Outdoor Educators Pushing for 'No Child Left Inside' Funding
from The Associated Press via USA Today
 Outdoor and environmental educators across the nation are ramping up pressure on Congress and their state lawmakers to add funding for nature learning. The effort dubbed "No Child Left Inside" could mean millions more for environmental education — and a major windfall for nonprofits hoping for more federal help getting kids outside. More
NRPA Secures Report Language Supporting Parks and Recreation in NCLI Act
from NRPA
Park and recreation advocates and state affiliates have expressed massive support to members of Congress for including parks and recreation in the provisions of the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008. The NCLI Act, as originally conceived, was intended to be part of the anticipated reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), but for many reasons, that act is not likely to be reauthorized by the 110th Congress. More
Goodwill, Self-Esteem Harvested In Community Garden Program
from the Washington Post
For troubled youths, sometimes the key to getting back on track is the opportunity to help something else grow and blossom. With that in mind, Stuart Younkin, youth programs coordinator for Loudoun County's parks and recreation department in Virginia, started a community garden project last year for teenagers. This summer, the program began harvesting its first crops: hundreds of pounds of potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, squash, zucchini, melons and beans, most of which are being donated to a food bank. More
California Bill Would Allow Kids to Learn Outdoor Skills, Ethics and the Law
from the San Francisco Chronicle
California Assembly Bill 2989 would create the California Outdoor Environmental Education and Recreation Program at the California Department of Parks and Recreation. One provision of the bill includes awards grants to formal school programs and nonprofit community groups that provide outdoor education and recreation opportunities. The bill would also require that priority is given to programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles, maximize the number of participants, commit in-kind resources, include a curriculum that fosters environmental stewardship, and include service-learning and community outreach components. More
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In Summer, Obesity Rules
from the Boston Globe
It is the paradox of summertime: The very months blessed with the greatest opportunity for running and jumping and playing have instead become prime time for packing on pounds. Once the plight of adults, obesity has become alarmingly common among the young, with children under 10 even being prescribed cholesterol-lowering pills. And specialists who treat overweight children say that the summer months are emerging as a leading suspect in the epidemic of childhood obesity. More
Technology Helps California City Save Water
from the Visalia Times Delta
A dry spell is followed by three days of rain in late fall or early winter. Question: Should the sprinklers in Visalia, Calif.'s, parks continue to operate? No, city parks officials say. But as little as three years ago, city crews would have had to fan out to change timers or cut off the sprinklers by hand. It was labor-intensive and fuel-consuming. Technology has changed all that. More
Writing a Life: Regular People Pen Their Stories
from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution
The shadow of the Holocaust looms over Flo Giltman of Johns Creek. Her father, William Frohlinger, was a reliable and honest — but bitter and stoic — man, she says, who never talked about his life before the Holocaust as a farmer in Czechoslovakia or his family there. Giltman, 60, has researched her family's history and wants those stories to remain alive, to be remembered and honored from generation to generation. So, she joined Silver Quills, a writer's group organized through the Alpharetta, Ga., Parks and Recreation Department. More
A Growing Grassroots Movement to Save Richland, Wash., Parks
from KEPR-TV
About a dozen Richland, Wash., parks are in jeopardy and there are dozens of emails to prove it. Two or three a day pour into Phil Pinard's inbox a day, the man overseeing the project to sell the parks. The author of each email has a different story, a different reason they love the parks, and a different way to help out. More
The Fresh-Air Fix
from Prevention
Sure, people say they love summer. But instead of enjoying it, the average American spends most of the season stuck in stale offices and living rooms. Even kids today spend 7 hours more on academics and 2 hours less on sports and outdoor activities per week than they did 20 years ago. But all this indoor living isn't doing much for our health. Children who get more "vitamin G"--what experts call time spent in green spaces--have lower stress levels, more success in school, and fewer ADHD symptoms. More
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Dog Paddle a Popular Stroke at Fundraiser
from the Omaha World-Herald
Though tiny in stature, brothers Chico and Rico could swim with the best of them. And Rugby, a seasoned swimmer, initially seemed intimidated by his pool companions. But he has swimming in his blood, so he just relaxed and did what was natural for him. The three — two Chihuahuas and a golden retriever — were among the approximately 300 dogs who jumped, splashed and paddled with their human friends at a fundraiser for the Nebraska Humane Society. The Omaha Parks and Recreation Department collaborated with the Humane Society for the event. More
Struggling Madison, Wis., Parks Division Looks for Private Money to Maintain City's Green Spaces
from the Wisconsin State Journal
Faced with a long list of needs but a tight budget, Madison's Parks Division is increasingly looking to citizens and private donors for help. The reliance of public parks systems on private donations, rather than just tax dollars, is a "national trend," said Parks Superintendant Kevin Briski, who lauds Madison's "vast number and vast array of park properties," as well as its hard-working park employees. More
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 Secure dog tethering system for parks and open spaces.Great amenity for busy playgrounds, picnic areas, near benches and outside public park restrooms. More |
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