National Recreation and Park Association 1999 Annual Report.

1999 Annual Report

Welcome

The National Recreation and Park Association is proud to present its 1999 Annual Report. As you read through these pages, you will encounter an extraordinary depth and scope of activities. As the "voice" of parks and recreation, NRPA is on the cutting edge of providing information and knowledge to our members to deliver the services that they expect in parks all across the country. And these services have grown exponentially!

The majority of the public would probably be surprised at the services and programs that a typical park and recreation agency provides. That's because park and recreation agencies are actively addressing today's most pressing social problems. While some may think of parks and recreation as representing the traditional "bat and ball" activities, we know that we are an intricate part of your community.

All of us at NRPA consider park and recreation services to be essential to a community's growth and safety. We frequently use the slogan "Parks and Recreation: The Benefits are Endless." More than 192 million people use public park and recreation facilities, and they like the services they are receiving. In fact, demand for our services outweighs our ability to provide them.

NRPA is leading the charge to inform the public and legislators at all levels that funding for programs that provide answers to today's social problems needs to be increased. But we need the public to support our initiatives. Over the coming year we will be building a Web site, which will become the premier site for parks and recreation. We look forward to more citizens discovering who we are -- and how essential we are to their lives.

Sincerely,

Eric W. O'Brien
Chairman

Theodore Flickinger, CLP
President

R. Dean Tice
Executive Director

Public Policy

NRPA's Division of Public Policy informs national lawmakers, public officials, and others of the value of public parks and recreation and advocates national action to increase recreation opportunities. Working in collaboration with allied groups, state recreation and park societies, and NRPA members, the division supports and advances national legislation, policies, and programs that encourage greater public investment in recreation resources. Frequent communication with legislators and staff -- including public testimony -- boosts congressional awareness of how recreation facilities and services can address important social issues such as juvenile delinquency, the environment, and public health.

The division serves as a national source of information on local and state policies and practices. It also responds to frequent requests for information from the field regarding the content, status, and likely future of congressional and administrative actions; provides policy guidance; conducts research; and analyzes emerging issues potentially relevant to parks and recreation.

Outreach activities keep recreation and park professionals, citizen advocates, and policymakers informed about national affairs that could impact their work -- and their play. Each month Parks & Recreation magazine contains "Dateline," a public policy newsletter that provides status information and Association insights on national affairs.

The Association annually convenes a Legislative Conference and Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C. This year's February meeting provided more than 300 delegates with the opportunity to discuss current and anticipated legislative initiatives with members of Congress, federal executive branch allies, and other delegates. Delegates also benefited from a special training opportunity that informed them of new federal funding opportunities from Office of Justice programs.

The division continually explores ways to enhance outreach to members and the public. The policy division uses NRPA's Recre-Action network, a fax and e-mail alert system, to encourage members to share timely views with legislators. The NRPAnet listserv, Public Policy Web page, and increased communication with state affiliate and urban park networks also expand our reach to friends and advocates. As technology continues to make communication between NRPA and advocates faster and less expensive, the efficacy of local actions will continue to grow. All of the significant national policy achievements enjoyed by park and recreation advocates this year owe their success to effective grassroots action.

Dominating this year's policy agenda were the following:

Reinvesting for America's Future: Reviving the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program

NRPA continues to focus a large portion of its policy efforts on restoring appropriate federal funds to create a national network of public recreation resources. Our efforts focus on state and local recreation and conservation investments as critical elements of this network. The Association continues to urge reinvestment of public revenue generated by offshore energy extraction -- up to $4 billion annually -- through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program. It informs Congress and others of the importance of adequate federal support for close-to-home recreation through these complementary programs.

The allied effectiveness of NRPA and other national and regional organizations has been enhanced through Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation. This alliance has raised Congress' awareness about the LWCF, its state assistance program, and the UPRRP. These combined efforts have resulted in a growing awareness of how affordable, accessible recreation opportunities can help communities address some of their most pressing social and environmental challenges, including juvenile delinquency and urban sprawl.

In late 1998, prominent congressional leaders introduced several proposals to guarantee permanent and adequate funds for the LWCF, its state assistance grants, and urban parks. Those bills are pending in the 106th Congress, and action on consensus legislation is expected before the end of the year.

While working toward passage of new authorizing legislation, efforts to fund LWCF state assistance and urban park rehabilitation through the annual appropriation process continue -- with modest success! After requesting no funds for LWCF state and urban assistance for the past five years, in February the president included funds to begin restoration of these partnerships in the fiscal year 2000 budget proposal. The request was part of the Clinton administration's "Lands Legacy" and "Livability" initiatives, which together would vastly increase national investment in parks and open space and help local and state governments combat sprawl. While the administration's policy initiative is significant, it was not embraced by House or Senate interior appropriations subcommittees. Both committees approved limited funds for LWCF -- and no funds for state assistance or urban parks.

Aggressive actions by NRPA members, affiliates, and allied organizations reversed the committee recommendation in the House of Representatives. House floor debate on the issues clearly reflected a growing congressional understanding of the values derived from public recreation opportunities. As a result, amendments to fund LWCF state assistance at $30 million and urban parks at $4 million for fiscal year 2000 succeeded. Floor debate focused on the benefits associated with access to close-to-home recreation resources.

NRPA worked aggressively to ensure similar success in the Senate, believing that restoration of funds in the fiscal year 2000 spending bill would enhance the likelihood that pending legislation would permanently fund these programs.

Recreation as Prevention

Policy efforts also focused on informing others about the positive link between recreation services and crime prevention. Local recreation programs consistently helped to reduce crime during nonschool hours and instilled positive attitudes in some of the nation's most vulnerable youth.

