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Join NRPA AND SPORTS ILLUSTRATED in celebrating July is Recreation & Parks Month. In honor of Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary, here are 50 ways to celebrate July is Recreation & Parks Month. Be sure to JOIN THE NRPA SPORTS NETWORK to find out more ideas for July is Recreation & Parks Month as well as other GREAT PROGRAMMING IDEAS. Go to www.nrpa.org for more information.

1. Use current research statistics about personal health and community well-being to highlight the benefits of parks and recreation. Some statistics can be found at www.nrpa.org.

2. HAVE A "HERE COMES SUMMER" PARTY. WHILE PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME, HAND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING, JULY EVENTS.

3. Change the message on your answering machine every couple of days to highlight the July message and promote upcoming events.

4. Distribute July promotional flyers to area businesses for inclusion in employee paychecks.

5. Give program participants and park visitors fortune cookies or balloons with positive messages inside of them about the benefits of parks and recreation, or positive sports health messages.

6. Make sure your events and July celebration make their way into the community calendar, local newspapers, and radio or TV stations.

7. Display photographs taken at past events showing people having a good time and provide the photos to your local newspapers.

8. Tell ten people you know to tell ten other people about an upcoming program or event.

9. Sponsor a poster contest for elementary school children for July is Recreation & Parks Month, highlighting community sports and health.

10. HOLD A PHOTO OR VIDEO CONTEST FOR TEENS, HAVING THEM CAPTURE PEOPLE HAVING FUN IN PARKS OR PLAYING SPORTS.

11. Have staff wear nametags that include their favorite summer recreation activity.

12. Encourage municipal and civic leaders to walk the talk by holding an employee sneakers day and having a healthy strides walk.

13. Create a Park Pride Day and encourage neighborhood groups to beautify their yards, public spaces, ball fields and area parks.

14. Work with the local garden club or horticulture society to make one week in July "(Your Community) in Bloom Week."

15. Have public works or your sign division print signs to attach to existing park or road signs proclaiming July is Recreation & Parks Month.

16. Invite local restaurants to place counter cards or tray liners with your July celebration logos and slogans or lists of positive benefits of recreation and sports participation.

17. Grocery stores are wonderful locations for reaching people. Have volunteers distribute community sports and health ideas to patrons during July.

18. PRINT UP "TAKE A BREAK AND RECREATE" PROMOS AND ENLIST THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL DOCTORS AND DENTIST FOR DISTRIBUTION AT THEIR OFFICES.

19. Create a bulletin board for the local hospital or health clinic highlighting the individual benefits of recreation and sports.

20. Encourage local sporting good stores to hold clinics for outfitting people with proper footwear and other sports equipment.

21. Ask hotels and banks to promote that July is Recreation & Parks Month on their marquee or digital signs.

22. Gather staff and have them brainstorm ways in which parks and recreation improve the community. Make those ideas part of your promotional campaign.

23. Schedule staff to speak to various community groups about the agency and the benefits of parks and recreation.

24. Place signs on trash receptacles at parks, ball fields and in facilities promoting the benefits of parks and recreation.

25. Work with local media to place Community Sport and Health Tips in their publications on a daily or weekly basis during July.

26. Have the local tourism board and Chamber of Commerce highlight the park system and creation and sports activities during July.

27. Celebrate National Therapeutic Recreation Week. July 6 to 12.

28. Offer a behind the scenes tour of your local sports venues.

29. Take the open house concept on the road to local malls and workplaces, and demonstrate the classes your agency offers.

30. Provide coupons for a free introductory class.

31. Partner with the local hospital or rehab clinic to provide listings of class offerings and services to patients at discharge.

32. Partner with the local hospital to hold a Fitness Day Festival and offer health screenings at your agency with expert lectures on wellness and injury prevention.

33. OFFER YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMS ON FRIDAY NIGHTS TO ATTRACT SINGLES AND YOUNG ADULTS LIVING AT HOME.

34. July is also the national month for ice cream, picnics, hot dogs, anti-boredom and blueberries. Offer special events around these themes, such as "Free hot dogs at the ball park." Ice cream sundae-making contest at the 4th of July celebration." etc.

35. Offer "bring a friend to class" incentives for your adult exercise class each week in July and once a month during the rest of the year to encourage participation.

36. Offer Free Friday Fun Days for some programs or no-charge family days.

37. Hold a "Safety Day" with clinics on boating safety, bicycle safety, home swimming pool safety, etc.

38. Hold an event at the ballpark thanking coaches, officials and other volunteers who conduct your sporting events.

39. Hold a fishing derby to promote community fishing. (NRPA members can receive discounts on fishing supplies, check out www.nrpa.org for more information.

40. Hold parent education training for youth sports, such as NRPA's FunFirst! program. Go to www.nrpa.org for more information.

41. OFFER AN EVENING CAMP FOR ADULTS WITH A FOCUS ON SPORTS OR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES.

42. Hold a golf outing that focuses on getting people interested in the sport. Encourage regular golfers to volunteer to provide assistance.

43. Offer women- or youth-only golf clinics at your local course or driving range.

44. Offer a kids and parents sport camp.

45. Encourage the community to become tourists in their town by taking a weekend walking tour.

46. Challenge family to designate one night a week "turn off the tube night" and do something interactive like going bowling or even star gazing.

47. Offer open space to establish a community garden.

48. Promote lunchtime classes for local workplace environments.

49. Encourage local workplaces to form sports leagues of local business.

50. OFFER AN OBSTACLE COURSE DAY IN THE PARK AND MAKE A "FUNNIEST HOME VIDEO" OF EVERYONE RUNNING THE COURSE.

COPYRIGHT 2003 National Recreation and Park Association
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

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