PA Recreation & Park Society Weekly News

PRPS Weekly News

New "GOPA" Webinar

Humans Were Never Meant to Hibernate: Outdoor Programs for the Winter Season

September 29, 2014

2:00-3:00 pm

Get Outdoors PA (GOPA) is hosting a free webinar for those who are interested in adding winter programming to their schedule. The webinar is geared towards those organizations that would like help in developing and enhancing their winter activities. Webinar participants will hear from members of the GOPA Team as well as seasoned professionals who will share their own experiences and lessons learned.

The webinar will cover all aspects of adding a winter program, including how winter events can enhance your programming, best practices for developing/modifying activities for the cold season, strategies for engaging key partners, and everything else you need to know to make your program successful.

Get ready for Winter by registering for this valuable, fun training opportunity!

Presenters:

Tammy Agesen, Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation

Paige Minka, Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County

Roger Spotts, Monroe County Conservation District

2015 American Trails National & International Trails Awards

Deadline for submitting nominations has been extended to

September 30, 2014.

American Trails presents the National & International Trails Awards Program, including our Developers Award, to recognize the tremendous contributions of volunteers, professionals, and other leaders who are working for the betterment of trails both nationally and internationally in both rural and urban settings. Nominations should be made for actions that took place during the period between August 1, 2012 - July 31, 2014.

Winners will be presented at the 22nd American Trails International Trails Symposium (ITS) Awards Banquet in Portland, Oregon on May 19, 2015.

Download the 2015 American Trails National & International Trails Awards and Developers Awards Packet.

DCNR Fall Grant Workshops for Recreation and Conservation Projects

DCNR new logo

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Recreation and Conservation grant program application period will open on January 14, 2015 and close on April 16, 2015. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, DCNR is offering free, in-person grant workshops at six locations across Pennsylvania in November of 2014.

Click here for the dates, locations, and more detailed information.

American Public Health Association Webinars

The Role of Parks and Recreation in Planning for Health
Thursday, Sept. 18
2 p.m.
Park and recreation departments have many roles to play in promoting public health, active living, and community development. Increasingly, planners, park departments, and public health professionals are working together to improve park and recreation facilities through smart planning and creative funding streams. In this webinar, representatives from urban park systems in Los Angeles and Miami will discuss innovations they are making in planning parks for health, and how their approach can lead to successes in your community. The session will offer advanced training for professionals from planning, health, and parks and recreation. Register now!

Creating a Fit Nation: Tips and Tools from the Authors of New York's Active Design Guidelines
Tuesday, Sept. 23
4 p.m.
New York City's award-winning Active Design Guidelines, product of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-sponsored program Fit Nation, offer examples and illustrations of design strategies that promote active living. Utilizing these guidelines for architecture, urban design, and planning can lead to increased use of active transportation, improved social cohesion, and a healthier population. The authors of the Active Design Guidelines will discuss its creation, share examples of implementation, and offer suggestions for how you can begin to implement actions to promote health in your building, block, or neighborhood. Register now!

PRPS Conference

by Brianna Muller, Publicity Committee Chair

2015 is set to be a game-changer for the annual PRPS Conference. A change of venue, an exciting theme, and innovative tools all point to what is sure to be a successful convening of parks and recreation professionals in March.

Not to mention that this year's co-chairs, Karen Hegedus of Lower Providence Township Parks and Recreation, and Mark Palerino of Blue Mountain Recreation Commission, are two powerhouses in the field who have already dedicated countless hours planning, meeting, coordinating, persuading, motivating, and generally being tireless go-getters who are making incredible strides in making this the most successful conference-to-date. Their enthusiasm and commitment has rubbed off on the entire committee, generating plenty of excitement and anticipation as the conference slowly approaches.

Continue reading to garner a little insight into the backgrounds and mindsets of this year's dynamic duo and how they plan to "break traditions" (spoiler alert, this isn't their first conference collaboration)!