Recreation: Work & Leisure Enjoyment

KIM NICAS wears several hats! She's a wife. She's a mother of three children. She's involved in her church and community. And, she's a full-time recreation professional.

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Creighton, a small town in west-central Missouri, is the place where Kim grew-up. She attended Southwest Baptist University where she earned a bachelor's degree in church recreation. Graduate studies took her to the University of Missouri for a master's degree in parks, recreation, and tourism. Recreation internships and summer jobs found Kim in Little Rock, Arkansas, and in the Missouri cities of Harrisonville and Columbia. Her career really started in Warrensburg, Missouri where she joined the staff of the Parks and Recreation Department in 1993. Today, she is the city's Superintendent of Recreation. Kim, and husband B. J., are the proud parents of Mallory 8, Derek 3, and Molly 3.

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In addition to her work for the city of Warrensburg, Kim serves as an adjunct instructor of recreation at the University of Central Missouri. She is an active member of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association, and she has been a board member for three years for the Johnson County United Way. Also, Kim is a member of the Grover Park Baptist Church where she serves on several committees and assists with recreation and social events.

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"My favorite leisure activities include my family," Kim says. "But, I also enjoy my own personal recreation." Picnics, swimming, day trips to the zoo or area parks, fun in the backyard, shopping in nearby cities, and going to grandma's house heads the list of family fun. Walking, puttering in the yard, crafts, and scrapbooking top Kim's list of personal free time activities. Whenever possible, Kim and B. J. schedule a recreation event just for the two of them - even if it's just lunch together one day a week. Kim reported that a few years ago she played a lot of volleyball and softball, but now says that walking and swimming are more appealing!

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Kim Nicas has many demands for her time and attention - but she has somehow learned to juggle her many responsibilities and keep everything afloat. Even as a practitioner in the field of recreation, Kim finds time for her own recreation and leisure activities. She is a recreation administrator and leader who has learned that she - along with everyone else - desperately needs the refreshment that recreation brings to the body, mind, and spirit. Kim Nicas is a recreator who recreates!

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-- Kim Nicas, pictured above, enjoys her work - and her leisure!