By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A quartet of new Yukon city employees is helping one department keep up during an especially busy time of year.
Yukon Parks & Recreation has added the services of four full-time employees.
With the hectic summer season underway in Yukon, these new YPR staff members have hit the ground running with the responsibilities of their new positions.
“We’re really pleased to have Emily, Maddie, Riley, and Logan on board,” YPR Director Jan Scott said. “Summer is our busiest time of the year and they’ve all gotten right to work to help ensure the success of many programs and activities we offer our community patrons.”
Special event assistant Riley DeLong is thrilled to be contributing in his new Yukon Parks & Recreation position.
“I’m in special events, so I get to help create events like the Fourth of July and Festival of the Child,” DeLong said. “I love interacting with people and I love providing those opportunities.
“We’re obviously taking what’s already existing and making each event the best that we can, trying to improve year to year.”
DeLong and other YPR personnel will look to introduce more special events and new venues to host these programs.
After graduating from the University in Central Oklahoma, DeLong taught in Piedmont and then worked in the private sector for a while.
“I wanted to get back in something where I was serving the community and serving people,” the Bethany High School graduate said.
Since joining the department, DeLong has noticed how his fellow YPR employees and supervisors are committed to enhancing the “quality of life” for residents here.
“Everything from the facilities to the camps to the special events, we’re always looking for ways to step it up the next year, improve this or provide this that we haven’t provided before,” he said. “And find new ways to make Yukon a stronger community.”
HELPING YUKON ‘HAVE FUN’
New recreation leader Emily Bailey has rejoined Yukon Parks & Recreation after working for the department while in high school.
“When I saw there was a job opening, I was excited about the opportunity to come back and work for my former employers,” said Bailey, a Yukon High School and UCO graduate.
With an art minor and art teaching certification, Bailey helps lead YPR arts and crafts classes.
“Doing arts and crafts is really fun for me so that’s my favorite activity here,” she said.
She especially likes being part of the YPR team.
“The people here really have a servant heart and are excited to help the community of Yukon have fun,” Bailey said.
Another new recreation leader, Maddie Flemmons, brought a sports background to the department.
Flemmons just likes being active, whether that means leading a volleyball program or cooking classes at the Yukon Community Center.
“I thought the idea of creating the programs of the community center was really awesome,” said Flemmons, a Bethany High School and Oklahoma State University graduate. “I really like kids, so I thought this was a really great opportunity to not necessarily teach but to interact and hang out with kids and create programs for the community to come to.
“I like that Yukon Parks & Recreation reaches out and really does a lot of things for the community and tries to get as many people involved as possible. Overall, that makes living in Yukon a better experience.”
With a background in sports organizing, new recreation leader Logan Crosslin serves as YPR camp coordinator.
Upon graduating from UCO, Crosslin looked for a job that would allow him to serve people of all ages, races and backgrounds.
“This position allows me to help not just one certain group of people, but I can help the entire community,” said Crosslin, a graduate of Christian Heritage Academy in Del City.
“I’m passionate about sports, particularly basketball. I’ll be working with one of the women’s leagues and I have some other sport-themed ideas – whether it’s camps or different programs.”
Crosslin is proud to be part of such a progressive, active Yukon organization.
“The people here really work well together; we know how to have fun and when to be serious,” he said. “I’ve only been here a couple months, but I’ve noticed how many kind and good people there are in this community.”
