February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 58

NRPA Update
Golden Myths

A myth: An idea or story that is believed
by many people but that is not true.
- Merriam Webster Dictionary
By Mike Abbaté and MaryBeth Thaman

T

he National Gold Medal Award Program distinguishes the best of the best
in the park and recreation profession, and the Gold Medal for Park and
Recreation Management is the highest award you can achieve for your
agency. It is available through a partnership between NRPA and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (Academy). Applying for the
Gold Medal provides your agency with opportunities to chronicle your successes in
your various program areas, management structure, fiscal responsibility and service,
while celebrating the innovative and creative approaches you use to solve day-to-day
challenges in your community.
During the past three years, almost
200 municipal, county or special district agencies have applied to compete in five population categories:
Class V - 30,000 or less
Class IV - 30,001-75,000
Class III - 75,001-150,000
Class II -150,001-400,000
Class I - 400,001 and over
NRPA and the Academy encourages agencies interested in pursuing this
award to visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal and reach out to other Gold

Medal-winning agencies in their
state or region (the list of past winners can be found at www.nrpa.org/
goldmedal). You can also access an
archived recording of the February 3
Live Chat about the Gold Medal at
www.nrpa.org/Professional-Development/E-Learning/Chat-Sessions/
Gold-Medal-Award-Program.
The Gold Medal Award, established in 1967, has a long and prestigious history. But, like anything that
lasts, myths have grown up during

the past 49 years of success. Here are
a few you may have heard, and the
real, straight-up truth.

MYTHS
Myth 1:

You cannot win the Gold
Medal on the first try
As the Director of Portland, Oregon
Parks and Recreation, Mike Abbaté
had heard this myth, and so was content to be named a finalist in 2011.
Imagine his surprise when Portland's small delegation to the NRPA
Congress in Atlanta was called to
the stage as the Class I Winner! It
turns out that Portland's story is not
unique. In the past five years, more
than 11 percent of all winners have
been first-time applicants. So, don't
let your inexperience or lack of previous awards discourage you - this
could be YOUR year!

Myth 2:

You have to be a special
district to win
Special Parks Districts are often seen as
the Gold Standard of park and recreation providers. After all, they have their
own elected officials, taxing authority
and independence. In truth, there is
much to be said about the benefits of
being a park district. However, this does
56	 Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 6 | W W W. N R PA . O R G



February 2016 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2016 - Parks & Recreation

February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 1
February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 2
February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 3
February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 4
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
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