Attempts to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the primary funding mechanism for many juvenile justice programs, continued to falter. The Senate approved legislation in May, incorporating several NRPA-recommended amendments to enable public park and recreation authorities to participate in local crime-prevention strategies. The House followed in June with its juvenile crime package; however, the two versions were markedly different and contained a number of contradictory and controversial provisions. If ultimately adopted, the changes would be an important step toward recognizing the expertise and resources of public recreation authorities.

Expanding the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, another administration initiative, was an emerging element of the Association's recreation-as-prevention strategy. The program, established by Congress to award grants to local school systems, enables the planning, implementation, or expansion of projects that benefit a community's educational, health, social services, cultural, and recreational needs. Support has swelled for the program, evidenced by the president's proposed three-fold increase in funding (to $600 million) for the coming fiscal year, and a number of related legislative initiatives.

NRPA has monitored reauthorization of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program and encouraged Congress and the Department of Education to be more flexible in determining eligibility and access to funds. In 1998, 87 percent of successful applications included a recreation component, many a public recreation agency. The department's proposed reauthorization would release up to 10 percent of annual funds to community-based organizations, including recreation agencies.

Endorsement by a local school system would be required.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Staff was equally excited to increase its focus on NRPA's mission to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles. Recreation and physical activity are two of the best ways to enhance personal health -- at considerably less expense than treatment after the onset of illness.

NRPA strongly urged the federal government to support strategies that encourage personal responsibility for healthy behaviors and call attention to behavioral risk factors (including sedentary lifestyles, smoking, and poor nutrition). Through collaboration with allied organizations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NRPA placed itself in a unique position to influence national policy in this arena.

Transportation, Trails, and Recreation

Marking a major victory for recreation and environment advocates, Congress passed the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998. The act reauthorized and reinforced critical policy and program initiatives of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which required that state transportation planning and spending include projects that would enhance local quality of life and help sustain the environment.

TEA-21 vastly increased funds for the Transportation Enhancements program, which funnels a portion of state highway funds into trails, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, historic preservation, and related projects. It also strengthened and increased funding for recreational trail development and maintenance through the RTP, or Recreational Trails Program. Since then, NRPA's efforts have focused on ensuring effective implementation of these programs.

Policy staff continued to work closely with the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration to share perspectives from park and recreation professionals about how the Transportation Enhancements program is working at the local level. After informal polling of local agencies clearly indicated the need for more user-friendly and efficient processes in a number of states, NRPA worked with the FHWA and state departments of transportation to guide policies on program implementation. Feedback from park and recreation agencies also aided the creation of the Citizen's Guide to Transportation Enhancements, which was published in July by the clearinghouse.

NRPA Executive Director R. Dean Tice continued to serve as co-chair of the Coalition for Recreational Trails, a federation of trail-related organizations whose mission is to support the implementation and long-term objectives of the national RTP. Created by ISTEA, and strengthened under TEA-21, the program is a significant source of funding for the development and maintenance of recreational trails. Coalition efforts to build awareness of this modest but successful program led to several successful Capitol Hill events, the first-ever Recreational Trails Program awards, and the development of a national database to track the use of RTP funds, through a contract with the FHWA.

NRPA also actively supported efforts to authorize a new category of national trails, the National Discovery Trails, and to designate the cross-country American Discovery Trail as the first. This category includes extended, continuous, interstate trails that would link two or more metropolitan areas. They will provide greater access to premier recreation, cultural, and historical resources by connecting urban, rural, and backcountry trails to the National Trails System.

Legislative threats to "railbanking," which allows state and local agencies and nonprofit groups to conserve abandoned rail lines and, in the interim, make them available for public recreation use, continued. NRPA and its allies successfully resisted several attempts by legislators to dismantle the national railbanking statute and discourage rail-trail conversions. Thousands of miles of rail-trails nationwide now connect neighborhoods, counties, and states, expanding recreation and transportation opportunities and providing vital links to greenway systems and linear parks. NRPA will continue to encourage the practice of railbanking, balancing public conservation and recreation objectives with the constitutional rights of private landowners.

Federal Lands-to-Parks

The Association continued to encourage resource conservation and recreation access to surplus property through the federal Lands-to-Parks program. It has opposed an initiative to reduce the present authority discounts for local and state recreation and park agencies. Some federal properties have exceptional qualities and potential, and the public should retain access to these, NRPA argued.

Beyond Legislation

NRPA's policy agenda extended far beyond legislative advocacy. Staff remained actively involved in a number of initiatives that extended outreach and collaboration, informed members of national events, and leveraged public recreation and park values.

NRPA worked with the National Recreation Lakes Commission, for example, on the National Recreation Lakes Study, a congressionally authorized examination of the recreation potential of federally managed manmade lakes and the development of strategies to achieve this potential. Policy staff and members provided input, and many NRPA recommendations were included in the final report. The commission's final report was released in June, and the Association continues to work toward congressional and executive action on its recommendations.

Public policy staff also led NRPA's involvement in Millennium Trails, a national initiative promoting awareness of and support for trails. The program is part of the White House Millennium Council's efforts to "honor the past and imagine the future" by recognizing the significance of trails in national history, culture, and development. As an official partner of the Millennium Trails program, NRPA worked with the White House, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other private interests to guide design and implementation.

On June 26, Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater designated 16 national flagship projects as National Millennium Trails. Fifty-two Millennium Legacy Trails and 2,000 Community Trails will also be designated. Prominent national celebrations are planned to honor and promote the selected trails. By designating projects that highlight the recreational, historical, and cultural value of trails, the program hopes to bring new constituencies and celebrate the range of experiences that long-distance, urban, local, and metaphorical trails offer the nation.

NRPA has continued its involvement in the 5 Goals 4 Kids initiative, a collaborative demonstration with the U.S. Department of Justice, the United Way of America, and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Objectives include providing greater support for constructive and engaging after-school opportunities in safe places and ensuring that more children participate in effective programs to prevent drug and alcohol abuse. The national partnership attempts to leverage new resources and mobilize state and local affiliates of the national entities.

