Mark your calendar: July is Recreation and Parks Month! With summer quickly approaching, here are 31 ideas to inspire your community to get involved in July is Recreation and Parks Month.

1: Proclaim that July is Recreation and Parks Month: Write letters to local leaders encouraging them to support this month in your community.

2: Blaze a new trail: Map out new destinations in local parks or preservation areas and lead a tour through uncharted territory.

3: Support our nation's troops: Celebrate Independence Day by hosting a craft or letter writing day for local community members and children.

Sunday, July 3-Saturday, July 9 NRPA Celebrates National Therapeutic Recreation Week

4: Independence Day, Happy Fourth: Celebrate with fireworks and a community celebration.

5: Host a Summer Olympics: Make sure that games and activities include all members of the community.

6: Sponsor a poster or photo contest: Send your favorite entry to Parks & Recreation magazine for a chance to be included in the special July issue.

7: Go behind the scenes: Set up an insider's tour of a local sports facility.

8: Free Friday Fun Day: Charge no admission fees for the community to use your facilities.

9: & 10: Host a mini Tour de France: Mark off interesting courses throughout local parks, put up cones and ask for volunteer timers.

Sunday, July 10-Saturday, July 16 NRPA Celebrates National Aquatics Week

11: Calling all birders: Take groups to experience bird watching, or encourage them to go on their own adventures.

12: Host a mini X Games: Challenge riders, bladers and boarders at your local skate park in designed challenges.

13: Sun Safety: Practice sun safety at community pools by teaching children and adults the importance of sunscreen and covering up.

14: Host a fitness fun class: Open your facilities for a day full of fitness advice from local health care systems.

15: Dive-in pool party: Open up the pool, put up a screen and let families enjoy floating and taking in a movie.

16: Sponsor a culture and history day: Invite local experts and historians to take visitors through your area's history and cultural beginnings.

17: Celebrate National Ice Cream Day: Host an ice cream party and give prizes for best sundae, best homemade ice cream or fastest ice cream eater.

18: Host a family camp fire night: Bring back the joy of the outdoors, and teach families how to camp safely while enjoying time together and roasting marshmallows.

19: Sponsor a fishing derby: Teach locals of all ages how to bait, cast and fish for fun.

20: Arts in the park: Host a festival celebrating local artists. Provide onsite art opportunities and contests.

21: Canine catch: Include those four-legged friends in the fun by hosting a Frisbee contest at your local dogpark. End the day with a splash session using inflatable pools and sprinklers.

22: Summer Safety Day: Explore safety issues from biking and roller blading, to heat and sun exposure, and fire safety.

23: Honor your volunteers: Host a day geared toward those who help out most in your community-volunteers.

24: Fun Run/Walk: Get the community together for a summer fun run or fun walk. Introduce participants to new trails or routes through your community.

25: Celebrate National Salad Day: Offer a session on healthy eating and cooking tips.

26: Park and Trail Clean Up Day: Preserve your community's parks and trails by keeping them in working order for everyone to enjoy.

27: Free Hotdogs at the Ballpark Night: Bring your community together while supporting youth sports.

28. Turn off the TV for one day: Offer park and recreation facilities as "TV-Free" zones while getting parents, children and community members to get active together.

29: Host a special park/facility tour for local government officials: Show off what parks and recreation are doing for your community.

30: Host a Taste of the Community Festival: Bring together local culinary experts for food sampling and provide cooking opportunities for others in the community who may want to learn how.

31: Celebrate this final day of Recreation and Parks Month by sharing your success stories! E-mail what special events you have planned in your community to Parks & Recreation magazine ([e-mail])to possibly be featured in our special July issue.