BRANCHES & SECTIONS.

American Park and Recreation Society

APRS held its annual elections and welcomes its newest board members: President-Elect Harvey Faust, Germantown, Tenn., and NRPA/APRS Trustee Lori Daniel, Aurora, Colo. Regional representatives include Janice Gedden, Dayton, Ohio (Great Lakes); Denise Lanza, Morristown, N.J. (Mid-Atlantic); Gene Morsching, Aberdeen, S.D. (Midwest); Cindy Heath, Lebanon, N.H. (New England); Greg Jones, Medford, Ore. (Pacific Northwest); Marc Walters, Las Vegas, Nev. (Pacific Southwest); Mickey Gomez, Boca Raton, Fla. (Southern); and Susan Eaves, Lancaster, Texas (Southwest).

The American Park and Recreation Society, working in partnership with the National Therapeutic Recreation Society, cosponsored the first National Institute on Recreation Inclusion (NIRI) in September in Deerfield, Ill. This event was hosted by the Park District Risk Management Agency in Wheaton, Ill., and the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA). The institute grew from the efforts of the two branches to assess the need for recreation inclusion training. A joint committee was established and a national study was conducted, which identified resounding interest and need for recreation inclusion training within the parks and recreation community. The committee acted upon the results of the study and created NIRI. The event offered recreation and therapeutic recreation professionals concerned with inclusive recreation the opportunity to network and learn from the very best.

Armed Forces Recreation Society

The Armed Forces Recreation Society looks forward to many new and exciting ventures in 2000-01.

The AFRS Professional Training Institute, which took place in conjunction with the NRPA Congress & Exposition in Nashville, was a great success. With a record-breaking attendance of over 400, AFRS still boasts the largest percentage of its membership at Congress. With 32 table-top exhibitors, a foot-stompin' president's reception, an educational session by renowned speaker Charlie Tyrain, and an energetic 99 Seconds presentation, AFRS delegates left Nashville with a smile and an undeniable sense of accomplishment.

The AFRS Board of Directors passed a resolution in June renaming the AFRS Practitioner Award the John "Pat" Harden Practitioner Award. The announcement was made during the AFRS/PTI. Unfortunately, Harden was unable to attend the event. On his behalf, Tom McFadden accepted the Crystal Apple Award, which symbolizes the value of Harden (a longtime AFRS member) as a teacher, leader, and mentor to Armed Forces recreation and services professionals. The award will be presented under its new name at the 2000 AFRS/PTI in Phoenix.

AFRS gained several new members in Nashville and confirmed the support of the sponsors for 2000. GameTime, MMI, and Lire Fitness will again be with us in Phoenix, and AFRS is proud to have these fine companies on board.

AFRS now has a listserv that is fully operational with over 70 participants. The listserv is an excellent communication tool for AFRS members to share innovative program ideas and information about the various aspects of the Armed Forces recreation profession,

AFRS SUMMER BOD MEETING

The board of directors held its annual summer meeting in July 2000 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The board made several decisions that will help AFRS continue to grow and provide members with quality service.

In an effort to update the look of AFRS, the liaison presented a new logo design to the board. The board voted to change the logo and to have the final decision made by the members. Once the logo issue is resolved, k will go to the NRPA Board of Trustees for final approval.

The board also voted to add another member to its ranks. A representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will join the board in an advisory non-voting capacity.

AFRS accepted the invitation of the National Resources Management Training Coalition to join the organization. The coalition was formed to address the issues facing outdoor recreation and natural recourses. The description of the coalition: "Professional Organizations who have an interest in protecting the natural resources and outdoors recreational facilities while promoting recreation uses." The organization includes municipalities such as state park and recreation associations, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the U.S. Forestry Department.

The board also reviewed the nominations for the 2000 AFRS Awards and made the selections for this year's recipients. AFRS received 38 nominees for the year 2000 and Mil be presenting 28 awards at the AFRS/PTI in Phoenix -- another record in branch history.

After two and one-half days of business, the board was treated to a little R&R. Our host, Susan Larsen, provided the group with a trip to the Garden of the Gods and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Both places were greatly enjoyed and we thank Larsen for her gracious hospitality.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Due to the resignation of First Vice President David Holmes, the Second Vice President, Alonzie Scott, stepped into the lead position. Scott is still performing the duties of the Second Vice President. As First Vice President, Scott will take the gavel in Phoenix.

The election of officers for 2000 will decide the new Member at Large for Membership, the AFRS Representative to the NRPA BOT, Second Vice President, and First Vice President. New officers will be sworn in at the Phoenix PTI.

NEWS

AFRS welcomed a new staff liaison this year. Shari L. Pfistner, formerly of the NRPA Convention Services Department, joined the NRPA Professional Services Division in April 2000 as the Benefits program coordinator and AFRS liaison.

