While programs such as the Saratoga Arts Commission are being put on hold, or even eliminated, the Saratoga Recreation Department is breaking through the storm clouds and shining bright.

"Compared to a lot of other recreation departments that are more heavily subsidized by their cities, we're bringing back in almost 100 percent of costs, which is rare in our industry," Saratoga recreation coordinator Adam Henig says.

The department hasn't been immune to cutbacks, however--many middle schoolers and their parents still miss the free after-school program at the Warner Hutton House. Still, staff members say that Warner Hutton's sad goodbye may have been the turning point the department needed for a bright and profitable future.

"A lot of [the Warner Hutton after-school program] was heavily subsidized by the city, and they were generous in letting us run the program. It was expensive to run with the resources and salaries for the staff. When you add all that up, it was costing tens of thousands of dollars," says Henig, who ran the teen program until it closed in April. He says the program was funded in part by the city, but depended heavily on private donations.

"We just weren't bringing in enough in donations, and the city wasn't in a great [financial] position either," Henig says, "so when they started making cuts, it was obviously at the top of the list."

"It will save us some money," says Joan Pisani, director of the recreation department. "We tried several ways over the years to have it fund itself. It was just too expensive. There was no way we could cover the costs, [even by] charging the parents. It was a wonderful thing we did for many years, but we can't afford it any longer."

Henig says he was heartbroken to see the after-school program shut down.

"Even after it closed, kids would just come and knock on the door and wait outside because they just didn't know where to go. Some kids have been coming here since the sixth grade, and now they're in eighth grade, so it was hard," he says. "Warner Hutton was why I came here, to run the school programs. I kind of felt like a part of me, a part of my job, was taken away. But luckily they've been able to shift my duties. I'm now doing a lot more work with contractors who run our fee-based recreation classes."

Henig says it became clear to him that closing the after-school teen program was benefiting the city and the recreation department as a whole, and he hopes many of those wayward middle schoolers will now consider taking classes at the recreation department.

"My attention now is 100 percent on raising revenue for the department. I'm making fliers, distributing them to schools and the library, anywhere I can. I've become a marketing whiz. It wasn't a coincidence that as soon as the Warner Hutton program closed, all the classes under my jurisdiction saw a jump in numbers, because that's where all my focus was channeled," he says. "I think things are starting to look a lot more positive than they were, say, six months ago."

Henig predicts changes such as the expansion of fee-based recreation classes are helping to push Saratoga's recreation department far above the rest.

"It's a tremendous boost for me to know I'm putting a significant contribution into [the department becoming more profitable]."

Henig says the Warner Hutton House will now be the location for many of summer camps, such as Camp Caterpillar for young children, and fee-based classes such as guitar lessons and knitting. The house can also be rented for such things as teen graduation parties and even weddings in the outdoor gazebo and lawn area.

Staying profitable will require a few other changes. Staff members at the recreation department say that there will be a slight increase in fees for some classes beginning in the fall, to help ensure that costs remain covered.

"We have to include a larger overhead cost to cover things like the printing of our brochure, postage and salaries for the front office staff, who handle registration for people and answer phones. So above and beyond the cost of the instructor [for a particular class], we have to tack on an additional amount to cover those kinds of costs," Pisani says.

Kim Saxton-Heinrichs, a senior recreation coordinator, says any classes that had fees raised in the spring will not be raised again, but any classes that were not raised will see a slight increase. She estimates this increase at around 10 percent.

With the Warner Hutton teen program closed, the department has already begun plans to expand its fee-based classes in the fall. Staff members such as Beverly Tucker, recreation supervisor, say they think people are going to love what the department is offering this summer and what will be available in the fall. She believes that people will be hard-pressed not to find something they're interested in.

"If you have an interest, we probably have a camp for it, which is a great thing to offer to the community," Tucker says.

So what is there to do?

The sun is shining, it's finally stopped raining--so what is there to do to fill the endless hours still left in summer?

From basketball to ballet, from crafts to computers, the rec department seems to have something for everyone. And for those who just need to get away, the department leads mini-adventures such as whale-watching and kayaking.

One class being offered this summer is It's Magic! for kids ages 7 to 10. The class is taught by Larry the Magic Man, who has been studying and performing magic for around 20 years.

During the week of June 20, a classroom of aspiring magicians was hard at work every day learning tricks to take home and perform for their family and friends.

"Magic camp is fun. My favorite trick is the Tree of Diamonds," says Divya Veerapaneni, 7, showing off the card trick Larry the Magic Man taught them in class.

Scott Cohen, 8, said his favorite was the disappearing ball trick.

"I like learning magic tricks. The ball trick is my favorite because it's confusing [for people who watch]," he says. Scott says he had watched one class last year and liked it. "This summer my mom showed me the ad and I saw Larry the Magic Man was teaching it again, so I signed up."

Children also learned how to make a small paper fish curl up in front of their eyes and how to make a penny disappear using a magical black box--and there were definitely big smiles all around when Larry passed out Harry Potter-type wizard hats to all the students on the second day of the camp.

On June 18, Cordelia Clancy, a certified bodyguard and black belt instructor of the South Korean special forces system "tukong moosul," taught the new concrete jungle self-defense class. Students ages 11 and up learn street smarts, crime prevention tactics and skills taught to professional bodyguards.

Another class that just debuted last week teaches participants how to samba with the best of them. Brazilian-born dancer Cida Viera, who has performed all over the world and worked with many dance groups and artists including Ray Charles, leads the class every Thursday through August.

Henig says he was excited to see how many people had registered for this new class before it had even begun.

"It usually takes one or two quarters or classes to get going, but it's already taken off," he says. "I don't know if it's the increase in marketing or just a big interest in samba, but we're excited."

A fun place to work

Many staff members say working at the recreation department is one of the best jobs they could ask for, and they think that joy rubs off on those who participate in the programs.

"I love working with the camp counselors; they have so much energy and they're very enthusiastic and very committed to their jobs," says Tucker, who has been with the department about 14 years. "They really bring something special to the summer camps."

"I absolutely love working here," says Saxton-Heinrichs, who will celebrate her 20th anniversary at the recreation department soon. "Things have changed; it hasn't been the same job for the last 20 years. There are always new things to do, new activities to offer. The brochure has grown from about four pages when I first started here to about 44 pages now. I work in a wonderful department with wonderful people. We enjoy working together and enjoy the challenges as well as the fun times."

Pisani says she couldn't agree more, and loves her staff and what they get to offer to the community.

"It's a great department; we offer a lot of programs for people of all ages. We're making people happy in a lot of ways. It's great, every day," she says. "We're teaching people skills but also building confidence in young kids."

And thanks to a bank account that's in the black, residents can rest assured they aren't going away anytime soon.

For more information or to register, call 408.868.1248 or visit www.saratoga.ca.us/recreation.htm. The full brochure of classes is available online.