Helpings citizens support parks. (Citizen-Board Member Branch).

Citizens support parks and recreation for many reasons: to help children, to support conservation, to promote the arts, to reduce crime and violence, to improve health, to save a tree, and on and on. Each year, hundreds of concerned citizens join governance boards and committees in an effort to support their community's parks and recreation programs. Whether they're policy or advisory boards, these commissions and councils must work in a cooperative, thorough and thoughtful manner.

Citizens and the governance boards they serve have the potential to become the strongest advocates for public parks and recreation. The challenge in developing an effective board requires support from professionals on all levels. How is this goal accomplished? By enhancing communication through education and training. NRPA offers programs to help boards and staff improve their relationships, identify roles and responsibilities, and establish common goals and objectives.

NRPA wants your agency to achieve its goals. NRPA wants your agency to fully engage its citizen board in support of parks and recreation. NRPA will empower your community volunteers with the knowledge and access they need to fully advocate for parks and recreation programs and facilities. Working together, the members of a community can realize their goals and fully discover that the benefits of parks and recreation are endless.

For more information on empowering your boards, professional and citizen board members should attend the pre-Congress session, "Organizational Governance," to be held as part of NRPA's Congress in Tampa in October. Look for more workshops on governance, fundraising and partnerships for citizens and staff in the coming months.