NRPS Newsletter August 2011

The Nevada Recreation and Park Society (NRPS) got its roots in the year 1955. A small group of dedicated individuals from agencies throughout Nevada met in Reno to establish the state's first organization dedicated to the advancement of the recreation, parks, and leisure professions. Though spirited and earnest, this early effort was short-lived, ceasing to function in three years' time. After several years of discussion and organizational meetings, NRPS was reactivated by a group of seventeen professionals who met in Las Vegas in 1963. NRPS gained affiliation with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) in 1964. NRPS has been actively supporting the development of the recreation, parks, and leisure professions from that year forward. The Society filed articles of incorporation with the State of Nevada in March 1974.

NRPS is divided into north and south districts. The NRPS Executive Board is elected by the Society's membership. The Society annually awards academic scholarships, program and facility excellence awards, and recognizes in-state distinguished professionals with various awards, the most coveted of which is the "Dundee Award“.

Throughout its history, NRPS has consistently contributed regionally and nationally distinguished leadership to a multitude of professional organizations. The cities of Reno and Las Vegas have both hosted the NRPA National Congress and NRPS has committed to annually offer a Certified Playground Inspector Course.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CEU opportunities Educational sessions and

exhibits at state conference On-line training (through

NRPA) Presentations at luncheons Annual Conference

Materials and Presentations - Online

STATEWIDE INFORMATION Job postings Event calendar Email notifications/updates

NETWORKING AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES

Membership Directory Resource Committees Luncheons Committee Work Links to agencies Facility tours Socials

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS

DISCOUNTED RATES State conference Training

RECOGINITION Scholarships Awards

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Committees Executive Board Pacific Southwest

Regional Citizen members

155 members

to date

Dear NRPS members:

Welcome to the second edition of our NRPS Newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the first newsletter. I have received many positive comments about the first and members are grateful that there is more communication and activity opportunities for our members. In addition to our newsletter, we have just signed an agreement with a company that will produce an NRPS Magazine later this year. The magazine will be published twice a year. Be on the lookout for the first issue.

I want to thank Pandora Bahlman for organizing a lunch social for our Northern Section. It was very well attended and I appreciated being able to attend with so many of our friends up north. I also want to thank Felicia Rivera-Baker for helping to organize a 51’s game for the folks in the Southern Division. Even though it rained during the game, it was a great turnout. I hope you will have a chance to attend one of the other social events coming up later this year. They are a great way to connect with other parks and recreation professionals.

I also want to thank the Aquatics section for hosting another successful installment of the Southern Nevada Lifeguard Games this year. All the teams did a great job. I am glad to see that we have such outstanding lifeguards providing a safe environment for all our citizens who visit our pools, especially during this hot summer.

Mark your calendars for the NRPS State Conference. The conference will be held at the Black Mountain Recreation Center in Henderson April 18-20. I hope you will be able to join us for a couple of days for some really great educational sessions, networking and training.

I want to thank everyone for their contribution to the Nevada Parks and Recreation Society for helping us to get off to a great start this year. We have a lot of items moving forward and I hope you will join us in helping to make NRPS an even better professional organization. I hope to see you at one of our next NRPS functions. There are plenty to chose from.

Thanks for all you doDirk Richwine, CPRPPresidentNevada Parks and Recreation Society

President-Dirk Richwine, CPRP

Past Pres.-Sven Leff, CPRP

Pres. Elect-Jayne Mazurkiewicz, CPRP

Vice Pres. North-Al Rogers

Vice Pres. South-Daniel McLean

Secretary-Sarah Johnson

Treasurer-Brady Dehn

Members At Large North-Pandora Bahlman Jennifer Budge Joel Dunn Danny Gleich

Members At Large South-Nate Jaramillo Nick McLemore Jeannette Palmer Felicia Rivera-Baker

PSP North-Johnathan Skinner

PSC North-Linda Fearnley

PSP South-Shelly Gulotta

PSC South-Dundee Jones

The NRPS Aquatic Committee is made up of aquatics professionals throughout the southern Nevada area.

Members meet the 2nd Wednesday every other month to discuss aquatic trends, programming, staffing, operations and hot topics.

In addition, the committee organizes several events throughout the year; Health & Safety Expo, Southern Nevada Lifeguard Games and a Recreational Swim Meet.

Please visit our contact page on NRPS.org if you would like to contact our board members to receive additional information on any of our events, attending a meeting or becoming a member.

