Operation Splash Second Year


Kaiser Permanente provided their second $48,000 grant to the Desert Recreation District. This grant funded swim lessons to children and families who qualified in our communities. The program provided funding for Swim lessons, Open Swim and Junior Lifeguard Training.

Target Communities:
• City of Indio • Pawley Pool
• City of Coachella • Bagdouma Pool
• Community of Mecca • Mecca Community Pool

Operation Splash Objectives:
• Facilitate physical activity in communities where health disparities are greatest and opportunities for safe physical activity are often scarce.

• Teach children and adults basic water safety and swimming skills in order to prevent drowning and promote life-long physical activity.

• Families who qualified received “Operation Splash” passes that were used throughout the summer.

• Children and Adults were eligible for the program.

• Families signing up their children for swim lessons were also eligible for free open swim passes.

• The program was designed to provide opportunities in the three targeted communities, however low income residents throughout the Coachella Valley were welcome to sign up.

SilverSneakers®

Hey, senior citizens! This free fitness class is designed especially for you. Have fun moving to music while doing a variety of easy exercises. It’s all good for increasing your muscular strength and helping your range of movement and activity. Feel free to go at your own pace, or sit in a chair for support — it’s up to you! Put on your comfortable clothes and come for a simple work-out with your fellow SilverSneakers®.
Location:
 Indio Community Center
Instructor:
 Larry Price
Days:
 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Dates:
 Ongoing
Time:
 6:30 – 7:30 a.m.
Age:
 50 years and older
Fee:
 FREE

Palm Desert Table Tennis

If you enjoy the game of table tennis, come join this competitive group! Not just a game of ping-pong. It’s a game that is ideal for everyone to play in either a recreational or competitive environment. The game can help improve quickness, hand-eye coordination and focus. If you are looking for an entertaining recreational activity that is played indoors, join us and bring your paddle. All are welcome to play.
Location:
 Palm Desert Community Center
Day:
 Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Dates:
 Ongoing
Time:
 Monday and Friday; 1 – 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday; 7 – 9 p.m.
Age:
 All ages
Fee:
 FREE with Facility Use Pass
Location:
 Palm Desert Community Center
Day:
 Saturday
Dates:
 January 8 and 15
Time:
 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Age:
 All ages
Fee:
 FREE

Volleyball

Just for fun, we set up the volleyball nets on Fridays and invite our members to play. Bring family and friends and create a team or just show up and join in. This activity is free for members and only $5 for non-members.
Location:
 Indio Community Center
Days:
 Friday
Dates:
 September 3 – June 24
Time:
 5 – 9 p.m.
Age:
 5 years and older
Fee:
 FREE

Eggstravaganza

Saturday, April 23
10 a.m. – Noon
Indio Center Park • Veterans Park • Mecca Community Center

You won’t have to “hunt” for the best Easter Egg Hunt in the valley. Just grab your Easter basket and head to one hosted by Desert Recreation District in a location near you. Of course, the Easter Bunny himself will be paying a visit, and fun activities like face painting, potato sack races, hula hoop contests and more are sure to get you and your entire family hoppin!

We promise every BUNNY is sure to have an EGGcellent time!
This event is free. All ages welcome.

Free Programs and Activities

From a Digital Photography Contest to SilverSneakers®, DRD offers a wide variety of FREE Programs and Activities for all ages.

Wii©ked Game Nights
Paper Airplanes
Palm Desert Table Tennis
Volleyball
SilverSneakers®
Operation Splash Second Year
Digital Photography Contest
Santa's Hotline
Eggstravaganza

Also see Free Special Events

Santa's Hotline


Hey kids, here is your direct hotline to talk to Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and Frosty the Snowman. You can even talk to Rudolph and the other reindeer!

Wednesday, December 15
Give Santa and his friends a call between 5 and 9 p.m.
1-800-Santa4Kids
(1-800-726-8245)

The North Pole will be waiting for your call!

Paper Airplanes

Up, up and away! The whole family will love this exciting class. Young kids learn ways to fold different types of paper airplanes and how to launch them. Older ‘kids-at-heart’ will enjoy creating balsa wood or rubberband flyers. At the end of each class, there will be contests like the most creative design, the longest flight and the best landing. This class is offered by the District and partners with the Coachella Valley Radio Control Club. They will demonstrate an electric remote flyer and show you how it works. Making and flying paper airplanes is great fun, and so is watching them fly. Come fly with us!
Location:
 Indio Community Center
Day:
 Saturday
Dates:
 February 5 and May 7
Time:
 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Age:
 1 year and older
Fee:
 FREE
Location:
 Mecca Community Center
Day:
 Friday
Dates:
 October 22, December 17, February 11, April 1
Time:
 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Age:
 1 year and older
Fee:
 FREE

Wii©ked Game Nights

Let your nights come alive with your friends in a fun, supervised, safe, supportive, non-violent and drug-free environment. Play “Rock Band,” “Dance, Dance Revolution,”and many other top-rated, popular games on several projection screens. Whether you are an expert at video games or not, you will have a great time playing in our Wii©ked Game Night!
Location:
 Indio Community Center
Day:
 Friday
Dates:
 October 5, November 2, December 7, January 4,
February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7
Time:
 6 – 9 p.m.
Age:
 8 – 14 years old
Fee:
 FREE

Digital Photography Contest

This is your opportunity to “give us your best shot.” Participate in the “Around Desert Recreation District and Community Center” digital photography contest, and your photos may be chosen for display in various DRD facilities, as well as in our Catalog and on our Web site.

Photo contest details:
Photos must have been taken between October 1, 2010 and June 25, 2011 and have been taken in Desert Recreation District parks, community centers, pools or facilities. All photos must be at least 300 DPI to print in the Catalog. A digital copy of each photo may be submitted on disk or sent by email in jpg format to patricia@myrecreationdistrict.com with PHOTO ENTRY as the subject.

Please put your name, age, address, photo number, email address, location of photo and date it was taken on the entry form and attach to the back of your entry. Register your photograph at any of our Community Centers. There is a $10 fee required. Please submit only one entry per person, per category. Forms can be picked up at any of our Community Centers.

Entries must be received no earlier than October 1, 2010 and no later than July 2, 2011. Contest winners’ photo(s) will be displayed in our facilities from July 6 to July 26, 2011. Voting will take place during the week of July 6, 2011 by a panel of judges. All winners will be featured on the Desert Recreation District Web site. All entries become the property of DRD.

Age Divisions:
Youth: 13–17 years old
Adult: 18–49 years old
Senior: 50 years and older

Photo Categories:
• People/Animals
• Places
• Life Enrichment