The only thing most children have on their mind is having fun.

Since taking the reins of the Cherokee County Recreation Department more than three decades ago, director Lowry Love has made it a goal of the department to provide the best facilities and recreational opportunities for local youths.

"When I first came here there were only four ball fields," Love said. "Now we have 18 available for use; we're constantly trying to make things better for our youth programs."

Virtually a year-round job, Love and other recreation department personnel spend a lot of their time behind the scenes, keeping fields maintained and constantly surveying potential opportunities for growth.

According to Love, there has been significant growth in each of the sports the department provides, helping make the decision to create fall and summer leagues for baseball, softball and basketball.

"We're merely trying to keep up with the growth we've been lucky to enjoy, much of which can be attributed to the volunteers, parents and athletes that take out time and money to help us," Love said. "The response I've received from kids and parents about the added leagues and new facilities has been positive. We just hope to keep growing."

Also key to the success of the local recreation program is the work by state and local lawmakers, whose efforts have helped bring in muchneeded money to help improve many facets of the department.

"The entire legislative body shared equally in helping us over the years," Love said. "A lot of people, agencies and organizations have been great in acquiring grants, finding matching money and simply doing things to make our jobs much easier here."

Local legislators had a hand in helping acquire funds for the recreation department and the Town of Blacksburg in completing two athletic fields in the municipality.

"They helped us get $75,000 by way of a P.A.R.D. (Parks & Recreation Development) grant," Love said. "It seems we're always short of practice fields, so we basically doubled what we can do in capacity with the recent additions of fields in Blacksburg.

"Right now, nothing is in the pipeline because the economy is down; hopefully it will turn around so we can do a little more as far as programs and facility enhancements."

Soccer is a particular place of emphasis for the recreation department, now among the county's more popular activities for youths.

"We're in dire need of more soccer fields, in particular because of the sport's growing popularity here, mostly in the past 15 years," Love said. "It's a goal of ours to acquire money to satisfy that situation."