We did experience a very tragic loss this year. Our dear friend and colleague, AFRS board member Joe Durkin, passed away in August after a long and courageous battle with a serious illness. Durkin, the Coast Guard representative, was instrumental in increasing the participation of the Coast Guard MWR departments and personnel in the three years he was with us. In fact, 10 of the 28 awards being presented this year are going to Coast Guard professionals. Joe was a true credit to his profession and a valuable asset to AFRS and the Armed Forces recreation program. He will be greatly missed.

SUMMARY

The AFRS Board of Directors is looking forward to all that AFRS can and will do in the coming years. The vision for the organization is a positive and progressive one with a focus on training for members. The Armed Forces Recreation Society is committed to the profession and to NRPA as an organization. The overwhelming attendance in Nashville reaffirms our overall commitment to the philosophies of parks and recreation.

Citizen-Board Member

The Citizen-Board Member (C-BM) branch serves the nation's elected or appointed citizen members of local policy or advisory bodies dealing with parks, recreation, and leisure. Any citizen who actively supports the parks and recreation movement can belong to this branch.

In addition to producing a quarterly newsletter, C-BM recognized and awarded excellence among the nation's leading citizen volunteers. Citizen representatives made personal visits to members of the U.S. Congress during NRPA's Legislative Conference and Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C.

Branch members are involved in providing training to their volunteer colleagues around the country as well as providing extensive training and networking opportunities at the annual NRPA Congress & Exposition. Annually, the branch plants a tree in the city hosting the Association's national convention as recognition to local citizens.

The branch has developed an advocacy manual (available by request from the CBM office) to help citizens develop their skills and resources as they work with elected officials at all levels to further the park and recreation agenda.

Under the leadership of the Branch/Education/Information Committee, the soon-to-be-completed "Spreading The Word ... The Benefits Are Endless" guide for citizens to use in carrying the Benefits message to local groups and organizations has also been developed.

Another project of the branch has been "The Vital Role of Citizen Board Members" video project. This nine-minute video was produced in order to promote more active involvement and support from citizen board members at the state, national, and local levels. The video will be released for sale in Phoenix.

Also available from C-BM is the "Board Member Training Resources: Conferences and Workshop Leaders" booklet. This is a valuable resource from outstanding individuals who effectively serve as conference and workshop presenters on matters related to training of board members and citizen involvement in parks and recreation.

Commercial Recreation and Tourism Section

The Commercial Recreation and Tourism Section (CRTS) is devoted to enhancing the skills of those members working or affiliated with commercial recreation enterprises. CRTS members learn about developments in the field from many sources including The Bottom Line, the official quarterly newsletter; educational sessions about commercial recreation presented at NRPA's Annual Congress & Exposition; and networking with fellow professionals. Exploring public-private partnerships in delivering recreation services is a topic that is relevant to all NRPA members.

Leisure and Aging Section

The Leisure and Aging Section (LAS) represents professionals working with older adults in senior centers, retirement communities, and recreation centers. The mission of LAS is to help older adults remain healthy and active through participation in recreational pursuits, and to provide leadership and advocacy to ensure the availability of leisure and recreational opportunities for older Americans.

The Leisure and Aging Section has been featured at state conferences throughout the country. LAS board members rave provided sessions on trends, the volunteer network, senior-center programming, and working with boards and advisory councils in several states. LAS also presented a full-day training focus at the NRPA Southern Regional Conference in Huntsville, Ala., in April.

Because of the great demand for high-quality leisure and aging-related sessions at conferences and other meetings, LAS is establishing a speakers bureau.

LAS is also developing it publication that highlights outstanding programs for older adults in park and recreation agencies. Programs may be ongoing or one-time special events.

National Aquatic Section

The National Aquatic Section (NAS) serves aquatic professionals -- from pool managers to executive staff. The NAS has a record of steady growth due to the outstanding membership services received from NRPA education, training, publications, and networking.

During the past year, NRPA teamed with the American Red Cross in attacking the lifeguard shortage. NRPA communities are prime users of lifeguards, with 205,000 swimming pools, 5,000 beaches, and many other aquatic facilities. A natural partnership developed with the American Red Cross, which trains over 200,000 lifeguards and maintains a network of 1,200 chapters nationwide. The NAS generated two articles in USA Today regarding the critical shortage of lifeguards, will partner with the American Red Cross in publishing a "how-to" community guide for effective recruitment and retention of lifeguards, and will work toward an at-risk youth initiative to provide lifeguards in urban environments.

An outstanding 15th Annual National Aquatic Conference/National Aquatic Management School was held in San Antonio, Texas, in March. It was the best-attended conference to date and featured the 2000 Excellence in Aquatics Award winners.