The Association has initiated a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor designed to inform public recreation and park agencies of work safety rules for teenagers. NRPA aided distribution of the "Employer's Pocket Guide to Teen Worker Safety" as part of the department's ongoing Work Safe This Summer program, and is initiating future research on circumstances and conditions of youth workers in public recreation and parks.

International Protocol

With the support of the National Recreation Foundation, NRPA hosted the International Forum of Protocol Partners to share information and consider a future collaborative initiative. Partners included the Australian Leisure Institute, Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, Institute for Leisure and Amenity Management (Great Britain), National Recreation Association of Japan, and New Zealand Recreation Association. Special grants were awarded to the Partners of the Americas (Brazil) and Columbia Foundacion de la Tiempo y Recreacion.

Each group pledged to advance professional, technical, and citizen awareness; skills; and cultural understanding through recreation and parks. The issue of reciprocity in the context of international exchange is an important element.

Each protocol has resulted in different types of initiatives. With the National Recreation Association of Japan, for example, NRPA aided two groups of NRAJ members during study tours of sites and therapeutic recreation practices for persons with disabilities. With the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, NRPA co-organized and convened a North American Symposium on Recreation, Parks and Leisure at the CPRA conference. NRPA, the Institute for Leisure and Amenity Management, and other partners have aided the travel of professionals and citizens associated with our respective organizations. NRPA has also benefited from the participation of several members of protocol groups during its annual Congress & Exposition.

Attendees at the March 24-29 event in Washington, D.C., determined that international collaboration on strategies to address the concerns of youth in high-risk environments merited aggressive actions, and this issue will be the focal point of a second event tentatively scheduled for mid-2000.

Nations in Bloom

The Association continued to encourage and facilitate participation in Nations in Bloom, an international competition of environmental practices of urban park and recreation systems. NRPA Chairman Eric W. O'Brien once again served on the international panel of judges.

In addition to competition, Nations in Bloom offers a rare opportunity for agencies to assess their own role as environmental stewards, while reaffirming collaboration with other public and private entities. This marks NRPA's third year as U.S. sponsor, and participation by local public recreation and park agencies appears to be growing. Several NRPA members were among the 1998 international finalists, three of which took home second-place recognition.

Who We Are

Formed in 1965, the National Recreation and Park Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the wise use of leisure, the conservation of natural and human resources, and the extension of the social, health, cultural, and economic benefits of parks and recreation for all Americans.

NRPA's diverse membership consists of park and recreation administrators; planners and supervisors at the local, state, and federal levels; therapeutic recreation specialists; service men and women and their families; academics and students; elected and appointed members of public policy boards and commissions; and citizens concerned with the social need for adequate park and recreation opportunities.

Through its diverse network of park and recreation professionals and civic leaders, NRPA provides and sponsors programs that assist youth in high-risk situations, eradicate crime, encourage healthy lifestyles, and create safer communities. NRPA members are actively involved on all levels with the Association's numerous branches and sections, each of which serves an area of specialized interest in the park and recreation field.

The Association is governed by a 69-member Board of Trustees -- composed of both professionals and citizens -- representing various disciplines and geographical regions. Fifty-six state affiliates and regional organizations support the Association's dedication to improving park and recreation facilities and programs.

Five regional service centers allow the Association to better meet the needs of states and their local communities.

Parks & Recreation Magazine

Parks & Recreation magazine continues to provide NRPA members with up-to-date, progressive articles in an attractive graphic style. Working through a network of guest editors, the publication is able to feature stories that are on the cutting edge of each issue's editorial focus. Some of the topics covered throughout the year include golf, aquatics, therapeutic recreation, resource management, outdoor recreation, and playgrounds. The March Buyer's Guide is widely recognized as the industry's top source for parks and recreation equipment and services. Because of its wide circulation, the March magazine is also the premier source for articles discussing social issues and recreation's impact on crime, youth lifestyles, health, and a number of other topics.

Body of Knowledge

NRPA Internet Resources

Since the arrival of NRPA's home page (www.nrpa.org) on the Internet's World Wide Web in November 1995, it has received hundreds of thousands of visits. Currently, the Web site receives approximately 60,000 unique accesses per month. The site offers information on public policy and legislative affairs, conferences and meetings, and professional education and certification as well as updates on each of NRPA's professional branches.

In order to ensure the popularity of its pages, the Information Resources department has to keep up with current technology and Web trends. Accordingly, there have been some additions this year, including a complete site search, several new research databases, and improved training and conferences pages.

NRPAnet, the Association's private online information system, is designed to link the park, recreation, conservation, and environmental communities together by computer. NRPAnet, accessible through the Internet, allows subscribers to utilize the NRPA Research Database, the National Job Bulletin, the NRPAnet listserv, and several other professional databases.

The listserv is essentially an e-mail list for park and recreation professionals that allows subscribers to network with other members in order to share and discuss relevant information. The number of NRPAnet subscribers (currently more than 1,500) continues to grow every month. To expand this service to a wider audience, several "Web Benefits" and NRPAnet demonstrations were conducted at state, regional, and national conferences this year.

In order to maximize communication between members and the Association, an NRPA Task Force, comprising NRPA Board of Trustees members and other NRPA citizen members, was created. The Task Force was charged with considering the future of NRPA's Web site and recommending ways to improve the home page and NRPAnet. That completed report, accepted by NRPA's Board of Trustees, is now in the hands of the Strategic Oversight Planning Committee.

