Nashville & Phoenix.

Bookends of a Community-Service Campaign

The NRPA Year of Service Initiative --running from the 1999 NRPA Congress &T Exposition in Nashville to the 2000 Congress & Exposition in Phoenix--was developed to encourage park and recreation agencies to conduct a Day of Service event in their communities. The type of Day of Service event was to be determined by each community but the goal was to bring the community together to advance the importance of park and recreation services.

On a cold and blustery 23rd day of October 1999, NRPA began the Year of Service Initiative with a Day of Service event at Two Rivers Park in Nashville, TN. A rare tornado had run through the heart of Nashville and its path went straight through Two Rivers Park. The result was damage to a significant number of trees and the landscape of the park. The primary goal of this Day of Service project was to clean up branches, tree limbs, and debris left in the park and to replace trees.

Jim Fyke, Director of Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation, and his enthusiastic staff including Vera Vollbrecht, Mary Wherry, and Barry McAllister worked long in advance to bring together participation for this event. They also prepared a noon--time rally that would conclude the event and would feature Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell speaking about the importance of parks and recreation services. Their efforts were instrumental in making the event a success, and the NRPA delegates who joined with the local residents at this project were proud to participate and be part of this grand event.

NRPA was also glad to be joined by the Nickelodeon Big Help Mobile, an interactive travelling display of community events undertaken by the Big Help project. The Nickelodeon Channel had enlisted more than 22 million kids in 1999 for its "Big Help" project with the goal of improving America through youth volunteerism. For their efforts, Nickelodeon was awarded the 1999 NRPA Media Excellence Award. More than 150 children from the local area joined us at this Day of Service event and they particularly enjoyed the Big Help Mobile.

More than 80 trees were planted and a significant amount of brush, tree limbs, and stumps were cleared. As is the tradition of the Citizen Board Member branch of NRPA, a special tree was dedicated at the park as it is at each NRPA Congress. The dedication is to all citizens across the country whose efforts make parks and recreation successful. The noon--time rally was an excellent event as well, with three local news channels providing coverage and a dynamic presentation by a number of speakers.

The concluding NRPA Day of Service event was held during the 2000 NRPA Congress & Exposition on October 14 at Papago Park in Phoenix, AZ. More than 300 volunteers gathered at the park for a series of projects including: installing a split-rail fence, trimming trees, cleaning lagoons, stabilizing shorelines, painting facilities in-need, and planting native desert vegetation. The weather was spectacular and the preparation by the Phoenix Park, Recreation and Libraries staff was impeccable. Special thanks to director Jim Colley and Papago Park director Kathy Reichert for their preparation and advance work.

Papago Park is spectacular and features the unique "hole-in-the-rock" --a geological marvel that provides a hole from which a hiker can see a spectacular view of not only the entire park but also the Phoenix skyline. From this vantagepoint, one can see the sights and listen to the sounds of the fun and excitement that this park offers.

The event started with brief introductions and then everyone proceeded to the planting of a 20-foot sahuaro cactus, weighing an estimated 3,000 pounds. While it took the skill and aid of a host of landscape professionals to provide a home for this gigantic indigenous plant, all participants had the chance to join in and assist with the process.

Participants then broke up into groups based on the activity they volunteered for and were lead by team leaders to their respective work areas. Our volunteer participants ranged in age from elementary school children to senior citizens, with a great turnout of students from nearby Arizona State University. The wide variety of events enabled everyone to get involved at the level they wanted to, from the physical labor of building a split-rail fence to the lighter fare of repainting signs in need.

Beverages and refreshments were provided for all participants as well as a lunch at the conclusion of the event.

Between the Nashville and Phoenix events, NRPA members across the country held a number of Day of Service events or events inspired by this initiative. A sample of these projects is included in American Spirit. Our heartiest thanks to the thousands of volunteers who make that effort to make park and recreation services the best they can be.

It is also important to thank past and current members of the NRPA Board of Trustees Public Awareness Committee for their work with the Year of Service initiative. Particular kudos go out to Steve Neu, the current chair, as well as John Crompton, Doug Washington, Dave Clark, and Lydia Torres. The efforts of Kathy Spangler and the entire National Programs Office to advance this campaign were also exceptional. Without their assistance, the Year of Service wouldn't have taken flight. And that's appropriate terminology in the "Valley of the Sun" as it was the mythical bird called "the Phoenix" that was able to rise above and soar to great heights.