As the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) approaches its 60th anniversary, one thing is evident: the essential work done by our members is all around us. It can be seen in kids gaining confidence and making friends through equitable youth sports programming and events; pollinator gardens; pathways, greenways and trails; accessible playgrounds; and programs that advance health and wellness for everyone. NRPA members do it all, ensuring everyone has fair and just access to parks and recreation.

Moving toward this 60-year milestone, we can’t help but think of the countless stories of the people who have dedicated their lives to building healthy, resilient communities through parks and recreation. That’s why, in 2022, NRPA began work on a video-storytelling project with the goal of highlighting the history of the field of parks and recreation and what it means to the millions of people it affects.

NRPA spoke to dozens of professionals who bring the power of parks and recreation to life. We interviewed facility managers, agency directors, business partners and NRPA employees about what parks and recreation means to them and how it has made a lasting impact on their lives.

What becomes clear after watching these short videos is just how necessary and foundational good park and recreation programs are for individuals and communities alike. They cultivate lifelong friendships, memories and family bonds that people hold dear decades later. They instill a sense of belonging in children. They provide those same children with a fulfilling career path they can easily transition into if they so choose, as many of them do.

Within these videos the story of parks and recreation is told through the eyes of the people who have dedicated their lives and careers to the field – the profession that brings people together by making life better.

NRPA is proud of the work our members have done. We are grateful to all of you who make it happen every day, and we are excited to support your efforts and continue to tell your stories for the next 60 years and beyond.

We are releasing additional videos in the coming months, so be sure to keep an eye out for more of these inspirational stories.

 

Graceful Transitions

Jodie Adams, the former NRPA president, looks back on an act of service that led to her realization that working in parks and recreation was a perfect way to make giving back her career as being a professional tennis player came to an end.

 

Community Impact

Jesús Aguirre, the chair of NRPA’s board of directors, discusses his thoughts on the broad impact that park and recreation has on communities and the passion that he still has for the field today.

 

The “How” and “Why” of Parks and Recreation

Janet Bartnik, the deputy director for Prince William County Parks and Recreation, reflects on how her passion for the field has evolved over the years. Since stepping into the world of parks and recreation, her interests have grown from building facilities and creating impactful programs to really enjoying building partnerships across her organization and helping people grow as professionals.

 

Earned Wisdom

Becky Benna, the (retired) CEO of Five Rivers Metro Park, emphasizes the importance of mentorship and passes down lessons of her own from 41 years in the field.

 

Planting Trees for Generations to Come

Neelay Bhatt, founder and CEO of Next Practice Partners, walks viewers through his unique path to the field of parks and recreation and shares a deeply personal story about keeping a local pool open in Georgia.

 

Full-Circle Moment

Angela Buckner, the Supervisor 2 for the City of Wichita (Kansas) Parks and Recreation, reflects on the role parks and recreation — and more specifically, basketball — played in her development as an individual, and how it led to a full-circle moment decades after it began.

 

The Role of Park and Recreation Professionals

Michael Clark, the Executive Director of Palatine Park District (Illinois), talks through the journey that led to him working in the field of parks and recreation, what he thinks the role of parks and recreation professionals is presently and in the future, and why he still goes to work with a smile on his face all these years later.

 

Recognizing Efforts That Often Go Unseen

Lindsay Collins, the managing editor of Parks and Recreation magazine, reminisces about long days in the park with her brother and father, before explaining what she loves so much about her work at the magazine, which allows her to spotlight parks and recreation professionals.

 

Living an Authentic Life

Cal Dobbs, educator and endurance athlete, discusses how they came to be involved with the NRPA, the importance of finding yourself in quiet spaces and hope for the future.

 

Getting a Degree in Recreation

Gregory Dunn, assistant recreation supervisor for the Stephen G. Terrell Recreation Center in Allen, Texas, reflects on how recreation helped his mental health journey after returning from service in Iraq and the path that led him to seek out a degree in recreation at Texas A&M University.

 

Passion for a Career in Parks and Recreation

Jason Enriquez, the recreational supervisor for Dallas Parks and Recreation, shares why careers in parks and recreation are so vital and the gratitude that accompanies a life of service.

 

The Future of the Industry

Carrie Fullerton, the Executive Director of the Arlington Heights Park District, shares the memories that made her want to pursue parks and recreation professionally and what she sees as the future of the industry.

 

Respecting the Land

Paul Gilbert, the executive director of NOVA Parks, shares his thoughts on the importance of acquiring land in parks and recreation and a story about the Winkler Botanical Preserve which will have a powerful impact on generations to come. 