Board Members 2011Jessica Laguna, Past ChairBrady Dehn, ChairTrevor Snow, Vice ChairEricka Taggart, SecretaryDave Castle, Treasurer

Past Chair2010 Jessica Laguna2009 Jennifer Lloyd2008 Angela Summers2007 Jessica Laguna2006 Tammy Hawkins

The 2011 Southern Nevada Guard Games were held onSaturday, July 16th at the City of Las Vegas Pavilionpool. Guard games consisted of five grueling eventstesting the lifeguard’s endurance and rescue skills.Other events included swimming relays, cardiac relaychallenge, and the gauntlet. The gauntlet was the mostdifficult event in which participants were required toswim 75 yards, surface dive down thirteen feet andretrieve a 50-pound mannequin.

Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation

City of Henderson

Annual Salary Range:$96,513.42-$152,032.31

Closing Date: 9/12/11

Tony Hawk Foundation Skatepark Grants, Deadline: Oct 1. $25K & assistance to organizations to build in low-income areas. Info and app http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/skatepark-grants/apply/

Fund for Wild Nature for North American Conservation Campaigns, Deadline: Sept 1. $5K to save native & threatened wilderness ecosystems. Info & app: http://www.fundwildnature.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6:dates-a-guidelines&catid=2&Itemid=10

North Face Explore Fund Grant Program, Deadline: Oct 5. $125K to help children connect to nature, for personal & environmental health. Info & app: http://www.explorefund.org/

People’s Garden Grants, Deadline: August 26. Info & app: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/peoplesgardengrantprogram.cfm

Grant Opportunities

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF PARKS & RECREATION?SWIMMING AND HANGING OUT AT THE REC CENTER AFTER SCHOOL.

NAME THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH & WHERE:1. JOHNNY DEPP ON THE BLACK PEARL. 2. MY HOST STAY FAMILY IN KOREA ON A MOUNTAIN WE VISITED. 3. MY MOM IN ISRAEL.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO STAY IN THE PARKS & RECREATION FIELD?MY CO-WORKERS! I HAVE MADE LIFELONG FRIENDS AND MET PEOPLE WHO MOTIVATE ME TO PURSUE MY DREAMS AND ALWAYS WORK HARD!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT?BACK STREET BOYS IN 1990 AT MGM

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?Q-TIPS

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF PARKS & RECREATION?TAKING SWIM LESSONS IN IOWA IN A POOL THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 40’S.

NAME THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH & WHERE:CHELSEA HANDLER, NEIL ARMSTRONG, AND SHAQUILLE O’NEAL IN A TASTY RESTAURANT IN THE MIDWEST, PROBABLY CHICAGO.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO STAY IN THE PARKS & RECREATION FIELD?IT IS A LOT OF HARDWORK BUT VERY REWARDING AND FUN TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT?VOLLEYBALL

WHAT MAKES YOU SMILE?MY HUSBAND AND KIDS.

Coming Soon!

•CPRP Prep Course•Paradise Rec Center•8:00am-12:00pm

8/18/11

•From Tree Inventory to Tree Benefits in Four Steps•Henderson Multigenerational Center•FREE•8:00am-4:00pm

8/25/11

•NAYS Webinar-Effectively Managing and Overseeing Youth Sports Coaches

•.01 CEU’s available• $10 per person•10:30am-11:45am

9/15/11

•Luncheon & Thanksgiving food drive kick off•Mirabelli Recreation Center•11:30am-1:00pm

10/20/11

•Parks Professional Appreciation Day•TBD•11:30am-1:00pm

Incline Village Parks and Recreation Department hosted a lunch and tour

of the Fitness Trail, Tennis Center, and

future location of the Disc Golf Course on

Monday, July 25.

Keys to Securing Brownfield FundingPresented by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection

Get a new perspective on brownfield funding! From EPA Assessment and Cleanup grants to Job Training and RE-Powering America, there are several funding opportunities that can be used by local governments and their contractors on community redevelopment projects.

Come hear from the experts and learn how to get the funding. Also, see presentations by past grantees about their success stories and the grants that made them possible. Help transform your community's brownfieldsites into main streets, parks, trails and job-creating facilities!

Following the presentations, you'll also have an opportunity to meet one-on-one to address your project-specific questions.

RENO TRAININGTuesday, August 16 **

Presentations: 12:30p – 3:00p

Private Appointments: 3:00p – 5:00p

Northwest Library2325 Robb Drive

LAS VEGAS TRAININGThursday, August 18 **

Presentations: 8:30a – 11:00a

Private Appointments: 11:00a – 1:00p

EPA Las Vegas Facility944 E Harmon Ave,

Auditorium

NAYS WEBINAR-Effectively Managing and Overseeing Youth

Sports Coaches

Thursday, August 2510:30-11:45 a.m.

