NRPA Goes to Washington.

My sincere thanks to everyone who attended the NRPA Mid-Year Conference and Legislative Forum in Washington, D.C., in early March. Attendance at this conference is growing--more than 400 people participated this year! I'm aware of the sacrifice it takes for many of you, especially our citizen board members, to join us as we advance the park and recreation agenda on Capitol Hill. The combined effort of our citizen and professional members actively visiting our legislators and presenting the "case for parks and recreation" is a powerful vehicle to accomplish our goals.

Although we had such fantastic attendance this year, I know that an overwhelming majority of NRPA members were not able to attend this conference. So, I wanted to share with you some of the events that took place during this important meeting to give you an understanding of how your leadership and dedicated membership help to accomplish our legislative goals.

Prior to the event, NPRA prepares several packages of materials relevant to current issues being debated on the Hill and shares them with our delegates, most of who represent our affiliated state associations. The packets include background sheets, issue papers, and key points being emphasized and are provided to members before they travel to Capitol Hill to visit their respective legislators. In fact, most of the state representatives develop their own packets of materials, so that when they present material before a legislator, they can provide an outstanding local, state, and/or national pitch.

At the conference, NRPA joined several other national organizations for a "Rally for Parks & Recreation" held on Wednesday, March 1, on the Capitol steps in support of the bipartisan bill H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). This bill, now before Congress, provides significant and permanent funding to states for conservation and recreation. More than 1,000 people were on hand, and NRPA proudly displayed the "Benefits" banner, which is pictured on the cover of this issue of Parks & Recreation. Several members of Congress addressed our group and the day concluded with patriotic pomp as Challenger, a trained American eagle, soared majestically overhead while our national anthem played in the background.

On Thursday, March 2, NRPA held its annual Congressional Breakfast, where conference delegates had the opportunity to meet members of Congress and their staff and participate in the presentation of our prestigious 1999 National Congressional Awards. It was an honor to present these awards, especially to Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), from my home state of Louisiana, who has been a long-time advocate of parks and recreation. NRPA also held a reception for our National Programs, recognizing our newest partners and displaying the new ActiveSearch Inventory feature on NRPA's ActiveParks site which allows park and recreation agencies to upload the inventory that they manage.

Finally, on Friday, March 3, the featured event was a briefing luncheon that encouraged delegates to share the results of their respective congressional visits. Most of their accounts were very positive, demonstrating that legislators recognize the importance of park and recreation issues. Sadly, some were less positive, but sharing these encounters enabled other delegates not only to learn how best to present our issues, but also to determine where we need to make a more significant and influential effort.

Delegates were offered a variety of other activities throughout the three-day conference, including numerous CEU-qualifying educational sessions centering on legislative initiatives and several NRPA branch, section, affiliate, and regional council meetings. This year's events also included a special "benefits" workshop, incorporating both citizen and professional input, which focused on guiding this important mission as we begin the 21st century.

I was delighted to see more than 40 members of the Board of Trustees in attendance. This speaks very highly of your Board's commitment to pursuing issues that matter most to you, and I know with the dedication of all that comprises NRPA, we are making progress on our political agenda.