Resource Development

The Resource Development division continues to receive many requests for technical assistance from NRPA members and the general public. Over the past year, technical assistance requests have numbered more than 200 per month. The six most requested topics were:

* Facilities and Open Space Guidelines

* Salary Surveys

* Skateparks and Skatepark Management

* Trends in Recreation and Community Centers

* Grants

* Accessibility Issues

As division staff respond to technical assistance requests, many of the documents used for research are produced by NRPA: Parks & Recreation magazine, the Journal of Leisure Research, Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Recreation and Parks Law Reporter, Programmer Information Network, and numerous NRPA books and catalogs. The NRPAnet, an invaluable tool for research, has also become a heavily used source of technical information for the division.

National Programs

The National Programs office was established in September 1998 to advance NRPA relations with external organizations and to create new levels of service to NRPA member agencies through various programs and services created in collaboration with other organizations.

The office administers national initiatives that strive to meet NRPA's vision to inform, educate, build awareness, and generate advocacy on behalf of the profession and the public at large. To this end, the office only works with partners and programs that endeavor to support the key focus areas of youth development and family, health and wellness throughout the life span, and environmental stewardship.

A partnership protocol for the office was established to articulate the form and function of all activity: "To enhance the membership service package for NRPA members to more effectively communicate, facilitate, and advocate the benefits of parks and recreation to the public while also seeking to sustain the resource needs of the organization, affiliates, and members. To articulate the core values of health and wellness throughout the life span, environmental stewardship, and youth development or family as essential to any initiative. To accentuate the critical roles that the multifaceted profession of parks and recreation has to secure a quality of life for an increasingly aging, culturally diverse, and technologically advanced society."

National Football League

NRPA expanded its involvement with the NFL to include a grant from NFL Charities, which resulted in NRPA distributing 75 grants to local communities for their football programs.

United States Tennis Association

NRPA contributed to the successful launch of the USTA Plan for Growth initiative, which reached more than 220,000 new tennis players in 1999. Local park and recreation facilities accounted for approximately 45 percent of these new players trying the sport for the first time.

NRPA launched a series of Tennis Management Institutes with state affiliate organizations and the USTA. These institutes reached some 250 local professionals with information regarding innovations in tennis programming.

Hershey Track and Field Youth Program

NRPA worked with program sponsor Hershey Chocolate North America to increase visibility and develop a strategic plan of action to encourage greater community participation.

Nickelodeon's Big Help Project

This program provided significant public visibility for parks and recreation nationwide. Young people in more than 3,500 communities volunteer time to help local the 1999 Big Help project. NRPA and Kathy J. Spangler, CLP, National Programs director, were featured in a special edition of Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, which was aired on Nickelodeon and CBS. Sixty communities were

selected as keynote-event sites, and Burger King[R] franchise stores reinforced the publicity generated on the local level by taking out full-page advertisements in local newspapers.

Association for International Youth Sports

NRPA joined forces with this organization to promote quality in youth sport programming and to coordinate a local fund-raising initiative. This program was conceived and launched in FY99 but did not meet the criteria for continuation.

JumpSTART AfterSchool

Funded through a grant from the National Recreation Foundation, JumpSTART AfterSchool was presented to NRPA members as a resource booklet of activities that reinforces classroom learning in a recreational setting. The resource was distributed at more than 10,000 locations nationwide and has been translated for distribution in Spanish.

Active Options

This National Recreation Foundation-funded research project focused on the health impact of parks and recreation resources on older adults. The research study, conducted by Pennsylvania State University, looked at both the health impacts on users and the foundations of program delivery. Project results will be reviewed by research scientists, HMO representatives, and public-health leaders to develop a national program resource.

Hearts `N' Parks

NRPA and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have collaborated on this Benefits-based programming initiative to demonstrate the role of park and recreation agencies in delivering healthy-heart information to the public. The pilot project, which is being implemented in North Carolina with the assistance of the North Carolina State University Recreation Resource Service, will be followed by the development of a nationwide initiative.

ActiveUSA.com

An agreement was signed with ActiveUSA.com to serve as NRPA's Internet publisher for five years. This agreement will result in a completely updated Web presence for NRPA, grant the Association a strong citizen-development opportunity to inform and educate the public about parks and recreation, and create new levels of public visibility and advocacy for the profession and NRPA.

Active Living/ Healthy Lifestyles[TM]

Ladies' Home Journal continued to be NRPA's product-sampling partner with another successful Family Fun Days Celebration as part of the July is Recreation and Parks Month initiative.

BenGay[R] concluded its partnership with NRPA by distributing more than 350,000 samples and coupons through Harris Associates. Ten communities were awarded individual grants of $1,000 to create public visibility opportunities for partner organizations.

National Awards

The National Distinguished
Professional Award

The profession's most coveted honor
was bestowed upon Ronald W.
Chase, CLP, retired director of the
Cincinnati Recreation Commission:
Don M. Jolley, CLP, a past president
of NRPA: and Dr. Ellen L.
O'Sullivan, CLP, president of
Leisure Lifestyle Consulting Inc.

The Association also honored the following
1998 National Award
winners:

The National Literary Award
Dr. David R. Austin
Dr. Clair Jean Mundy

The National Humanitarian Award
Andrew B. Barber
Clarence D. Oberwortmann
John Fielder

The National Congressional Award
Sen. Edward M Kennedy
Rep. James L. Oberslar

The Theodore and Franklin
Roosevelt Award for Excellence in
Parks and Recreation Research
Dr. William E. Hammitt

The Robert W. Crawford Young
Professional Award
Ronald S. Odell

The Ralph C. Wilson Award
Mary E. Grogan

The National Media
Excellence Award
KRDO TV 13
(Colorado Springs. Colo.)

