Reference Publications

Envisioning an even stronger NRPA: NRPA continues to make great progress toward realizing Vision 2010 - NRPA Perspective

Parks & Recreation, Sept, 2002 by Marvin Billups

NRPA's Vision 2010 has as one of its goals that our association will be viewed by citizens and policymakers as being at the forefront of enriching human and natural resources in America. Further, that as an advocate of the benefits of parks, recreation and natural resources at all levels, that elected officials will respond to the need for planning and development strategies to enhance the quality of life for all Americans.

Next month's National Congress and Exposition reflects everything that's good about our profession. Come to Tampa, and you'll experience first-hand the scope of our mission on education, stewardship and advocacy for our natural resources, youth development and healthy lifestyles that can be used to enhance and expand opportunities in local communities. Our opening speaker will be Lynn Swarm, Super Bowl hero and chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness, which is one of NRPA's national partners.

NRPA continues to build strong partnerships to advance our mission. Kraft Foods, in concert with the NRPA staff, is developing a program to improve the health of Latino children and families. Through NRPA, National Football League Charities provides grants to local communities to support youth sports and facilities. NRPA has signed a memo with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services empowering our members to participate in nationally recognized programs, such as Hearts N' Parks and ActiveOptions, that improve the health of Americans nationwide. Our partnerships with the National Basketball Association and the Women's National Basketball Association continue to provide resources to league cities to support local youth athletic programs. These are but a few of our national partnerships.

In cooperation with Seattle, Houston, Los Angeles and Cincinnati, we've conducted successful National Youth Congress Program meetings this year. The information gleaned from these sessions will be shared by youth leaders at future training workshops. Additonally we will hold the first "Jam 'n' Youth Only" program at our Congress in Tampa.

Continuing education and training lead the list of services requested by NRPA's members. Recently Executive Director T. Destry Jarvis convened a meeting of nationally respected educators, members of the Board of Trustees, and NRPA staff to develop strategies to further improve and expand professional development. (See the story on p. 26 of this issue.) A similar meeting was held with the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to explore revitalizing the Trend, Design and Grist publications. This partnership could provide many best-practice tips for maintaining, developing and operating natural resource facilities.

It's expected that the Board of Trustees will approve the constitution and by-laws changes during its annual meeting next month; that vote will set into motion the final governance recommendations. We're very optimistic that the changes NRPA is experiencing today will lead to realizing our goals laid out in Vision 2010.

Finally; serving as your president has been one of the highlights of my professional career. It was with great pride that I represented our organization in forging new partnerships and building on existing ones. My visits to state conferences have served as a small reminder of how much our members cherish their affiliation and of NRPA's commitment to providing dedicated support and service to our members. The events of Sept. 11 and the downturn in the economy continue to affect all of us. But citizens continue to find peace and strength in their parks and recreational settings. I know you will be there for them, and NRPA will continue to be there, stronger than ever, to support you.

See you in Tampa!