Take pride in America - Tip-Off

Parks & Recreation, June, 2003

By working with volunteers, young and old, we lend our hands to heal our land, one acre at a time. And in so doing, we are celebrating the start of the national, grassroots, bipartisan Take Pride in America program," said Interior Secretary Gal Norton as she launched the national partnerships initiative aimed at increasing volunteer serve in America's public lands.

NRPA is one of the national partners in this initiative, along with organizations such as the American Recreation Coalition, Youth Service America, National Geographic Society and The Walt Disney Company. "Community park and recreation agencies have long known the value of citizen volunteers," says NRPA Chair David Lose, FALSA. "We can not only help other agencies learn how NRPA members have leveraged this valuable resource, but it also is a perfect opportunity for members to expand their cadre of volunteers."

Get your community excited about Take Pride in America. Go to www. TakePride.gov for ideas and suggestions to get involved, and to learn how you can get national recognition for the volunteers who support your community.