Each month, John Reecer the editor of Community Rec Magazine, chats with a guest from the community recreation industry to voice their insights on a specific topic.
The Operate Fit Approach to Safer Community Recreation
In episode 39, Jim Paro, the founder and CEO of Operate Fit, described how community recreation organizations are navigating the Praesidium child protection certification requirements. Although certification demands significant effort and formalizes expectations, Paro said organizations generally aren’t starting from scratch, as child protection is already embedded in their practices. The challenge is organizing and documenting that work in a more structured, consistent way. He recommended forming a cross-organizational committee rather than placing responsibility on one person, learning from peers who completed accreditation, and he noted a shift toward scheduled audits, systematic tracking and using data to identify and close gaps.
Operate Fit supports this work by combining risk and facility management in one platform, helping centers assign ownership, track audits, and connect safety concerns with facility issues and their resolution. Paro said the company’s community recreation background and sector-specific, easy-to-implement software distinguish it from other entities. The integrated records can help organizations clearly show insurers that incidents were addressed and issues closed.
14 Oct 2026
The Biggest Takeaways From YMCA General Assembly
In episode 38, a group of YMCA leaders detail their biggest takeaways from YMCA General Assembly, held in September. Justin Inskeep, the CEO of the Alabama & Mississippi YMCA State Alliance; Casey Clark Kelley, the CEO of the Central Lincoln County YMCA; and Jeff Knox, the CEO of the YMCA of Tuscaloosa; highlight the value of connecting with peers, sharing ideas, and addressing loneliness and social isolation through the YMCA’s community mission.
They recalled impactful sessions on the YMCA’s Christian heritage and the power of human connection, and discussed growing opportunities in healthcare and public-private partnerships they discovered. For first-time attendees, Knox recommended making time for informal conversations and pausing to process ideas before acting on them, while Kelley encouraged visiting the exhibit hall with a plan to build useful connections with vendors and partners.
16 Sept 2026
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids Fills a Community Need with Bus Station Childcare
In episode 37, Heather Walczewski, the executive director of childcare at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, discusses the organization’s newest and most unconventional facility: a childcare facility built inside a transit hub. The facility is located at the Rapid, the Grand Rapids station that handles long-range coach travel, trains and the city’s commuter buses. The Y didn’t originate the idea but was invited into it, partnering with Grand Rapids Public Schools and County Head Start, which needed an experienced operator.
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