January 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 17

By Joel Pannell

ADvocAcy UPDAte

New Year's Resolution:
Commit to Advocacy for Parks and Recreation
For a preview of the second session of the 112th Congress,
please visit www.parksandrec-magazine.org

Very new year we come up with a list of resolutions to make this year's ver-

sion of ourselves better than the previous year's version. Whether the resolution is to eat healthier, exercise more, quit a vice, or manage fi nances better,
the truth of the matter is that most of us end up breaking these promises to ourselves-
and usually sooner rather than later.
Two of the main reasons New Year's resolutions
fail is that they are too self-focused and too broad
or general. Of course there is nothing wrong with
self-focus, but when you make a resolution and are
accountable only to yourself, it becomes that much
easier to make excuses, put things off, and ultimately justify failure. Resolutions that are too broad or
too general lack realistic and specific goals, which
makes it difficult to measure progress and easy to
abandon them altogether.
This year, the NRPA Public Policy team offers some
unsolicited advice on making a New Year's resolution
that is specific, easy to keep, and powerful enough to
improve the lives millions of people (including your
own). The resolution is simply this: Become a better
advocate for parks and recreation in 2012. Yes, that's
a very general resolution-but the four suggestions
below outline ways that you can measure your commitment to this resolution and accomplish specific
goals that will ultimately be rewarding not just for
you, but for your entire community.

THinksTock

Take a Moment Each Day to Remember
What Inspires You
Two-thousand-eleven was a difficult year for advocates across the board. The parks and recreation
community dealt with budget cuts, reduced staff,
and program eliminations even as the need and
demand for services grew. Two-thousand-twelve
promises more challenges with continued economic
difficulties, real threats to important programs, and
all of the complexities of election year politics. However, with challenge comes opportunity. There is no
better time than now for parks and recreation advocates to tell their story and demonstrate how parks,

green space, and recreation opportunities can help
solve many of our nation's most stubborn problems.
We know-and we have the data to prove it-
that parks boost local economic growth, increase
property values, and enhance academic achievement. We also know that parks make communities healthier and more attractive places in which to
live, work, and raise families. Finally, we know that
parks, trails, and the open spaces reduce health care
costs, diminish traffic congestion, and contribute to
the protection and conservation of our shared natural resources.
While the data to support these claims is important, the data is probably not what inspires you. Maybe it's the wide-eyed excitement of a child who goes
on her very first nature walk. Perhaps it's the sense
of pride and responsibility instilled in the youth
who went from trouble-maker to camp counselor.
It could be the smile on the face of retiree playing
card games at the senior center. Or the injured veteran who participates in a therapeutic recreation program. It could be the scene of a father teaching his
child how to fish or fly a kite at the local park. Maybe
it's simply the fresh smell of pine needles as you sit
in the woods and take in all of the natural beauty of
this world. Whatever it is that inspires you, take a moment each day to remember the stories and images
of why parks are important and worth advocating for.

...[s]ome
unsolicited
advice on
making a
New year's
resolution
that is
speciﬁc, easy
to keep, and
powerful
enough to
improve the
lives millions
of people
(including
your own).

Commit to Responding to Five
Advocacy Alerts This Year
It's easy for NRPA action alerts to get lost in the mass
of emails we receive each day. It's convenient to think
that one email or phone call won't really matter. But the
truth is, your response can make a real difference with

w w w . N R P A . O R G J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2 Parks

& Recreation

January 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2012 - Parks & Recreation