By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

Tammy Legere sleeps with a pen and piece of paper next to her bed at night in case she has any great ideas.

Her last brainstorm, Willy Bunka’s Chocolate Factory, allowed children to make chocolate candy, including peanut butter cups and peppermint patties.

It’s ideas like these that won Legere, assistant director of Kennebunk’s recreation department, this year’s Young Professional Award from the state’s Recreation and Parks Association.

Legere won the award during the association’s annual spring conference. It was supposed to be a surprise, until her husband walked into the conference center.

“I was shocked – as soon as my husband showed up I knew something was going on,” Legere said. “I didn’t suspect it at all. It was very humbling to be chosen by a group of my peers.”

The award is given to one individual in a Maine town recreation department with fewer than 10 years of service.

Legere has worked in Kennebunk’s recreation department for nine and a half years.

“She does everything,” said Brian Costello, director of the Kennebunk Recreation Department, “Tammy not only builds the program and runs the program, but also drives the bus.”

As assistant director, Legere is responsible for the success of many of the programs.

Over the years she has compiled a book made up of future projects based on what her children – now grown – liked to do when they were younger.

The Ooey Gooey series, which included the candy project, allows children to play in a messy environment while learning. It includes an Ooey Gooey science program and an Ooey Gooey math adventure. Legere said children love it because they like to get messy and the parents love it because their children are learning.

An added benefit: No one has to clean up the mess.

“A tablecloth is the most important thing,” said Legere, divulging her cleanup secret. “Fold everything into the middle and throw it all out.”

The recreation department is gearing up now for summer programs, the busiest time of the year. For the next 10 weeks, Legere will help out with more than 120 programs.

Sitting at her command center desk, Legere is surrounded by boxes of materials for future programs, notepads with to-do lists and ideas for future games. Behind her is a giant board that lists of all her full-time and part-time employees and who is running each program.

“It’s not always fun – it’s a lot of work,” Legere said.

Despite the pressure, her brainstorming never stops.

Next up on her endless list of project ideas is a town hall employee hula-hoop exercise program as part of Kennebunk’s Wellness Committee, which she heads.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.