Reflections.

As I prepare to step down as your Executive Director, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all of our members for the wonderful support given to the NRPA staff and myself in the administration of our great Association! Your volunteer leadership and commitment to our mission has made it possible for NRPA to become recognized as the legitimate and rightful national advocate for public recreation and parks.

There is no doubt in my mind that each of us sincerely believes in the vital importance of our role in local communities. However, we must continue to find strong leaders in our field who will work hard to move the public and politicians beyond saying that recreation is important to recognizing and accepting that recreation and park services are essential: competing for tax support with education, public safety, and other community social services.

While our stated mission for NRPA succinctly defines for us our advocacy role, I have been asked on many occasions what business are we in. My response often has been that we are in the business of saving souls -- in recreation centers, on sports fields, on trails, and in parks.

Another way of thinking about our business is that we provide opportunities to all that reside in our communities. Opportunities for providing human significance and identity. Opportunities for providing diverse lifestyles. Opportunities for purpose. Opportunities for fulfillment.

Sometimes national leaders don't see the role we play in solving some of society's most pressing social issues. As I review NRPA's accomplishments, I find that at the state and local level, a host of "good things" are happening. We as volunteer citizens and park and recreation professionals make them happen. We are the catalysts, the common denominator, the leaders.

We can identify the problems because our vantage point is closer to the source than many others. We see children and watch them play and relate to their peers. We meet parents and see them interacting with their children. We host senior citizen events and watch how recreation is so vital to a full and happy life. It follows then that we must be the collective voice that raises issues, offers solutions, and asks others to join us on this most precious mission.

As I close my last Perspectives column, I wish to pay tribute to my wife Eunice for her great support over the past 15 years that I have served with NRPA. She is the superstar of the Tice team. She joins me every morning at 6:00 AM, rain or shine, as we take a two-mile walk with our dog "Misty." Now Eunice and I can enjoy longer walks and join the list of park and recreation volunteers in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Best wishes always,

R. Dean Tice Executive Director