The Friends of the County Parks, established in 1988, is a group of concerned citizens joining together to promote financial and community support to the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department. They develop public awareness of recreation as an important part of day-to-day life.Funds provided by The Friends of the County Parks are used as a supplement to the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department budget and does not replace allocated tax dollars. These additional funds helps maintain, improve, and enhance services provided by the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. The Friends of the County Parks enjoys a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit exemption status.Friends of the County Parks meetings are held first Thursday of each month. For more information please call their administrative office at 813-744-5595.Board Members:Pete Fowler, PresidentJan Smith, Vice PresidentKatherine Tabor, Treasurer
About Friends of County Parks
The Friends of the County Parks, established in 1988, is a group of concerned citizens joining together to promote financial and community support to the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department. They develop public awareness of recreation as an important part of day-to-day life.
Funds provided by The Friends of the County Parks are used as a supplement to the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department budget and does not replace allocated tax dollars. These additional funds helps maintain, improve, and enhance services provided by the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. The Friends of the County Parks enjoys a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit exemption status.
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/32168/Oracle-Cloud-Learning-Video-Series?bidId=
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/32168/Oracle-Cloud-Learning-Video-Series?bidId=
mailto:HRLearning@HCFL.Gov
mailto:FrederickC@HCFL.gov
Human Resources
County Connection & Department Updates
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Supervisors: New Video Series for Supervisors Covers Oracle Cloud Learning Module
Supervisors are encouraged to view the new video series designed specifically to support
team development. While Human Resources encourages employees to manage their own
Oracle Cloud Learning enrollments aligned with their schedules, in this series, supervisors
will learn how to access their team’s learning records, run reports, and assign learning to
their team members. Supervisors also can learn how to add external learning records to
Oracle (i.e., a webinar the team viewed, a conference event, other external training the team
completed). Access the Oracle Cloud Learning Supervisor Video Series today to get started.
Contact: HRLearning@HCFL.Gov
Pet Resource Center
Employees Assigned to Work Pet-Friendly Emergency Shelters During Activations: Register
for Required In-Person Emergency Pet Shelter Course
Employees who are assigned to work with pets as managers or shelter care support staff at
pet-friendly emergency shelters during hurricane activations are required to complete the
new annual in-person training. This in-person training is in addition to the annual online
training, and both courses are required to be completed annually. New and returning pet-
friendly shelter workers and managers will learn more about their role, what to expect when
activated, and will be able to ask questions. Employees can register on Oracle Cloud for the
upcoming courses on Aug. 20 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. or from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Once logged into
Oracle Cloud, click the "Me” tab and then the “Learning” tile, and on the bottom of the
Oracle Cloud Learning homepage, click “Learning Catalog.” Enter “EERP Pet” in the Catalog
field for class options to populate. Both trainings will show for the employee to select the
one for their specific role for activations.
Contact:FrederickC@HCFL.gov with Pet Resources regarding the pet-friendly shelter
support training requirement.
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/
mailto:ESQATechnicalSupportGroup@HCFL.gov
https://hillsboroughcounty.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities
https://hillsboroughcounty.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/
mailto:ProcurementServices@HCFL.gov
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=31694
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=31694
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=31694
ESQA
County Connection & Department Updates Cont.
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
All Employees: Upload a Photo Through Oracle Cloud Connections
Employees are now able to upload their photo into Oracle Connections, which can be
accessed on the COIN homepage. The “Connections” tile is under the “Me” tab in Oracle
Cloud. Employees can then search for their name. On the personalized “About Me” page,
which gives the option of filling out a profile, employees can upload a photo using the
camera icon on the left.
Contact: ESQATechnicalSupportGroup@HCFL.gov
Procurement
Procurement Platform Users: Bonfire Now Called EUNA Procurement
The cloud-based e-procurement software, Bonfire, has recently changed its name to EUNA
Procurement. The platform continues to emphasize customer-focused public procurement.
Employees who have an account with Bonfire can log into EUNA Procurement with the same
credentials and can access it through the COIN homepage.
Contact: ProcurementServices@HCFL.gov
Human Resources
All Employees: Human Resources Fall Classes Now Open for Enrollment
Human Resources has launched fall classes that incorporate interactive learning
experiences designed to build essential skills while learners engage with others across the
County to discover new ideas and possibilities. Learning formats include In-Person, Virtual
Classroom, or OnDemand on topics such as:
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1493/Professional-Development
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1492/Leadership-Development
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1680/Start-Your-Path-to-Career-Success
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1491/Human-Resources-Training
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/31840/Learning-Development-Catalog
mailto:HRLearning@HCFL.gov
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1493/Professional-Development
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1493/Professional-Development
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1493/Professional-Development
https://coin.hillsboroughcounty.org/1493/Professional-Development
mailto:RodriguezYa@hillsboroughcounty.org
https://hcparksandrecreation.quickapp.pro/
https://hcparksandrecreation.quickapp.pro/
County Connection & Department Updates Cont.