Gold Medal Awards

The Sports Foundation Inc., in conjunction
with NRPA. presented the
annual Gold Medal Awards to the
following park and recreation departments,
which displayed an exciting
and visible commitment to their communities
through their innovative and
well-managed programs and facilities:

Class I
(population more than 250,000)
City of Long Beach (Calif.)
Department of Parks, Recreation
and Marine

Class II
(population 100,000-250,000)
City of Chandler (Ariz.) Community
Services Department

Class III
(population 50,000-99,000)
Champaign (Ill.) Park District

Class IV
(population 20,000-49,999)
St. Charles (Ill.) Park District

Class V
(population less than 20,000)
Commerce City (Colo.) Parks and
Recreation Department

Special Recreation, Class II
(population less than 200,000)
Special Recreation Association of
Central Lake County (Vernon Hills.
Ill.)

Dorothy Mullen Arts &
Humanities Awards

Class I
City of Las Vegas

Class II
Newton Parks and Recreation
Department

Class III
Paducah (Ky.) Parks Department

Class IV
Carrboro (N.C.)
Recreation and Parks Department

Class V
Fairchild Air Force Base Youth
Programs

Professional Development

National Playground Safety Institute

National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) training course offerings have doubled from 1996-1998, increasing to 32 locations nationwide. There are 40 scheduled sites for FY99/00. Upon successful completion of the training and written exam, candidates have the opportunity to become Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSI). There are now 4,352 Certified Playground Safety Inspectors, including 261 members who have chosen to recertify following the expiration of the initial three-year certification period. A playground safety inspection software program, Playsafe, is being developed for anticipated release in fall 1999. The second edition of Playground Safety is No Accident, by Kenneth S. Kutska, Kevin Hoffman, and Antonio Malkusak, is being published, and one-half of the revenue is being dedicated to NPSI.

Congress Education and Training Sessions

The 1999 Congress Program Committee, under the leadership of George Brogdon, had the difficult task of selecting 275 educational sessions (including Pre-Congress Institutes and Special Focus Seminars) for the 1999 Congress & Exposition in Nashville, Tenn.

Because programs from last year's cancelled Congress in Miami Beach were given preference, a number of quality proposals for sessions could not be accommodated this year.

Job Mart/Job Bulletin

The popularity of the NRPA Job Bulletin -- both electronic and hard-copy -- continues. Subscriptions, mailed 22 times a year, total 1,172, with an average of 25 additional individual orders per volume. The e-format of the Job Bulletin is the most accessed page on NRPAnet, the Association's private online information system. A new feature permitting potential employers to insert job announcements online has been quite popular, and has resulted in a considerable boost of postings. Fliers for the NRPA Congress & Exposition Job Mart have been distributed to likely employers; approximately 150 postings are expected at Nashville.

Agency Accreditation

The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) has granted certification to 21 agencies; that number is expected to increase to 24 during initial reviews in Nashville. These three new agencies, which have been pursuing the accreditation process for a few years, are the city of Largo (Fla.) Parks and Recreation Department, the city of Delray Beach (Fla.) Parks and Recreation Department, and the Johnson County (Kan.) Parks and Recreation Department.

In addition to action on these three new agencies, CAPRA will be involved in the review of four agencies seeking reaccreditation following the initial five-year certification period. In July, the 856-page Management of Park and Recreation Agencies went to the printer. This reference/handbook relates management practices and policies with accreditation standards, and should be a valuable professional resource for the practitioner as well as an exceptional text for upper-division and graduate management courses. Dr. Betty van der Smissen was responsible for compiling and editing the work of over 40 contributors. Proceeds from sales will be credited to CAPRA.

Benefits Training

NRPA is completing the initial phase of certifying Benefits mentors for two areas. Dr. Larry Allen has certified 70 Benefits-Based Program (BBP) mentors, and Dr. Ellen O'Sullivan has certified 25 Benefits-Based Management (BBM) mentors. Opportunities for BBM and BBP mentor certification will be available at the NRPA Congress & Exposition in Nashville. In early 1999, O'Sullivan's new book, Setting a Course for Change: The Benefits Movement, was released.

A new publication, Measuring the Economic Impact of Visitors to Sports Tournaments and Special Events, by Dr. John L. Crompton, represents the initial reference from a Benefits-Based Economics component, NRPA's next Benefits training topic.

Academic Accreditation

The NRPA/AALR Council on Accreditation currently reports 98 accredited programs at North American colleges and universities. This year's Congress will serve as the setting for final action on Northern Arizona University and Ferris State University (Mich.), and if accreditation is granted, the number of recognized programs will reach the 100 milestone. The council will conduct 15 site visits this fall and eight in spring 2000. There are currently 55 trained and approved visitors and 77 potential visitors in need of training, retraining, or an updated vita.

Professional Certification

The Certified Leisure Professional program continues to grow and develop. Three hundred and seventy-one people passed the CLP examination in 1998 at 41 different test centers nationwide (with one in Greece). The Official Study Guide for the CLP Examination has continued to sell very well. The new National Job Analysis survey will be concluded this year and results will be reported to the National Certification Board in Nashville. These results will help the board determine the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform as an entry-level park and recreation professional. This information will be used to shape the future of the certification program and examination.

The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification has eliminated its assistant level of certification. Those previously certified under the program have been contacted with information about applying for NCB's Certified Leisure Associate level of certification. Many of these individuals will be eligible for CLA certification and are required to maintain a professional certification for their jobs in a therapeutic recreation setting. NRPA is working with state certification boards, NCTRC, and the National Therapeutic Recreation Society to make this transition period as smooth as possible.

NCB will be distributing information about the optional (state-by-state) Professional Service Experience program, which will allow professionals to use service experience points in lieu of a portion of their Continuing Education Unit requirement for certification renewal. This has been offered as a pilot program in three states for several years and will be offered to all state-administered certification programs during the upcoming year.

Continuing Education

More than 10,000 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) have been awarded through regional and state-sponsored schools, endorsed programs, and videos. NRPA has recently started offering an online CEU program, is in the process of applying for authorized CEU-provider status through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training.

