"I want MARA to be the biggest and the best and, with that said, still offer quality programs," said Nate Diegel, the new recreation programs manager for Middletown Area Recreation Alliance (MARA). "I want our mission and our vision to stay true. I want to serve the people in the community and be that premier (organization) in the recreation industry."
Diegel is a graduate of Temple University, where he earned a degree in sports and recreation management. He is currently studying online at Slippery Rock University to earn a master's degree in business administration.
His previous experience was at Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation & Community Services (GEARS), where he began volunteering as a teenager and worked his way up to program coordinator. In his new role with MARA, Diegel has a goal to provide a thriving recreational program that will positively impact the community and include events for people of all ages.
Diegel explained that MARA is a joint partnership between Middletown Borough, Royalton Borough, Lower Swatara Township and Middletown Area School District. "We are serving those communities, but we also serve people outside the district that want to take our classes and participate in the things that we offer," he said.
MARA was established in 2018 to replace the Olmsted Regional Recreation Board, but was suspended for a time because of the pandemic. "There was someone else in my position for a few years and then COVID happened and MARA could not sustain operations," Diegel explained. "In July, I came on as the (recreation programs manager)."
The first new program offered by MARA was youth field hockey, which began in early September. Upcoming programs for students will include Snapology, which is a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) program. Six-week sessions will be held at Fink Elementary School beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 28; at Kunkel Elementary School beginning on Wednesday, Sept 29; and at Reid Elementary School beginning on Thursday, Sept. 30. Evening Snapology classes for nonresidents will be open to the public at Middletown Area Middle School, 215 Oberlin Road, beginning on Sept. 29.
A glass fusing class will be offered by MARA on Monday, Oct. 18, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the MSCO Building, 50 W. Emaus St., Middletown. MARA is also offering two bus trips - one to the Peddler's Village Apple Festival on Saturday, Nov. 6, and the other to New York City on Saturday, Dec. 18.
For complete details about the classes and trips, visit https://mara.recdesk.com/Community/Home. The new online program allows people to create an account, register for classes, pay online and see the classes they are enrolled in on the MARA calendar.
Upcoming programs will include youth basketball and adult pickleball, which will start in October. MARA also offers a Breakfast with Santa program in December.
For more information, visit the previously mentioned website or http://www.facebook.com/MARARecreation or contact Diegel at 717-948-3300, ext. 1038, or ndiegel@raiderweb.org
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