Happy New Year!
 
I hope all of you are off to a great start and looking forward to an exciting and productive year!  As I've mentioned before, we plan to send our e-newsletter monthly to further enhance the information that we are providing to our members.  Also, past e-newsletters can now be accessed via the PRPS website.
 
Amber Young, an intern from Lock Haven University majoring in Outdoor Recreation Management, will begin her internship at the PRPS Office on January 12th and will primarily be assisting Kim Woodward with various training events.  Welcome, Amber!
 
Thank you to all who helped and contributed to the PRPS Building Fund Raffle that was drawn in December 2009 based on the PA Lottery evening daily number.  Winners included Joanne Maynard, Bob Smith, Doug Knauss, Joy DeVito, Bill Rosevear, and Doug Wendell.  Over $2000 was raised to be applied to the mortgage on the PRPS Building as we continue to steadily chip away at the balance on the mortgage that stands at $305,714.33 at 1/5/2010.
 
The Annual John H. "Jack" Snyder Community Service Award provides recognition and funding for an agency program or facility that addresses the needs of persons with disabilities in a community.  The agency selected for the award is recognized at the PRPS Conference with a certificate and one staff member receives a full scholarship to the conference including lodging which is funded by the endowment established by Jack Snyder for this purpose.  A copy of the award information and application is available on the PRPS website, www.prps.org, or by contacting Tracy Robert in the PRPS Office, trobert@prps.org, 814-234-4272.
 
The PRPS Governmental Affairs Committee chaired by Bill Forrey is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, January 26th  in Harrisburg to continue addressing a wide range of issues including the DCNR operating budget and staffing, the Renew Growing Greener effort, promoting park and recreation positions to gubernatorial candidates, legislative visitation days in Harrisburg and Washington, TR reimbursement legislation, LWCF, transportation enhancements funding and more.  If you have an interest in participating as a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, please contact Bob Griffith, rgriffith@prps.org who will pass the information to Chairman Forrey.  A special thanks to all who have responded over the past year to our various legislative alerts.  I anticipate we'll be just as busy and challenged in 2010 so your continued help will be needed!

2010 "Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management" nominations are due on March 5, 2010.  This award is sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.  The 2009 Winner for State Parks was the PA Bureau of State Parks.  We encourage other outstanding agencies in PA to consider applying.  For more information, go to www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or call 800-626-6772.
 
PRPS has received two new grants.  The first is a $2200 grant from the Centre County Community Foundation that will be used to purchase an AED for the office and train the PRPS staff in the use of an AED.  The second grant is a  $10,000 DCED grant coordinated by Representative Scott Conklin to help upgrade and add computers and projection units for the PRPS Office and training programs. 
 
I hope most of you are planning to attend at least part of the 2010 Annual State Conference at Seven Springs, and I look forward to seeing you there!
 
Best regards,
 
Bob Griffith
  

Executive Director
PA Recreation and Park Society