Recreation Advisory Commission (RAC)

The objective of the RAC shall be to function as an advisory body to the Franklin County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Franklin County Board of Supervisors. Granted in February of 1994, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors passed legislation to allow the operational structure of the Parks and Recreation Department to be jointly administered in the following capacity.

· By recommending the establishment of relevant policies for the development and enhancement of recreational programs and park facilities.

· By assisting the Department and the Board in improving relationships between the community and the Department through civic, business, and other community representatives within their respective districts.

· By providing an additional resource for evaluating existing and proposed Departmental programs and facilities.

· By assisting the Director in development of strategic plans for implementation of long-term goals and objectives to meet anticipated community needs.

· By providing the Director with general advice on the operation and implementation of both programming and recreational facilities.

Each member of the RAC shall be appointed by the Board and shall be elected in the following manner: one (1) member shall be appointed from each electoral district; provided that one (1) member shall be appointed at large; irrespective of his/her residence within any particular electoral district. The Board may modify the requirement for appointment by electoral district for original appointments to the RAC. To contact the RAC Members, please call (540) 483-9293. Listed below are the (RAC) members and the districts they represent:

Blackwater District Jon Crutchfield	I am pleased to have been appointed to the Franklin County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (RAC) by Mr. Wayne Angell. I have served on the RAC for two years. I enjoy working with the staff of the recreation department to develop and improve programs for the youth and citizens of Franklin County. My family has lived in Franklin County for ten years. I am married to Anne, a Franklin County native, and have three daughters, Haley, Emily, Maggie. All three of my children have been involved with youth sports in the county. I have worked for Franklin County Public Schools for six years, serving as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and currently as an Assistant Principal at Franklin County High School. I look forward to my continued involvement with the Franklin County Parks and Recreation as we build upon our prior successes and explore new avenues for parks and recreation in our county.
Blue Ridge District Gary Holden	Gary Holden joined Franklin County's RAC in November 2010. He has lived in Franklin County and worked at Ferrum College the past 20 years, currently as Assistant Athletic Director and Sports Information Director. He served 10 seasons as Ferrum's men's tennis coach from 1999-2008, earning a pair of USA South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors, and two season as women's tennis coach. Holden served four years on the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Committee from 2004-08, and was the committee's national chair in 2008. He also served a year as Acting Commissioner of the Atlantic Central Football Conference, and three years as that league's Sports Information Director. Holden served as President for the Virginia Sports Information Directors from 1998-2002, and is now in his 13th year as the organization's webmaster. Holden's work in intercollegiate athletics began in 1987, where he served as Head Wrestling Coach at his alma-mater Plymouth State University in central New Hampshire. In four years, he produced 21 All-Conference athletes, two NCAA Division III national tournament qualifiers, one conference champion, and one NCAA Division III All-American. Holden was named New England College Conference Wrestling Association Rookie Coach of the Year in 1988, and Coach of the Year in 1990. He was a two-time high school state finalist wrestler, winning the 1981 New Hampshire state title. He went on to earn three All-Conference honors at Plymouth State, including a Northern New England Tournament title in 1985. Holden earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1987 and his master's degree in guidance and counseling in 1990, both from Plymouth State. Holden has worked with the Franklin County's Parks and Recreation Department's wrestling program, serving four years as head coach and two years as an assistant coach. He currently serves as an assistant wrestling coach at Benjamin Franklin Middle School and has helped as a volunteer wrestling coach at Franklin County High School for over a dozen years. Holden has also worked with the Boy Scouts of America for over 12 years, serving in various leadership roles with Cub Scout Pack 32 of Ferrum and BSA Troop 456 of Rocky Mount, Franklin County's oldest boy scout troop. A native of Nashua, New Hampshire, Holden and his wife Leslie reside in Ferrum with their sons Taylor and Drew. Leslie also works at Ferrum College in the Student Leadership & Engagement Office. Taylor is an Eagle Scout and currently a student at the University of Richmond. Drew is a student at Franklin County High School will complete work towards his Eagle Scout in 2012.
