Perspectives: anyone can be an advocate: we all share a responsibility to actively participate in the political process.

As I write this column, NRPA is in the midst of intensive preparation for the 2007 National Legislative Forum on Parks and Recreation, our signature event on Capitol Hill every year. Staff are busy crafting a National Legislative and Policy Platform, preparing background and briefing papers so attendees can learn about national policy issues, and planning meetings, Capitol Hill events and many training workshops. All this is so that NRPA can accomplish its goals for national legislation and public policy for parks and recreation.

More than 500 advocates for parks and recreation from around the country convene in Washington, D.C., for educational workshops and advocacy training. That is followed by a day spent on the Hill, where our members visit with legislators and their staff to advance a national agenda for parks and recreation.

The National Legislative Forum has grown dramatically in the past several years in value and importance to NRPA members. However, there are more than 19,500 NRPA members who do not come to Washington, and my message in this column is directed to you.

Each and every NRPA member, supportive citizens and even professionals who are not members of NRPA can be effective advocates for parks and recreation, no matter your role or personality. Perhaps you don't like being in the spotlight; perhaps you don't want to be the vocal spokesperson for your agency or your state association; perhaps you would just rather stay quietly in the background, working to advance your profession.

There is still much you can do--you can encourage citizen participation, build public awareness, and cultivate and equip effective volunteer spokespersons. You can become a "trusted provider" of information--a critical role for professionals. Most of all, you, better than anyone else, can tell what is at stake and why it is important.

NRPA and the cause of parks and recreation needs you to be an advocate more than ever. Not only has federal funding and commitments to parks and recreation diminished to historically low points, but the needs are greater than ever. Major programs that provide matching federal funds to states and localities are threatened as never before. On the positive side, we have what may be an historic opportunity to advance the cause of parks and recreation with the recent change in leadership of the new 110th Congress.

If you have not participated in the advocacy process to date, please take the initiative to get involved at a level acceptable to you. Don't stand idly by. With your active participation our collective voice will be much stronger. Everyone can be an advocate.

One way to become involved is to join the RecreACTION Network at www.nrpa.org/advocacy. This free policy and advocacy information network will enable you to receive assistance from others who have had previous experience leading successful local community based advocacy efforts that have benefited park and recreation systems all across the country.

By joining you will receive breaking news stories and action alerts on important federal legislation and on news related to parks and recreation at the national level. At the advocacy Web site you'll also find the "advocacy toolkit" that will teach you how to become a better advocate while at the same time earning CEU credit through your participation in this new distance learning opportunity.

By Thomas J. Farrell, NRPA President