival– In the survey conducted, several activities were investigated to evaluate the

participant’s tastes and preferences. Among the activities surveyed the Peter Pan Taste (40%), the art festivals (40%), the 5k-road race (25%), the adult learning programs (25%), and the children’s academic activities (25%), eating contests (25%), ranked as being the most important.

– With additional funding The Peter Pan Taste can be reinstated!

Our Mission

The Spirit of Springfield strives to improve the quality of life for Western Massachusetts and Springfield residents by providing activities that will increase intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction. The festival will provide programs to increase family cohesiveness, by engaging families in a cultural, educational, and leisurely experience. The Spirit of Springfield strives to provide a sense of civic pride within the Springfield community that will provide citizens with socialization and equitable opportunities.

Our Vision• Location: Springfield, Massachusetts• Venue: TBA in Winter 2010• Time: June 2010• Admissions: $5 dollars for children, $7 dollars for adults (12+)• Staff:300+ (hired with prior experience)• Risk Management Team: Springfield Police and Fire Departments• Participants: Increase the number in Western Massachusetts and Springfield area by 25%• Participating Tourists: Increase participation by 15%• Volunteers: Increase Western Massachusetts and Springfield volunteers by 30%

• “What would persuade you to come to a festival within the Springfield area?” • 80% of residents strongly suggested more security, better food, and affordable prices. 20% of the surrounding Western

Springfield areas would prefer more volunteers from Western Springfield cities and more activities for Generation Y to enjoy. 100% of the residents agreed that the event should be appealing and entertaining. 75% of the forum stated that summer would be a great time to hold the festival. Brian Smith stated “I would prefer to attend a festival in the summer. It will provide something that my family and I can enjoy.” (Springfield and Western Massachusetts Residents)

Programs and Activities Available

• Cultural (Concessions, Arts, Educational)• Educational• Physical• Social

“To have a productive annual event, you must create a theme where numerous activities can be accommodated to. At the Mardi Gras Festival, the activities names all apply and have a historical background associated with the event. When planning your festival I suggest taking in consideration the culture of Springfield and developing a program where the history of Springfield is exhibited.”-Bill HidesExecutive Director of the Mardi gras Festival

Culture

• Cultural Food• Cultural art and historical Activities

• The participants in the survey conducted gave insight on the categories of food desired at the festival. The people of Springfield and Western Massachusetts found Spanish food (40%) to be most important category needed in future festivals. American foods and Chinese foods were the next largest category at 15%, followed by Asian foods at 12% and Mexican foods at 10%.

• The survey ranked the importance of the benefits that the community brings to the Springfield community. Participants claimed to find the reinforcement of family bonds most important (40%), followed by reaching all age groups interests (45%), and community cohesiveness at 35%.

• “To have a productive annual event, you must create a theme where numerous activities can be accommodated to. At the Mardi Gras Festival, the activities names all apply and have a historical background associated with the event. When planning your festival I suggest taking in consideration the culture of Springfield and developing a program where the history of Springfield is exhibited.”Bill HidesExecutive Director of the Mardi Gras Festival

Educational

• Provide Adult and Children’s learning programs

• “If a festival is put on within the city, it needs to have activities for all ages to enjoy. The parents need to receive intrinsic satisfaction, as well as their children. Family cohesion is one step in the right direction to control delinquency, but if the parents and children aren’t interested, then the event will not be profitable. I suggest academic programs, as well as a form of physical activity.”

Tom ShaddockPrinciple of the Springfield High School

• Previous festival participants surveyed, Learning something new (50%), enjoyment (50%) being entertained (40%), and interacting with others (35%) was the top motivators for attending the festival.

The role of recreation in the community was positive if the recreation programmers were able to support, maintain, and develop programs adequately where there were volunteers, regulations, and proper funding. Arts and culture were components in community cohesiveness if the festivals encouraged educational involvement and new ideas. The community event would have to be involved in marketing and planning strategies by communicating with the public through verbal and published promotions.

Recreation, arts, events and festivals: their contribution to a sense of community in the Colac-Otway Shire of country Victoria. (Case study).

Rural Society

Physical and Social: 5k Road Race “Run For Your Life Presented by “Sponsors””

• 5k road race as one of the activities during the festival• Attract Tourists within the New England Area• There is no additional fee for participation• Race will be secured by the Risk Management Staff providedHealth Benefits• Positive impact on health risks (ie. Obesity and chronic diseases)• Physical activity can increase life expectancy• Boost immune system• Positive effects on depression, stress, and self-esteem• Socialization• Intrinsic Satisfaction (with completion of activity)

Californians considered recreation as an essential component to their quality of life. Personal and spiritual growth, as well as life satisfaction was components in improving quality of life.