$10.00.01 CEU’s available

This session, geared toward recreation professionals, analyzes a proactive 4-step

approach to managing your program’s volunteer youth sports coaches through 1. Screening 2.

Training 3. Evaluation 4. Accountability. What procedures do you have in place to ensure

coaches are well-prepared for theirrole? Even more, are they

Representing Your program’s philosophies?

FREE Training Opportunity:

From Tree Inventory to Tree Benefits in Four Steps

Thursday, August 188:00am-3:00pm

Henderson Multigenerational Center

RSVP to Rod Haulenbeekat rhaulenbeek@nv.gov

Advocacy is a process of strengthening public and political understanding and commitment to public parks and recreation.

Advocacy involves finding ways to tell stor ies about parks and recreation and how it benefits our communities.

In Nevada we have seen a decline in suppor t for parks and recreation at all levels.

Beginning in this issue of the NRPS Newsletter we are shar ing information about effor ts to build advocacy for parks and recreation.

The US Conference of Mayors adopted an urban parks resolution to forward to President Obama (see: http://cityparksblog.org/2011/06/30/us-conference-of-mayors-adopts-urban-parks-resolution-proposed-by-city-parks-alliance/). The context of the press release is provided below:

Baltimore, Maryland—The U.S. Conference of Mayors has adopted a resolution put forth by the national urban parks advocacy organization

City Parks Alliance that encourages greater support for urban parks from the Obama administration, U.S. Congress, U.S. mayors and the private sector. The resolution, stating that “Everyone in urban America should live within a short walk of a park that is clean, safe and vibrant,” was adopted at the 79th annual conference held in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 21.

City Parks Alliance Executive Director Catherine Nagel and Board Member Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, presented the proposal to New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, chairman of the Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Committee on June 18.

The resolution calls for President Obama to:•Include urban parks as essential elements in a comprehensive approach to urban policy and community development•Support the adoption and implementation of the recommendations of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative•Support full funding for the Land Water and Conservation Fund to establish and support great urban parks•Raise awareness of the need for greater public and private investment in parks and green space to create healthy, walkable and sustainable cities•The resolution also calls on the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the nation’s Mayors to work in partnership with the president, all members of the administration and Congress to create healthy and vibrant urban parks and open spaces for the 21st Century and to engage the public and private leaders in this effort.

A new report from the Center for City Park Excellence (sponsored by the Trust for Public Lands) titled: From Fitness Zones to the Medical Mile: How Urban Park Systems Can Best Promote Health and Wellness. "The report details more than 75 innovative features and programs, including 14 case studies, that maximize a park’s ability to promote physical activity and improve mental health." The report is downloadable from http://cityparksblog.org/2011/07/15/time-for-city-parks-to-pull-their-weight/

"When it comes to health and fitness, the U.S. is in crisis.

Forty-nine percent of Americans get less than the minimum recommended amount of physical activity, and 36 percent of U.S. adults engage in no leisure-time physical activity at all. These people are not all obese, of course, but lack of exercise is certainly a risk factor for being overweight, and we are the most overweight nation on earth. On average, an obese American racks up nearly $1,500 more a year in health-care costs than one of normal weight, for a national total of $147 billion in direct medical expenses.

It’s well-established that physical activity helps prevent obesity and related medical problems. And there’s mounting evidence that providing places for urbanites to exercise (parks, primarily) can improve health.

It’s well-established that physical activity helps prevent obesity and related medical problems. And there’s mounting evidence that providing places for urbanites to exercise (parks, primarily) can improve health.

In the starkest terms, most parks simply don’t offer enough choices for activity. The more facilities and spaces layered onto a park, the more use it can get from people with different interests and skills. A golf course can serve a couple of hundred people a day; add a running track around it and it can serve thousands. (The one encircling Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston hosts 10,000 runners a day and is said to be the most heavily used exercise trail in the country.)"

Case studies provide additional successful examples for expanding the use of existing parks with the addition of equipment and or opportunities.

April 18-20 @ BMRC

NRPS

The 2012 NRPS conference is on the horizon. We encourage all members and local professionals to join us at

conference and even assist in the planning process. If you would like to assist with a committee, please email

Jayne.Mazurkiewick@cityofhenderson.com or gulottms@co.clark.nv.us.

Conference Committees& Chairs:

*Speakers/Education- Dirk Richwine & Jessica Laguna

*Playground Safety Institute-Felicia Rivera-Baker

*Exhibitors-Shelly Gulotta & Doug Guild

*Fundraising- Sarah Johnson

*Registration-Jeannette Palmer

*Socials/Food-Nate Jaramillo

*Technology/Logistics-Nick McLemore