November 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 27

By Joel Pannell

advocacy update

Getting by with a
Little Help from Our Friends
How to build friends groups that can help build and support parks.

he importance of friendship is one of the first lessons we learn as children

and one that stays with us throughout our lives. Accordingly, many parks and
recreation agencies have come to rely on " friends groups " to assist with programming, special events, fundraisers, volunteer recruitment, and other operational
functions.
Friends groups are generally formed by a collection of citizens with a common interest in the
stewardship of a local park and who actively support their park in one manner or another. Increasingly, these groups are also playing a prominent
role in advocating for public policies that increase
opportunities for parks and recreation in their communities, states, and throughout America.
The Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic
Sites represent one of the most effective and organized friends groups in the country. Comprised of
52 local chapters and an estimated 50,000 members, the organization is unique in that it brings all
of the state's groups under one umbrella. Although
the group functions as an independent organization, they work very closely with the Georgia State
Parks and Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to advance common
goals and provide benefits to their members.
Like most friends groups, the Friends of Georgia
State Parks' initial efforts centered on providing services, support, and operational assistance. In recent
years, however, their focus has shifted toward advocating for favorable public policies as the struggling
economy has made it even more difficult for parks
to maintain existing services and address the needs
of their communities. According to Executive Director Andy Fleming, the state parks budget in Georgia has been cut by 58% over the last three years.
These cuts and the current economic climate have
" created a sense of urgency to educate elected officials on the economic impact that parks and historic sites have on local economies, " says Fleming.
As everyday citizens, friends group members
have a powerful voice when speaking to elected
officials because they represent the collective interests of constituents and a sizeable number of potential votes. In a state such as Georgia, where many

residents live in small towns and rural communities, parks, outdoor recreation, and historic sites are
often among the biggest economic engines in the
area. Fleming notes that " those devoted to parks
need to understand the critical role they play as citizen advocates working to help their elected officials
appreciate the importance of parks and recreation
beyond just the recreational, historic, and cultural
value. " The Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites host an annual legislative conference to
train their members on how to communicate with
policy makers and advocate effectively. Through
their advocacy efforts, Friends of Georgia State
Parks have helped to keep all of the state's sites
open in spite of the fiscal obstacles. They continue to advocate at the local, state, and federal levels
to preserve Georgia's diverse natural and cultural
resources and promote parks and historical sites
as key to stimulate local economies throughout the
state.
From an agency perspective, friends groups can
serve as one of your most important allies when
seeking support for specific initiatives and obtaining
overall advocacy goals. Joe Turner, director of the

www.NRPA .ORG

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November 2010 - Parks & Recreation

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