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Professional Development – Project Management, Productivity and Time Management,
Emotional Intelligence, Trust, Team Cohesiveness, Navigating Difficult Conversations,
Change Management
• Leadership Development – Civil Treatment for Leaders Series, Multipliers – Igniting Team
Capabilities and Energy, Team Leadership
• FranklinCovey’s All-Access Pass – Hillsborough County passholders can access hundreds
of self-paced learning solutions, leadership series (6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team
and The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership), best practice videos, application tools, tips, and
challenges.
Visit the Human Resources Training COIN page to access course flyers and learn more
about the County’s many learning experiences. Employees also are encouraged to review
the full Learning & Development Catalog. Leaders are encouraged to share the upcoming
courses with their teams.
Contact: HRLearning@HCFL.gov
Human Resources Cont.
Administration & Fiscal
Next business card order Next business card order will be August 7, 2025. To order contact
Yasmin Rodriguez at RodriguezYa@hillsboroughcounty.org
Background Check Link
Our Administrative and Fiscal Team has been working with NCSI on updates to the system
portal. This means that the Parks and Recreation Department now has their own assigned
link. Please be advised that this link MUST only be used for Parks volunteers in our
department.
New Link for volunteers: https://hcparksandrecreation.quickapp.pro
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Parks & Recreation
Our recent Green Team clean-up at Simmons Bowers Park, organized by the Emanuel P. Johnson
Recreation Center. During this event, the team collected 80 lbs of debris, including plastic, bottles, and
clothing. In addition to the cleanup, we partnered with community member Sean Bell and Hillsborough
County Mosquito Management to release mosquito fish into the park’s pond—supporting a natural
method of mosquito control.
This effort is part of our ongoing Green Team initiative, which we proudly reintroduced in February
2025. The program features dedicated teams from both the Ruskin and Emanuel P. Johnson (EPJ)
recreation centers. Since the relaunch, the Green Teams have completed:
22 park clean-up events
Removed approximately 191 buckets and 1,920 pounds (nearly 1 ton) of litter and debris
Highlights from 2025 Clean-Up Efforts:
Stephen Wortham Park (Feb 28): 110 lbs of trash removed while cleaning up habitat for gopher
tortoises
Bethune Rec Center (multiple dates): Consistent hot spot for beer bottles, cigarette butts, and
Styrofoam
Progress Village Park (Jan & May): Over 180 lbs collected; May 28 event included a splash pad
celebration and popsicles
Larry Sanders Complex: Minimal trash found—just 30 lbs, a good sign of community care
Sun Heritage Earth Day Event (Apr 22): Included making bird feeders, planting sunflowers, and litter
pickuk
Wimauma Civic Center: Partnered with RCMA to address broken glass in public spaces
Recycle Presentation (Mar 27): Educated participants on recycling best practices
Ruskin Rec (Jul 7): Cleared dangerous items like fireworks, vape pens, and used lighters from the lot
Bethune/WCC (Jun 23): 75 lbs of heavy debris including glass, beer boxes, and overturned trash cans
Simmons Bowers Park (May 2): Clean-up and mosquito fish release event—highlighting
environmental health partnerships
This initiative continues to make a real difference by improving park conditions, promoting
environmental stewardship, educating youth, and fostering community pride.
As we build on this year’s success, we are excited to expand the Green Team initiative in 2026. Planned
enhancements include:
Launching Green Team chapters at 2 more additional recreation centers
Developing a youth ambassador program to promote sustainability and environmental leadership
Coordinating quarterly community clean-up events in collaboration with local schools, businesses,
and civic groups
Expanding environmental education components such as composting, tree planting, and recycling
workshops through partnerships with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, the Solid Waste Management
Departments Recycle Team, UF-IFAS office and other county departments.
Introducing a Green Team Recognition Program to highlight outstanding contributions by team
members and community partners
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Parks & Recreation Cont.
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Nationals
Hillsborough County Adaptive Sports
The Hillsborough County Adaptive Sports traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan to compete in
the Hartford Nationals by Move United! Over 15 athletes competed in Track & Field, Para-
Powerlifting, Air Precision, and Archery. Many of them broke Personal Records, and set
Move United National Records. The athletes are coming back to Tampa with 26 Gold Medals,
7 Silver Medals, and 4 Bronze Medals!
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Announcement
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Wellness Wednesdays!
Weekly Bulletin | July 25, 2025
Celebrate!