December 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 8

PeRSPectIVeS

a Message from nrPa's Leaders

founding Principles

WAS THERE AT THE BEGINNING. In 1965 I was a student in the parks and recreation

management program at the University of Illinois. One of my professors, Charles
Brightbill, would occasionally talk about the new coalition of organizations he and
other parks and recreation professionals around the U.S. were forming.
Working toward their common goal of advancing all aspects of the park, recreation, and leisure
services field excited Dr. Brightbill, whose contagious enthusiasm motivated us. Upon graduation, I
joined the nascent NRPA and attended early Congresses where I found that I could learn so much
from practitioners, volunteers, and exhibitors. I determined to make parks and recreation my professional goal. And I was fortunate to study therapeutic
recreation at New York University with Edith Ball,
another founder of NRPA.
Through these visionary mentors, I developed
a personal understanding of the critical unity of the
parks, recreation, and conservation movement that
has stayed with me throughout my career.
Their vision was to speak with one clear voice for
children, adults, urban, rural, disenfranchised, seniors, and future generations; to influence decision
makers and shape legislation; and to provide educational opportunities for professionals.
After a decade as a parks professional, I completed law school and entered university academia,
where over the next quarter of a century I taught in
parks and recreation programs and in law schools
with a strong emphasis on natural resources and the
environment. I also became a volunteer in several
programs around the country, culminating in the
chairmanship of the Teton County, Wyoming, Parks
and Recreation Board.

I am extraordinarily pleased to take the helm as
Chair of the Board of Directors of NRPA at this time
because our organization is now poised to achieve
its original vision. Over the past few years the Board
has streamlined its governance structure and done
away with the increasing isolation that categorized
and separated membership and prevented the
cross-fertilization essential to our various specialties.
The new NRPA Networks remedy that shortcoming.
The Networks allow practitioners to query others in
the field on how they address such common problems as budget cuts, playground surfacing issues,
or the provision of creative new programs for active
seniors. Our long-awaited membership drive, America's Backyard, will fire up citizen involvement, and
from those new members we will gain increased influence and greater public awareness for the importance of healthy lifestyles for all Americans.
These changes have caused some apprehension among members who have been productive
and comfortable within the traditional structure.
But I believe they can be even more productive as
their ideas gain broader audiences. My predecessor, Lois Finkelman, steered the Board through this
transition period, always with steady a hand on the
tiller (though sometimes through choppy water) and
we owe her a debt of gratitude. Going forward, I
promise my best efforts in achieving the future envisioned by our founders.


Janna s. rankin
Chair of the Board of directors

Parks & Recreation

DECEMBER 2010

www.NRPA .ORG

December 2010 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2010 - Parks & Recreation