 

Archery Life Lessons

Andre Harris, the recreation city supervisor for the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation, recalls all the valuable life lessons he learned from a random interest he took in archery.

 

The Power of Programs and Pick-Up Basketball

Sherisha Hills, the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Tampa, remembers the programs and special moments on the court with her uncle that led her to pursuing a career in parks and recreation.

 

Sharing the Power of Parks With Others

Dianne Hoover, the (retired) director of parks and recreation for the city of Bakersfield, California, remembers her childhood spent in wide open spaces on her grandparents' farm and how that influenced the rest of her life and career.

 

Powerful Progress

Roslyn Johnson, the Director of Recreation and Parks for the city of Annapolis, reflects on the impactful changes she's seen since joining the field as well as the many ways parks and recreation can improve communities.

 

Being a Park and Rec Kid

Dr. Tiffany Johnson, the deputy director of aging and disability services for the city of Seattle, reflects on the impact of being a “park and rec kid” and the important mentorship she received that brought a group of young girls together.

 

A Life in the Field

Walter Johnson, the former COO of the NRPA, walks down memory lane and shares some stories from the sixty years he's been parks and recreation professional, how he came to be inducted in the Swimming Hall of Fame, and why he received a Chicago Cubs World Series ring after retiring.

 

Continued Impacts

Elizabeth Kessler, the Executive Director of the McHenry County Conservation District, explains the path that led to her career in parks and recreation as well as the impacts she still sees the field making today.

 

Rehabilitating Rivers

Della Killeen, the Outdoor Recreation Coordinator for the City of Peoria Parks and Recreation, tells the story of her passion for gardening and how it led to a fresh career path and a revitalized river in Peoria (with 27,000 pounds of trash removed in three years).

 

Passionate Professionals

Donna Kuethe, a retired park and recreation professional from Moultonborough, NH, reflects upon her 41 years of service and shares why she thinks park and recreation is the best way to make a living and an impact on the world.

 

Neighborhood Stickball Games

Kenneth Kutska, the Executive Director of the International Playground Safety Institute, fondly remembers neighborhood stickball games as a young boy that created lifelong memories and opened up a world of possibilities.

  

Seeing the Impacts

Ron Lehman explores the impacts he has seen parks and recreation make on young people's lives as well as the many wonderful professional opportunities that provide a fulfilling lifestyle for thousands.

 

The Potential of Parks and Recreation

Patrick Lynch, the Director of Equity and Inclusion for San Francisco Parks and Recreation, looks back on his years of service and discusses the potential of parks and recreation.

 

 

A New Opportunity Every Day

Miranda Maloy, the Program Supervisor at Lewsiville Thrive, recounts what brought her to the field as well as the unique programs and activities that Thrive offers as a multigenerational recreation center.

 

 

Reconnecting

Bill McAdam, the Executive Director of the Downers Grove Park District, reminisces on his career which started as a 14-year-old and culminated in a coincidental meeting at the grocery store with one of his former students.

 

Building Relationships With Legislators

William Nelson, the former Director of Rock Island Parks and Recreation, gets into the specifics of changes to youth sports he was a part of and the importance of building relationships with legislators.

 

Childhood Memories

Jennifer Nguyen, the former web content manager at NRPA, reminisces about memories of her late father that contributed to her wanting to work for NRPA. Jennifer is currently the park services brand manager at Fairfax County Park Authority in Virginia.

 

Major Mentors

Dequel Robinson, the program supervisor of seniors and therapeutics for Mobile Parks and Recreation, reflects on the importance of mentors and how his helped guide him through the most intense adversity of his life.

 

Lifelong Traditions

Paula Sliefert, the Senior Manager at The Toro Company, shares stories from her childhood, as well as a lifelong tradition that parks and recreation still plays a part of in her life today.

 

Practice Makes Perfect

The Sunarjadi family relay some of their most cherished memories of time spent in their local recreation facilities and share the intangible benefits that a place where you can be yourself provides.

 

Continuing Education

Sandra Whitmore, the former director of the City of Alexandria Park and Recreation Department, shares the many changes she has seen in the field of parks and recreation through the decades as well as emphasizes the importance of accredidation and continuing to learn as a professional.

 

Supporting Athletes in Need

Heather Wolf-Erickson, the Facilities Manager for the City of Tampa (Florida) Parks and Recreation, tells the story of a young gymnast in need and what she and her staff did to support the youth athlete and her dreams.