• The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation• http://www.parks.ca.gov/• California State Parks 2005

The 5k-road race will bring in many people across the New England area. People will run in rain or shine and will travel to this type of event. A 5k-road race will boost tourism, especially during these hard economic times.

-John FayerJournalist: Runners World Magazine

Family Cohesiveness

One goal of the Spirit of Springfield is to bring families together within the New England area to improve their overall quality of life, strengthening family bonds and increasing parent involvement.

Outdoor recreation eliminates the normal hectic environment and intensifies interaction. Families tend to participate in outdoor activities when they participate as a whole. Therefore, outdoor recreation contributes to a relationship between families and cohesiveness. The study showed that the families with low spring cohesiveness appeared to experience the greatest increase in cohesiveness over the summer after outdoor recreation.-Outdoor recreation and family cohesiveness: a research approachJournal of Leisure Research (Summer 2009)

Leisure and Delinquency• Delinquent adolescents relate to the involvement or lack of

involvement in leisure activities and parental guidance.• Crack down on the crime rate in Springfield

Agnew and Peterson theorized that when an adolescent performs activities with their parents rather than their friends they are more likely to stay out of trouble. Adolescents need good role models in their lives to not be associated with deviant behavior.

Leisure and DelinquencyRobert Agnew; David M. PetersonSocial Problems, vol.36, No.4, October 1989

Community Cohesiveness (CIVIC PRIDE)

The Springfield Community Committee will select the volunteers and employees that will staff the event. According to the survey copy and tested, the Springfield Community Committee will hire three hundred or more people. The staff should have previous experience with festivals and be familiar with the Springfield area. The staff should have former customer service experience. The staff will be prepared with training, months prior to the event.

• On November 4, 2010 the Springfield Times newspaper included an advertisement asking for the community to donate the event by sponsoring the event. The community agreed to raise as much money as possible for the event, for the well being of the community.

• Local Businesses have already agreed to sponsor the event, other businesses are being debated:

– Antonio’s Grinders, – Champion’s Sport Bar– Hilton Garden Inn

• The YMCA was financially supported by pledged donations from the surrounding community and by a developer Acheson Ventures LLC. Together they both benefited the community by improving the architectural value of the St. Clair River area. The surrounding area around the bank are also planned to have new structures built, including housing and other recreation facilities. The newly designed YMCA is easily assessable to its participants and is allows visitors to participate in diverse activities.

• Thumbs Up! Community Effort Provides New Home for Michigan’s “thumb” area YMCA• PRB June 2009

Generation Y

Generation Y consists of the age group between 1979 and 1994 that want work but do not want work

to be their life.

• High expectations of oneself and others

• Ongoing learning (fast pace, impatient generation)

• Immediate responsibility

• Goal oriented• According to research, Generation y consists of the age group between 1979 and 1994 that want work but do not want work to be their

life. This age group is associated with technological tools such as cell phones, Facebook, and Twitter. They have highly structured lives,

love a variety of foods, and feel that doing things in a fast, timely matter is important.

“I suggest you add more programs in the festival that will impact Generation Y. The Autumfest Festival includes events that enhance family cohesion, but also keep the teenagers entertained. These days, teenagers respond to advances in technology and are not as focused on the educational value. The city needs to figure out new ways to innovate the learning aspect.”-Jim CannonExecutive Director of the Woonsocket Parks and Recreation Department

Tweens• Tweens are the generation gap between the ages of 8 and 12 years

old.

• Brand Association

• Age Compression (Kids getting older, younger)

• Lavish and impulsive spending

“Consumers prefer to associate themselves with successful brands is reflected in merchandise sales and attendance.”

-Season-ticket holder Satisfaction and sponsor related behavior: evidence of a positive relationship

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship: July 2006

“Self-efficiacy contributes to the intrinsic motivation of the individual. Adolescent males are motivated by sports, while girls are drawn to school-based clubs and activities. Recreation providers need to develop structured programs that foster intrinsic motivation and encourage parent involvement.”

-Role of motivation, self-efficiacy and parent support in adolescent structured leisure activity participation

(September 2009)

Springfield and Western Massachusetts Residents

The Spirit of Springfield Event:• Provide an affordable event to the consumer • Activities that promote family cohesiveness• Local venue• Activities that adapt to their culture • Learning Experiences

The Springfield Recreation Agency will provide a recreational experience that will attract

novelty tourists in the New England area that will be superior to previous years, as well as improving the reputation of the Springfield

area.

