The Recreation Committee consists of 8 members – 5 regular and 3 alternate positions. The committee plans, sponsors and provides many activities and events throughout the year. For 2010, the event calendar includes the annual Easter Egg Hunt for toddlers to 4th graders on Saturday, March 27th at Hillside Park, 12 noon sharp when the committee, with the help of the Easter Bunny, scatters more than 1,000 candy filled plastic eggs throughout the park for the children to gather. Each child is also given an age appropriate goodie bag.

Andover Township Day will be celebrated on Saturday, May 22nd. All township residents are invited to come to Hillside Park to partake of many family oriented activities including a petting farm, pony rides, bounce houses, carnival type rides, dunking booth, live music, magician, juggler and great food at great prices. The annual Little Ms. And Mr. Andover Township Contest will also take place on Andover Township Day. All township non-profit organizations including scouts, athletic organizations and fraternal organizations are welcome to set up booths and activities that will contribute to the “family” theme that we promote for this day’s activities. An exciting addition to Andover Township Day for 2010 will be a fire work’s display at the end of what we hope will be a perfect day!

We will hold the annual Miss Andover Township Contest on Sunday, June 6th at the Hillside Park Hall. The long running Summer Recreation Program begins on Monday, June 21st and runs for 2 weeks ending on Thursday, July 1st, Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 11:30 am at Hillside Park and Hall. The program is for children 5 to 12 years of age. We have fun and games as well as arts and crafts activities of the children. We also provide some fun entertainment and always close with a “party day” including bounce house, hot dogs and make your own sundaes.

We provide a complimentary luncheon for township senior citizens (55 years of age and older) on Sunday, October 17th at the Hillside Park Hall. We offer a great menu from soup to dessert with most items “homemade”.

We will host a Halloween party for children from toddlers to 4th grade on Sunday, October 31st at the Hillside Park Hall. The party includes a costume parade with trophies awarded for many categories in each age group.

We host an annual Teen Dance for students in 7th and 8th grades complete with DJ and refreshments. The dance will be held on Friday, November 12th at the Hillside Park Hall.

We round out the year by providing a bus trip to New York City for shopping, site-seeing, plays, etc. on Saturday, December 4th. The next day on Sunday, December 5th, we host the children’s holiday party complete with entertainment by the Andover Regional School Chorus and a visit with Santa. Each child receives a goodie bag and refreshments are provided for the entire family. We end the year by hosting a holiday party for all employees, members of boards and committees and all township volunteers. It will take place on Friday, December 10th and includes food and DJ. Both parties take place at the Hillside Park Hall.

The Recreation Committee also sponsors year-round programs such as Ladies Aerobics and Body Shaping on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Hillside Park Hall. At the newly renovated Hillside House (formerly PD headquarters) we offer evening Yoga on Tuesday and Thursdays. On Wednesday mornings the Sussex County YMCA offers programs such as Mommy and Me, for toddlers and parents, Gentle Yoga for Senior Citizens and a regular Yoga class. We have offered sewing classes and are looking into painting and carving classes for adults as well.

The youth athletic programs in Andover Township are sponsored by private, individual organizations such as the Andover Soccer Club, Andover Girls’ Softball, Lackawanna Little League and Andover Basketball. Children from Andover who want to participate in a football program join the Newton Braves organization which also offers cheerleading. The wrestling program is also a combination of Andover, Green and Newton children. There is also an Andover-Green Lacrosse program for boys and girls. The township offers its facilities at Hillside Park and Goodale Road in support of these programs. We also assist these programs when possible with securing additional field space through the private sector.

PARKS:

Hillside Park: Lake Iliff Road to Goodale Road – 500 acres (ball fields, tennis courts, volleyball court, basketball courts and skating rink with lights, playground, picnic area and 2 recreation banquet halls).

Kittatinny Valley State Park: Limecrest Road 2,250 acres Andover-Aeroflex Airport, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding on dirt roads and old logging trails, fishing and hunting, boating (no gasoline motors).