A Call to Volunteer
from The Gainesville Sun
President Obama has stressed the need for increased volunteerism to strengthen communities, build programs and help those in need. Alachua County, Fla., like many counties nationwide, has plenty of opportunities in nonprofit agencies and through government. Some city and county government departments said the need for volunteers is likely to increase as tax money to run government decreases. More

Florida Program Targets Childhood Obesity
from the Largo Leader
Numerous agencies, including the Largo, Fla., Recreation, Parks and Art, have teamed up with the city of Largo as part of the Heart of Largo Eat Smart, Play Hard program to help exercise and healthy eating influence all parts of children’s days. The program works by providing a consistent message about healthy living. It connects with all the groups that have contact with kids during the day. More

Utah Representative Seeks National Parks Stimulus
from the Deseret News
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, is asking Congress to give priority to national parks in the upcoming economic stimulus package, saying the parks have been neglected and have deteriorated in recent years. "Not only would park service funding help restore grandeur to this system of national pride, but would partially fulfill the important task of creating jobs for working-class Americans," he wrote to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.). More

I Think I Shall Never See ... a Job as Big as Planting 1,800 Trees
from the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
It could be the biggest tree planting project ever for Walla Walla, Wash., one that will grow the city’s current public tree population to almost 10,000. “I haven’t seen anything close to this in the seven years I have been here,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jim Dumont. Currently, the city has 8,000 trees in public parks and right of ways, and the plan is to add 1,800 more over the next three years. More

For Those Who Need It, Free Dental Help a Big Relief
from the Richmond Times-Dispatch
There hasn't been an operation like this on a basketball court in metro Richmond, Va., since Julius "Dr. J." Erving left mouths agape with his prowess. But the doctors plying their skills yesterday were dentists. The open mouths belonged to people receiving free dental care courtesy of Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services and the Virginia Dental Health Foundation. And these doctors scored a slam-dunk with the patients they treated in the Goochland County, Va., Parks and Recreation gym. More

Indiana County Introduces Innkeeper Tax Bill
from the Reporter-Times
A bill introduced by Indiana Rep. Ralph Foley (R-Martinsville) would enable Morgan County, Ind., to adopt an innkeepers’ tax that would benefit county parks and recreation. The idea for the bill developed during a discussion they had regarding ways to help the county fund programs. More

Apple Valley, Minn., Parks Director Building a Legacy
from South St. Paul Sun-Current
Randy Johnson has made a career - and reputation - from recreation. The Apple Valley, Minn., Parks and Recreation Department director got his first job as a warming house attendant at age 15. This month, more than 43 years later, he was recently honored with a prestigious statewide award. More

At This Rink, No Skates Required
from the Des Moines Register
With a little help from various resources, and a lot of water, a small ditch at the Grimes Sports Complex in Grimes, Iowa, was transformed into an outdoor community ice-skating rink for the Grimes community. In early January, Grimes Public Works used water from a nearby fire hydrant to fill a ditch in the complex to complete a project the Grimes Parks and Recreation Department has long had on its "to do" list. More

Canadian Man is Happy to See His Seniors Parks Idea Spread to the States
from the Delta Optimist
Harry Caine has been to Saskatoon and Philadelphia in recent years to spread the word about seniors wellness parks. For his latest trip, Caine will head to Amarillo, Texas, in April after being invited to the opening of a park he helped locals get off the ground. The park, was specially designed outdoor exercise equipment to help keep seniors physically fit. More

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Receives Grant to Combat Childhood Obesity
from GoBlueRidge.net
The National Park Service, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation are focusing on childhood obesity. A $200,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield will direct a multi-dimensional program to engage children and their families in activities that increase physical activity, improve nutritional choices, and increase awareness of the Blue Ridge Parkway as a recreational resource. More