NRPA to Host ‘Summer Camp on Capitol Hill’ Thursday, June 29

Source: National Recreation and Park Association

Ashburn, Va. (June 26, 2017) — Capitol Hill staffers will be treated to a taste of a typical day in a park and recreation summer program as part of the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Summer Camp on Capitol Hill.

On Thursday, June 29, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Hill staff is invited to join NRPA, Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, Caroline County (Maryland) Recreation and Parks, and the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation for out-of-school time summer-program activities and a typical program lunch offered through the federal summer meals program. The event will be held at Garfield Park, 2nd and F Streets Southeast, Washington, D.C.

Designed to highlight the importance of safe and quality out-of-school time programming offered through local parks and recreation, the event also aims to garner support through the following key legislative and budgetary requests:  

• Sustain investments in out-of-school time programming, including protecting the 21st Century Community Learning Center program
• Support opportunities for K-12 students to access afterschool STEM
• Join the House or Senate Afterschool Caucus to demonstrate support for afterschool programs

“Our simulated summer camp is a way to show the benefits of out-of-school time summer programs in parks and recreation,” said Barbara Tulipane, CAE, NRPA president and CEO. “These programs provide healthy meals, physical activity and social experiences to communities all across the country.  It’s important that financial and legislative support is sustained.”

The local agencies will be bringing mobile units to the event and will showcase examples of their activities, like Zumba, youth empowerment programs and SHE The People, a new program that educates and introduces young girls to politics. Co-sponsors for the event include the Afterschool Alliance, After-School All-Stars, the Food Research and Action Center, the National Afterschool Association, and the National Summer Learning Association.

Lunch will be provided by Revolution Foods, which will showcase a typical summer program meal.

Leading up to Thursday’s event, NRPA will be co-sponsoring a briefing with the National Summer Learning Association on Tuesday, followed by Hill visits on Wednesday. The Summer Camp also kicks off July as Park and Recreation Month, a month that officially celebrates the importance of play and how much can be discovered at local park and rec facilities.

To learn more about Summer Camp on Capitol Hill, visit the NRPA website.

About The National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of nearly 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.