Joseph Lee Memorial Library and Archives

The library's main goal for 1999-2000 is to provide online cataloging services for NRPA users. Currently the collection includes approximately 5,000 volumes of books, reference materials, and periodicals in addition to 225 theses and dissertations. The archival collection consists of 449 boxes of manuscripts and audiovisuals. In addition, 48 boxes of manuscripts, which are being processed, have recently been donated.

Projects currently underway include reorganizing the layout of the library and determining duplicate and surplus books, periodicals, and other materials that might be transferred elsewhere. The archival material is being reinventoried and stored. New finding aids are being created for archival, photograph, and audiovisual holdings. Archival photographs will be transferred to electronic storage and will be available in that format.

Income & Expense Statement

National Recreation and Park Association

Income and Expense -- All Funds

Revenue

Contributions                                  $278,671
Membership Dues                               1,382,171
Annual Convention                             1,691,096
Professional Training                         2,244,608
Publications and Advertising                  2,190,798
Other                                           555,007

Total Revenue                                $8,342,351

Expense

Program Services
Professional Training                        $2,414,177
Public Education                              1,725,325
National Public Service Program                 407,824
Membership Services                           1,953,683
Total Program Services                       $6,501,009
Management and General                        1,638,084
Fund Raising                                    101,708
Total Expense                                $8,240,801

Revenue Over Expenses (Operating Reserve)      $101,550
Fund Balance, Beginning of Year               7,984,059
Net Assets, End of Year                      $8,085,609

Complete audited statements and federal form 990 are available upon request.

[GRAPH OMITTED]

Annual Congress

Following direct orders from Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, NRPA was forced to cancel its 1998 Congress & Exposition. The state of emergency, which was declared at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, required delegates, staff, and industry representatives to evacuate the Miami Beach Convention Center, therefore eliminating the site for most Congress activities. A hurricane warning went into effect on Thursday morning.

Thanks to Hurricane Georges, NRPA experienced its first Congress cancellation. Recovering required a great deal of time and teamwork by NRPA staff. The registration team dived right into processing refunds and transferring fees. In the mail, all registered delegates received a Congress bag stuffed with information from NRPA and Congress exhibitors. Many branches and committees that were unable to hold meetings in Miami Beach made up for the lost time at the 1999 NRPA Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C.

To this end, NRPA Convention Services and the Local Host Committee of Nashville, Tenn., started working immediately to make the 1999 NRPA Congress & Exposition, Oct. 20-24, one of the most memorable ever. Using the beautiful and spacious Opryland Hotel and Convention Center as its center of operations, the '99 Congress plans to provide delegates with five days of thought-provoking education sessions, outstanding live entertainment and social events, and dynamic speakers.

Annual Fund Report

National Recreation and Park Association 2237 Belmont Ridge Road (*) Ashburn, Virginia (*) [phone]

September 1999

Dear Members and Friends:

The 1998-99 Annual Fund has just been completed, and I am proud to report that we were successful in setting a new record for individual contributions: a truly outstanding accomplishment! A total of 329 donors made contributions to the Annual Fund this year. To each of you I offer my thanks and gratitude!

On the following pages of this Annual Report are the names of hundreds of generous individuals, agencies, and companies that gave their financial support to NRPA during the 1998-99 Annual Fund. During the past year, I have had the privilege of working with many of these individuals who have been so generous with their time and energy.

The responsibilities of the Development Committee at NRPA range from the Annual Fund to capital and endowment needs. Our success in the Annual Fund is owed, in large part, to the volunteers who make it all happen. Over 40 volunteers solicited donations from citizens, professionals, state associations, and corporate donors. These volunteers staffed booths at the Annual NRPA Congress & Exposition, have promoted the Annual Fund since it kicked off last October, and created the important dialogues that were the foundation for the success of our goal this year. They helped raise funds to offset the costs for the Association. With membership dues only supporting 18 percent of the budget, revenue from the Annual Fund is extremely crucial if the Association is to continue its strategic growth.

The revenue raised from the Annual Fund this year will be used to support the goals of the Association. A portion of the funds received was earmarked for specific areas and will be used as follows:

NRPA Web search engine, an enhancement to the NRPA Web site to add a keyword-searchable option.

Benefits program adaptation for therapeutic recreation specialists to expand the program to new audiences.

Citizens Board Member video, which will educate citizens at the local and state levels.

NRPA display booth to be used by staff, members, and volunteers at regional, state, and allied conferences.

Funding to help retire the Ahrens NRPA Institute building loan.

The Annual Fund is moving ahead, supporting programs and services for Association members and communities at large. We have accomplished much, but to meet the challenges that lie ahead and continue our growth as a national association, we must all work together to make these advances possible. Together we create opportunities that advance the quality of life for all people and create safer environments throughout the world. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Fran P. Mainella, CLP
Annual Fund Chair
Tallahassee, FL

Annual Fund

GIFTS CLUBS

Fall 1998 - June 30, 1999

The Annual Fund is a vital source of revenue for the Association. It is an invaluable source of support -- a pool of resources upon which NRPA relies to meet its fiscal responsibilities.

GIFT CLUB

Through their generous financial support, leadership donors become members of NRPA's six Annual Fund Leadership Clubs.

FOUNDING MEMBER

The Founding Member club gives special recognition to those whose gifts for the past year totaled $5,000 or more.

Leisure Lifestyle
  Consulting Inc.
Musco Sports Lighting

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

The Associate Member club includes donors whose girls during the past year totaled between $2,500 and $4,999.

Terry & Waunita Trueblood Marie Ware

PLATINUM MEMBER

The Platinum Members are donors whose gifts for the past year totaled between $2,000 and $2,499.

Miracle Recreation
  Equipment Company
James & Katie Porter
Gary Zuercher

GOLD MEMBER

The Gold Members are donors whose gifts for the past year totaled between $1,500 and $1,999.

SILVER MEMBER

The Silver Member club includes donors whose gifts during the past year totaled between $1,000 and $1,499.