A national promotional and marketing effort is underway informing all agencies operating beaches of the new NRPA National Beach and Waterfront Management workshops. The workshops use Better Beaches - Management and Operation of Safe and Enjoyable Swimming Beaches as the primary resource manual. Since this is the only training program developed in the nation for beach and waterfront management, the NRPA National Aquatic Section expects great national acceptance of this program.

The NRPA Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) certification course was conducted at 57 locations with a total of 1,293 participants. The program is reaching 7,000 trained AFO operators, and utilizes 53 trained instructors nationwide. All 50 states have approved AFO as an acceptable certification program for pool operators and aquatic managers in their health codes.

Future National Aquatic Conferences/National Aquatic Management Schools will be held in Orlando, Ha. (March 714, 2001) and Palm Springs, Calif. (March 4-13, 2002).

The Orlando event will feature the launch of NRPA's new National Sailing Program for 10-to 14-year-olds. A $125,000 grant, which was jointly acquired by the NRPA National Aquatic Section and U.S. Sailing, helped fund the development of this program.

The National Aquatic Section is governed by a 21-member National Aquatic Council, whose president, Inger Erickson, director of aquatics at Phoenix Parks, Recreation and Libraries, promises additional aquatic membership services to meet the needs of the 87,000 employees whose livelihood depends on public aquatic facilities nationwide.

National Therapeutic Recreation Society

The National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) represents individuals and organizations involved in the provision of therapeutic recreation services in clinical, residential, and community settings. Members help people who have illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, independence, and well-being.

National Therapeutic Recreation Week, which was established by NTRS, has been celebrated during the second week of July every year since 1984. Each year, NTRS develops special promotional products to help agencies observe the celebration. This year's theme was "Therapeutic Recreation: Our Greatest Contribution ... Quality of Lire."

The 2000 theme was aimed at educating internal and external audiences about the importance of therapeutic recreation to the quality of lire and well-being of persons with disabilities. During the nationwide celebration, agencies and individuals hosted health fairs, career days, festivals, wheelchair athletic events, workshops, receptions, information booths, and open houses. Proclamations, press releases, articles, and public service announcements also helped to enhance awareness during National Therapeutic Recreation Week.

NTRS is finalizing the "Therapeutic Recreation: The Benefits are Endless ...'" project, which includes a video, training materials, manuals, and "train-the-trainer" programs designed to enable therapeutic recreation specialists to consistently promote therapeutic recreation programs in terms of the benefits and outcomes produced, develop and justify programs based upon documented benefits and outcomes, and manage programs in a manner that highlights efficacy.

The NTRS Institute, a professional development training conference that draws hundreds of therapeutic recreation practitioners, students, and educators, is held annually in conjunction with the NRPA Congress & Exposition. In addition, NTRS publishes the renowned Therapeutic Recreation Journal.

NTRS offers the NTRS Fred Humphrey Public Policy Fellowship, open to students, educators, and practitioners. The NTRS public policy fellow works closely with the NTRS executive director to monitor public policy and legislative efforts in the areas of health care and human services, Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance reform, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and issues related to aging and persons with disabilities.

National Society for Park Resources

The National Society for Park Resources continues its plans to increase membership, membership involvement, and public accessibility. NSPR has responded to the highest priority identified by its membership -- professional development -- with two initiatives.

The first was to co-sponsor the first natural resources-oriented recreation Benefits training course. Working with the National Association of Recreation Resource Professionals (NARRP) and the Armed Forces Recreation Society, the course was conducted in May as an institute associated with the annual NARRP meeting. The 32 participating students represented a wide array of interests from private sector to local, state, and federal agencies. Work is underway on follow-up sessions.

The second initiative was to develop a natural resource management coalition of organizations with similar natural resource-oriented recreation management goals. The coalition's objectives are to identify training needs, develop accordingly, and seek out sponsorships for these new training efforts. The following organizations have formally joined the coalition: NSPR, NARRP, AFRS, and the National Association of State Park Directors. Dr. Brett Wright of George Mason University is currently serving as the executive leader of this new effort. The coalition will meet formally in Phoenix in October.

Society of Park and Recreation Educators

The SPRE pages on ActiveParks.org have been greatly updated with expanded information relating to professional preparation in parks and recreation. A special reception for graduate student recruitment will be held at the NRPA Congress and Exposition in Phoenix. The 2000 Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Research went to Dr. Chrystos D. Siderelis of North Carolina State University. Siderelis was selected from six distinguished and accomplished nominees representing the highest level of professional and scholarly activity within our profession.

Student Branch

Participation in the Student Branch continues to increase. The March board meeting received a record turnout of 13 Student Branch board members. The students conducted a silent auction and raised over $1,000. A new membership drive will be initiated in the fall in cooperation with the NRPA Membership Department.