Tourists• Secure for all participants-Risk Management provided by the city of Springfield

• Affordable• Manageable travel time• Intrinsic and extrinsic factors• 5k road race-attract competitive and recreational runners outside

Western Massachusetts

• “Local residents were not highly motivated by the construct of mastery, but intrinsic satisfaction, perceived freedom, and enjoyment were the motivational factors for tourist attractions.”

• -Leisure experiences in tourist attractions: exploring the motivations of local residents• -Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management: April 2006• 45% of participants inferred that the economy had the strongest impact on

consumer’s preference on personal travel.

“The best way to work through the recession is to plan activities that are inexpensive to the consumer. Then the department has to plan activities wisely, to attract tourists and boost revenue.”

-Ben PensoMaine Parks and Recreation Association

“Make sure the tourists know that the event will have adequate security and is at a cost that a person making an average income can afford.” -Henry MarcetMassachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

“A person may want to learn something, but also travel for holiday purposes. People travel because they are pushed by their own internal forces and pulled by external forces. I found that tourists are more likely to travel for cultural and historical purposes.”

-Amy TripoldMaine Tourism Association

Economy• Affordable Prices• Reasonable Travel Time• Job Opportunities-Parks and open space attract businesses and attract employees in search of a

high quality of life.“In Virginia in 2005, 14,520,721 visitors to National Park Service sites had an economic impact of $263 million supporting 6,100 local jobs”.Economic Benefits of Recreation, Tourism and Open SpaceChapter 5 Virginia Outdoors Plan 2007

• Convincing tourists to visit the attractions may create revenue by the sales of goods and services, which in return create income for salaries and wages. Tourism is a good source for quick revenue if the benefits outweigh the costs. Tourism should not be characterized by being costless, but if planned well can persuade consumers to spend money and boost the economy. The Impact of tourism on local government expenditures.Growth and Change (Summer 1996) pp.313 (14)

• Some economists believe that since consumers have been saving money in 2009, then they are predicted to spend more in 2010. Economic Forecasting: A Foggier View Than EverStephen Gandel Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009

• Where the Rubber Meets the Road, compares government to a fish bowl in which the local government has strong impact on the quality of life of its citizens. The local government has to take the poor economy in consideration and make the best decision based on the good for mankind. The character of the government is based on how they handle the situations under pressure and how they involve their staff.

• Local Government: Where the Rubber Meets The Road• PRB June 2009

Marketing/Media Usage• Springfield Times newspaper • The Springfield public website• The Spirit of Springfield Festival website• TV commercials on basic cable channels with the Springfield/Western Massachusetts areas• Call-In telephone lines-Springfield Recreation Agency Dept (413-236-2006) and the hotline (1-

800-230-8999).• Email: my office: lanastasiades@spfldrec.com and the Springfield Community Committee

spfldscc@spfld.com• Internet Blogs• Text Messages (Target Tweens)• Community forums held at Springfield’s City Hall. • Magazines in the year 2010 • Radio Stations • Word of mouth• Advertisements posted at schools within Western Massachusetts

Life Without Recreation/Festivals• The Springfield Community as well as the surrounding area of Western

Massachusetts will not have the opportunity to take part in a leisurely, affordable experience, families and the surrounding community can not improve their overall quality of life.

• Springfield Massachusetts will not gain credibility• Social, economical, physical and psychological benefits will not be received by

participants.• Children and adults will not be able to participate in academic activities that can

positively influence their lives.• Families will not have the opportunity to strengthen family bonds.• The community will not be able to exhibit civic pride• Tourism will not be able to have an effect on the economy

• Video Clip• “The Impact of Recreation on the United

States”• This video clip includes information on how

recreation includes economic, social, and health benefits.

ROI For Sponsorship• Brand Recognition/Exposure• Return on Investment

• Product Extensions at the event• Name Recognition(Title of the 5k-road race)• Advertisements in brochures at the Spirit of Springfield• Advertisements on 5k road race t-shirts• Advertisements at checkpoints throughout the race• Advertisements at booths throughout the festival• Hold 50% on all outside media coverage on local television

and radio stations, 6 months prior to the event.

Questions/Comments

Executive Director:Lauren Anastasiadeslanastasiades@spfldrec.com

(413-236-2006)