Kempthorne Presents the 'Best Remedy': during the opening general session, the U.S. Secretary of the interior moves the audience with a pledge to get America outdoors.

The focus of an excited crowd of attendees turned to the Opening General Session stage on Wednesday evening of the 2006 NRPA Congress & Exposition. After the opening entertainment of the tribal rhythms of the Sharimba Youth Marimba Band had ceased, NRPA Chairman of the Board Ron Lehman gave a hearty welcome to all in attendance, followed by opening remarks by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

"What really makes Seattle special is our parks; our relationship to nature, the mountains, the sound," Nickels told the audience, explaining that Seattle's beauty shows the importance of conservation and preservation in city parks. It is important that Seattle has a role and a commitment to fighting global warming, he explained.

A surprise for attendees of the opening session was the unveiling of a new U.S. Postal Service stamp by Katharine Nash, U.S. Postmaster of Seattle. The "Longest Hiking Trail" stamp features the Pacific Crest Trail that spans nearly 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada, running through the Pacific Northwest. Nash unveiled a large print of the colorful stamp.

Soon after Mayor Nickels made his warm introduction to the city, former National Park Service Director Fran Mainella introduced the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. "Secretary Kempthorne has been a true friend of parks and recreation as the Mayor of Boise, Idaho, the governor of the State of Idaho, and as a two-term U.S. Senator," Mainella said. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne took the stage among a vigorous round of applause.

Kempthorne spoke with a voice of concern, recognizing the negative effects of people not enjoying the out doors. "A health crisis is approaching like a tsunami," Kempthorne said. He said that inactivity will lead to an epidemic of heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis.

But he also spoke with a voice of hope, giving human interest examples that span generations, illustrating how the outdoors could alleviate impending problems. He detailed the life of former President Teddy Roosevelt, brought back to health from a childhood bout with asthma by experiencing the fresh air of the great outdoors. Kempthorne quoted Anne Frank's diary, which reads "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God."

He stressed that local communities and the federal government can be "vital partners" in providing recreational opportunities such as these, specifically stating that he was an advocate for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that seems to be in constant jeopardy in Congress. Kempthorne, to thunderous applause, pledged support for the program. "I know how important [LWCF] is to providing recreational opportunities for local communities. As a senator, I supported full LWCF funding. In my current position, I am an advocate within the administration for more funding under the program," he said.

He explained that investing in parks and recreation isn't just about dollars, but also that is an "investment in our economy ... an investment in our children ... and an investment that will benefit future generations."

"Together, we can re-ignite America's passion for the outdoors," he said. "We can help families and children become healthier and live fuller lives. We can help raise up a new generation of conservationists, dedicated to preserving and celebrating 'America the Beautiful.'"

It is important to "plant seeds" of interest in children so that later in life, they may have an appreciation for the outdoors, he said. He challenged park and recreation professionals to provide the opportunity for those seeds to grow. "We can provide the parks, the trails, the camping sites and the nature programs for children," Kempthorne said. "We can work together to conserve and restore our land and make it accessible to inner-city children and others who wouldn't venture into the outdoors. We can let people know that there is a magical world right at the doorsteps waiting to be discovered--a world of pinecones and waterfalls, autumn leaves and rainbow trout."

But Kempthorne said that it's not just a personal goal to get people interested in the outdoors again. In fact, he has been charged with launching a 10-year effort called the "Centennial Challenge," which will recognize 100 years of the National Park System in 2016.

The challenge is to get Americans involved through philanthropy, volunteerism and by supporting conservation partnerships. He hopes that the Centennial Challenge will serve as a "seamless catalyst" for Americans to return to all parks, whether at the local, state, regional or national level.

Kempthorne left the audience with words of encouragement, saying that all park and recreation professionals and supporters are working together to change the habits of inactive Americans. "We are in the business of renewing the connection between people and the outdoors. Of getting people out of cyberspace and into open spaces. Of getting them to put down their Blackberrys and go pick blackberries. To put aside their iPods and go see a pod of whales. To stop channel surfing and go wind surfing. To shut off their Webcasts and cast a line for trout."

In his closing remarks, Kempthorne promised the park and recreation audience cooperation in bringing to life children's love of the outdoors. "I commend you for your professionalism and dedication to this great cause. Together, we will ensure the American people-especially our children-have abundant opportunities to enjoy the beauty of nature and spiritual renewal of our great outdoors."

Mainella Stops In On Her 'Farewell Tour'

Introducing Secretary Kempthorne was outgoing National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. Her speech to NRPA Congress attendees was one of the last public appearances she made on what she jokingly called her "farewell tour."

"It's also a great honor--what we have done together as the National Park Service with the National Recreation and Park Association," Mainella said. "We have worked so hard together."

Mainella said that she recently told President Bush that she felt she had the best job in the federal government, but that it was time for her to face new challenges.

"It has been my honor to serve the president, the Secretary of the Interior, the American people and all of you for almost six years," she said.

Mainella was optimistic about the future, as well. "I will guarantee you that the new director [of the National Park Service], Mary Bomar, who is currently the regional director in the northeast region, will carry forth the partnership efforts between NRPA and the National Park Service," Mainella said. "So be sure she feels warmly welcomed when she comes to work."

Mainella was an active participant in the NRPA Congress & Exposition. She led the Power Session "Environmental Stewardship: The Power of Justice and Collaboration." The Urban Park and Recreation Forum benefited from Mainella's input on park and recreation issues in city settings.

Read more about Mainella as the featured Trailblazer on page 72.

Web extra: See Kempthorne's comments on how NRPA members can become more involved. www.nrpa.org/p&r