Anne Close
Wes Ward Francis
Wisconsin Park &
  Recreation Association

BRONZE MEMBER

The Bronze Member club recognizes donors whose gifts during the past year totaled between $500 and $999.

Jim Bunch
John Crompton
Ralph Cryder
Chester & Hilda Freeman
Vern Hartenburg
Bob Hoysgaard
Sharon Hubler
Chris & Sylvia Jarvi
Donna Kuethe
Ken & Betsy Kutska
Dalton Mann
Lee & Fran Mainella
Ernest Nance
Dan & Connie Newport
Eric & Claudette O'Brien
Terri Palmberg
Playground Environment
Cathy Santa
Don Tarkington
Dean & Eunice Tice

DONORS

GREAT LAKES

Iowa

Anderson, Angeline
Hutter, Joe
Trueblood, Terry & Waunita
Ware, Marie

Illinois

Bollingbrook Park District
Brademas, Jim
Capek, Cynthia
DeLuce, Joe
Ekey, Glen
Espeseth, Robert
Flickinger, Ted
Garrison, Mary
Hallwas, Brian
Hartman, Steve
Holcomke, Robert & Sarah
Jackson, Frederick
Koukos, Peter
Kutska, Ken & Betsy(*)
LaBelle, David
Larson, Bruce
Lehman, Ron
Newport, Dan & Connie(*)
Noble, Bonnie
Northbrook Park District
Randel, Penny & Rich
Sapora, Allen
Swan, Kenneth
Toalson, Robert
Volpe, Ralph & Lee
Worth Park District

Indiana

Ainsworth, Penny
Austin, David
Hawkins, Barbara
Lester, John
Lewis, C. Ray
Mobley, Tony
Sells, Randy
Smith, Owen
Umbach, Evelyn

Michigan

Kebbe, Susan
Lewis, Charles
Owen, Nolan
van der Smissen, Betty

Minnesota

Solomon, Edward

Missouri

Hall, Robert
Miracle Recreation
Equipment Company(*)
Peters, Linda
Yahn-Kramer, Bettie
Zakrzewski, Genie

Ohio

Carter, Marcia
Gallon, Jack
Hartenburg, Vern(*)
Thissen, Tim
Young, CLP, Mark

Wisconsin

Busch, Cynthia
Englehart, Ed
Holling, Bob
Wisconsin Park &
  Recreation Association(*)
White, A. James

MID-ATLANTIC

Delaware

Roedel, Leah

District of Columbia

Woolston, Evelyn
Zuercher, Gary(*)

Maryland

Boston, J. Edward
Conkey, Alice
Harden, John
Hardin, Pat
Harrington, Michael
Jordan, Cheryl
Kaye, Lawrence
Lewis, Aleta
Mann, Dalton(*)
McMahon, James
Miller, Karen
Romanello, Connie & Victor
Simonsen, Anne

New Jersey

Baron, Julie
Barr, R. Donald
Burke Jr., J. Clark
Keeler, Bruce & Nancy
Loud, Edward & Joan
Porter, James & Kathryn(*)

New York

Berryman, Doris
Blumenreich, Suzanne
Byrne, Gerard
Curtis, Joseph
Donahue, James
Goldstein, Richard
Gorton, Aric
Lewic, Stuart
Ottaway Sr., James
Payne, Margaret
Playground Environments(*)
Skea, Graham
Stout, Joseph
Wallach, Frances

Pennsylvania

Andy, Delores
Bascom Cron, Margaret
Bennett, Mary
Best, Lawrence
Francis, Wes Ward(*)
Lundegren, Herberta
Olshansky, Maria
Sohn, Pixie
Whitney, Earle
Witman, Jeff

MIDWEST

Colorado

Armstrong, Carolyn
Benson, Ron
Daniel, John & Lori
Eckhardt, Janice
Horton, Dick

Kansas

Barrett, Natalie
Carey, Michael
Curtis, Dwight
DeVictor, Fred
DeWeese, Terry
Friend, Steven
Hailer, Gary
Harmon, Austin
Hays, Ralph
Hover, Jerold
Katzenberger, William
Kelly, Laura
Natoli, Marlene
Nohe, P. Martin
Pankratz, Larry & Janice
Rush Williams, Sharon
Thompson, Joyce
Thompson, R. Wayne
Truitt, Vickie
Uppman, Marilyn
Vanatta, Tim
Wilkerson, Tom
Wollen, Marvin
World Waterpark
Association
Zeka, Betty

North Dakota

Shaw, Jim

NEW ENGLAND

Connecticut

Belote, Jennifer Lynn
Connecticut Parks &
  Recreation
DiPinto, Dennis
Downing, Wesley
Kennedy, Brian
Ledger, Peter
Leisure Lifestyles(*)
Moss, CLP, C. Roger
Perkowski, Kimberly
Stanley, Robert
Zakrzewski, B.E.
Zebora, Mark

Maine

Larkin, Gary

Massachusette

Bangs, Edward
Deppe, Theodore
Ghiazza, Edward
O'Brien, Eric W.
  & Claudette(*)
Roberts, Donald
Rodda, Richard
Whalen Jr., John

New Hampshire

Heath, Cindy
Kuethe, Donna(*)
Penny, John
Ross, Brian

Rhode Island

Cooper, Susan
Gould, Walter & Janet

Vermont

Koenemann, Edward
O'Neill, Bruce

SOUTH

Alabama

Freeman, Chester & Hilda(*)

Florida

Abrahams, Joe
Bedell, Doris
DeLaby, kene
Ferlita, Ross
Foley, Susan
Fortini, Matthew
Hoffman, Leah
Hoysgaard, Bob(*)
Lederer, William
Mainella, Lee & Fran(*)
McMahon, James
City of North Miami Beach
Santa, Cathy(*)