Boone District Richard Arrington	Rick Arrington is a native of Franklin County and a former U. S. Army Military Police Officer that later served for over 25 years in various capacities at the City of Roanoke Police Department. In Roanoke, Rick worked in the Community Policing Unit, Records Unit and finally as a Zone Commander over the Southeast Quadrant of the city. He has a BS in Criminal Justice and an extensive history in crime prevention. Rick is a graduate of the Administrative Officer’s Management Program at North Carolina State University. Mr. Arrington retired from the Roanoke City Police Department in 2006 but has continued to serve in the field of crime prevention. Since retiring, he has developed and taught several new crime prevention courses, including one to address the faith community and private schools. He is a past President of the Southwest Regional Crime Prevention Association and the Virginia Crime Prevention Association. Mr. Arrington began the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) committee, which later evolved into Virginia’s Safer By Design Coalition. He currently serves as a Board member of the Coalition, made up of over twenty design and management professionals. He has been recognized by the International Who’s Who for the category of Public Service and received many other awards for his efforts in prevention and community service. Mr. Arrington drew on his knowledge and experience and created an interactive computer-based instrument (ARMOR) to assist crime prevention practitioners in conducting security assessments in a number of different type facilities and on Greenways. In 2007, he published a text entitled, Crime Prevention-A Law Enforcement Officer’s Practical Guide, (Jones and Bartlett Publishers) which is currently being used by many in the proactive policing field as their desk reference to crime prevention issues and as basic crime prevention course text. He is currently employed at the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), where he serves as a subject matter expert in the field of crime prevention. Rick currently resides in the Boone District. He has two children, one a senior at Virginia Tech and the other attends Franklin County High School. Rick is active in the Rocky Mount Church of Christ, serving in various capacities and volunteers in other community needs, as time permits.
Gills Creek District Reba Dillon
Rocky Mount District Doug Beatty	- Born - June 30, 1936 in Stephens City, Virginia - Graduated from Handley High School and attended University of Richmond - Served in USMC & West Virginia Air National Guard - Employed by Virginia Department of Transportation until 1999 - Three children: Elizabeth, Ann, and Brice - One stepdaughter: Misty - Coached and officiated Recreation sports for 35 years - Officiated High School and College baseball, basketball, and football - Presently employed by Old Dominion Athletic Conference as Football Supervisor - Presently employed by USA/South as Football Supervisor - Presently employed by National Football League as a Scout for officiating talent
Snow Creek District Freeman Witcher	- Born September 1, 1969 - Graduate of Franklin County High School - Graduate of Patrick Henry Community College with a degree in Criminal Justice - Attended Averett University - Employed by Franklin County Sheriff's Department until 1998 - Employed by the Department of Corrections until 2000 - Presently...owner of K&K Septic - Family includes: Wife, Deborah - Children - Kelly, Kara, Brandi, & Freeman II
Union Hall District Greg Davis	- Graduated Franklin County High School in 1986. Played football, baseball and basketball. - Graduated Bridgewater College w/ Bachelor Science degree in 1990. Majored in Business Administration and played football for 4 years. - Grandfather owned the campground Smith's Paradise on Smith Mountain Lake. I grew up on the lake pumping gas, mowing grass and waiting on 4H campers who would canoe over to my grandfather’s store for snacks. - Lived in Northern Virginia for 13 years and worked for the telecom company Cable and Wireless. Director over Customer Service for the US, overseeing 350 people. - Moved back to Franklin County in 2003. - I currently do decorative concrete, lay rock and build houses. - Wife's name is Beth and I have twin boys.
At Large Member Kay Saleeby	Originally from Richmond, Saleeby resides in Franklin County and works as a Physical Education teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary. For ten years, she worked for Franklin County Parks and Recreation as an Activities Supervisor for Adult Sports and Special Events; she has also coached T-Ball, Soccer, and Basketball for the Recreation Department. "I feel I have a unique perspective into the Franklin County Recreation Department, having been an employee, coach, parent, and teacher." "Many of the programs and events are ones I started when I was activities supervisor. This gives me a better understanding that may be useful as a Board member."