NRPA delivers assistance to Gulf Coast.

After the catastrophic hurricanes that ravaged the Gulf Coast, NRPA responded by creating the Gulf Coast Park and Recreation Relief Fund to help support a wide variety of park and recreation reconstruction efforts. In addition, the Sports Illustrated Gulf Coast Community Sports Relief Fund focused on reconstruction of public sports facilities in the region. During the course of several months, people generously donated more than $70,000 to the funds.

NRPA then asked communities in need to request assistance, and in April awarded seven communities $10,000 to support rebuilding efforts. Each of these communities will be focusing on different facilities and parks where they will use the money. Take a look at how they will be rebuilding:

Biloxi, Miss.: The town will use the funds for summer camp programs at Dukate Gymnasium. The agency is committed to restoring programs for neighborhoods in greatest need, and it feels this gymnasium will serve as a place where children can play again when school is out.

City of Bay St. Louis, Miss.: Taking a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina, this small community lost 80 percent of the homes. The prevailing loss of parks, playing fields and fishing piers is a huge loss to the community, and these funds will go toward assisting in the reconstruction of Carol Vegas Park Tennis Court.

Long Beach, Miss.: This town suffered a total loss to fall programs with 65 percent of its park and recreation facilities destroyed. With the grant money, Long Beach will be able to reopen baseball and softball programs this spring and maintain fields and lighting.

Moss Point, Miss.: Due to safety issues, 90 percent of recreation services were cancelled. With these much-needed funds, the park and recreation agency hopes to restore the spring sports season.

Pascagoula, Miss.: The resources donated by NRPA will be used to restore lighting to several baseball and softball fields after acres of fields and land were flooded. The community is also trying to find equipment for the coming sports season to help participants.

Petal, Miss.: As a Sports Illustrated Sportstown, Petal had been working on updating several fields and facilities. After the hurricane, they need to repair several of those new fields and will use the funds to assist with lighting, turf and dugout repair.

Slidell, La.: John Slidell Park is the largest city park with 172 acres. Although the city rests three miles inland, more than five feet of water flooded many facilities. The grant money will be used to restore this area with play space and sport programs.

For more information on how you can help these communities or others in the Gulf Coast, visit www.nrpa.org.