Georgia

Buss, Richard
Kleiber, Douglas
Saylors, Bob
Taylor, Michcell
City of Woodstock

Kentucky

Little, Alton
Stosberg, Rita

Mississippi

Burchell, Charles
Perales, M. Kathleen

North Carolina

Andrews, Angela
Bialeschki, M. Deborah
Bunch, Jim(*)
Farris, Charlotte
Frauson, Jack "Swede"
Henderson, Karla
Murrell, Doris

South Carolina

Bailey, Ronald
Close, Anne(*)
Ethridge, Carol
Eykyn, Michael
Gahan, Larry & Linda(*)
Gladwell, Jeff
Johnston III, John
Koch, Ronald
Nance, Ernest(*)
Prosser, Angela
St. Andrew's Parish
  Parks & Playgrounds
Walsh, Kevjn
Weseman, Bette

Tennessee

Lose, David
Miles, Ronnie
Parker, Lisa
Ramsey, Maxwell
Stalter, F.

Virginia

Anderson, Greta
Anderson, Van
APRS Branch
Davis, John
Galvin, Dennis
Giohet, Mark
Halpin, Gerald
Humphrey, Mark
Lynch, Elaine
Rokus, Joan
Tice, R. Dean & Eunice(*)
Tindall, Barry
Welsh, Cindy
Wilson, Betty

West Virginia

Busbee, Raymond
Kelley, William

SOUTHWEST

Louisiana

Ralichaw, Doc
Wilkinson, R.I. "Rip"
Young, Eugene & Betty

New Mexico

Scholer, E.A.

Texas

Conklin, Dana
Crompton, John(*)
Finkelman, Lois
Hershey, J.W. Terry
The Jacob and Terese
Hershey Foundation
Keller, M. Jean
Robinson, Jack
Sheffield, Beverly
Supina, Edward
Witt, Peter

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Alaska

Hickel, Walter
Mingo, Ralph
Robb, Nancy
Robertson, Bob

Idaho

Hubler, Sharon(*)

Montana

Gaukler, Donna

Oregon

Carpenter, Gaylene
Clark, Dave
City of Eugene
Neal, Larry

Washington

Flemm, Lorraine
Fletcher, Brace
Herdemian, Anthony
Higashiyama, Terry
Jelcick, Tom
Keates, John
McCormick, Margaret
McGarvey, Bob
Moe, Richard
Webster, James

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

Arizona

Holmwood, Joe
Howe, Penny
Palmberg, Terri(*)
Smithee, Ken
Tarkington, Don(*)
Ventura, Ken

California

Andal, Gene
Anderson, Stanley
Bradshaw-Chappelear,
Katherine
Braxton-Ellington, Myrtle
Brooks, Fred
Conzelmann, Richard
Cryder, Ralph(*)
Delaney, Patricia
Doby, Allen
Dudley, Gary
Forrester, Larry
Goodman, Matthew
Hagan, Ron
Heir, Warren & Gloria
Homing, Dixie D.
Jarvi, Chris & Sylvia(*)
Katen, Bill
Korfhage, Jonathan
Land, Chester
McLaughlin, Sylvia
Meredith, James
Pero, James
Sunderland, Susan
Ward, Veda
Washington, Douglas
Woodell, Anne

Hawaii

Spoehr, Joyce
Tashiro, Annette

Nevada

Cram, Andrea
Grewe, Kate
Mead, Stephen
Nelson-Aguilar, Peggy
Reich, Lana
Schenk, Edwin
Weakland, Sue

Utah

McGarry, W.N.
Moore, Alan

FOREIGN

Arita, Tadao
(Japan)
Nordenhold, Sandra
(APO-09063)
Yi, in Nam
(APO-96264)
Sheng Chi, Kuang
(Taiwan)

1998-1999 Annual
Fund Volunteers

Jane Adams
Jonathan Korfhage
Terri Palmberg
Ira Rubins
Sam Lankford
Dale Barbeau
Susan Christiansen
Sonny Shelton
Wayne Lowery
Annie Woodell
CeEtta Crayton
Dave Clark(**)
Ken Winslade
Jim Webster
Bob Robertson
Terry Tmeblood(**)
Ellen O'Sullivan(**)
Dave Clifton
Harry Corrow
Cindy Heath
Marcia Noyes
Harold Barenz
Gary Hailer(**)
Lori Daniel
Terry DeWeese
Doc Wollen
Joe O'Neill(**)
Graham Skea
Jim Donahue
Dalton Mann
Harvey Faust(**)
Eddie Tanner
Phil Powell
Gall Elder-White
Alton Little
William Kelley
Bob Saylors
Dan Hope III
Bill Nelson(**)
Rip Wilkinson
Perry Segura

Development Committee

Joe Crookham IA
Co-Chair
Chris Jarvi, CLP, CA
Co-Chair
Richard Ahrens, IA
Jimmy Calloway, GA
Lori Daniel, CLP, CO
Ken Kutska, CLP, IL
Marty Nohe, KS
Fran Mainella, CLP, FL
Annual Fund Chair
Trudy Coxe, RI
Dan Newport, IL
Eric O'Brien, MA
Curt Shaneour, MI
Bob Toalson, CLP, IL

Convenient Giving Options

Personal Check - Just write check to: NRPA Annual Fund.

Gifts of Stock - Giving stock is often more tax advantageous than giving cash. For more information on how to arrange stock transfers to NRPA, contact Elaine Lynch at [phone].

Credit Card - NRPA accepts gifts charged to Visa, Master Card, and American Express. Simply call us at [phone].

Matching Gifts - Many companies in the United States have matching-gift programs, which can double or even triple your gift to NRPA. Simply fill out your company's matching-gift form and send it in. To find out if your companies gifts, contact your company's personnel office.

(*) Rockefeller Society, $500 and up

(**) Regional Coordinator