Having Fun in the Great Outdoors
from The Journal-Standard
During the Outdoor Adventure Skills Program for Youth with Special Needs, campers with disabilities learn a variety of outdoor skills – what to bring on a hike during the day and night, and how to build a campfire and cook over it. On the final night, they combine all the skills and camp overnight at Oakdale Nature Preserve in Freeport, Ill. Programming is put on by Northlands Association For Special Recreation, a cooperative program for people with special needs between member park districts in Freeport, Rockford and Belvidere. More

NRPA’s National Youth Leadership Training Program (NYLT)
from NRPA
NRPA’s National Youth Leadership Training Program (NYLT) provides high-quality, relevant, professional training for camp staff who work with youth of all ages. Simple, flexible and cost-effective; we offer everything your agency needs to run an excellent youth program! Courses include: Basic Youth Leadership - a 1 hour foundational course, The Five Rules of Youth Leadership, Age-Appropriate Health & Fitness, Bloodborne Pathogens, Bullying Prevention, Introduction to Working with Youth with Special Needs, Introduction to Working with At-Risk Youth, and Working with Different Age Groups. More information can be found More

America in Bloom likes Missouri City
from the Columbia Tribune
Though temperatures are cooler and many plants are facing seasonal dormancy, Columbia, Mo., blossomed at the America in Bloom Symposium this month and came away with a "four bloom" rating out of a possible five, plus special recognition for community involvement. Back in June, a panel of judges spent two days scrutinizing the city’s efforts in eight categories, including tidiness, landscaped areas, floral displays and heritage preservation. More

Hybrid Ball Finds its Way to Campus
from The Herald Journal
Have you ever played soccer, basketball, football, rugby and team handball and wished you could combine some of the various elements of all five of those sports into one game? If so, “hybrid ball” is the game for you. Invented by Randy Webb, a Knoxville, Tenn., assistant program specialist with the city’s parks and recreation department, hybrid ball has found its way to the campus of Utah State University. More

Menasha Pool Upgrades May Include Solar Power
from the Appleton Post-Crescent
Menasha, Wis., officials say a $100,000 solar power installation at the municipal swimming pool in Jefferson Park could be paid back in about 10 years through reduced use of natural gas to heat water. "It looks very positive," said Mayor Don Merkes. "It looks like it would save us about $10,000 a year." More

Kickball Isn't Just for Kids Anymore
from the Mail Tribune
Can't hit a 90-mph fastball? Not tall enough to dunk a basketball? Never put on a pair of ice skates? Then kickball is the sport for you. And it's not just for kids anymore. The Medford, Ore., Parks and Recreation department has organized an adult co-ed fall kickball league for those who yearn to relive the glorious game of our childhoods. More

'Lights on Afterschool' Night Promotes After-school Programs
from the Lahontan Valley News
Churchill County, Nev., after-school programs held an astronomy themed “Lights on Afterschool” night Thursday, joining over 7,500 other rallies in a nation-wide initiative to promote after-school programs. The event was designed to showcase after school options. “It’s to get parents to see what we have available out in the community,” said Andrea Zeller, after-school coordinator. More

National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management Announced
from NRPA
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) announced the 2008 recipients of the prestigious National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management during the Opening General Session at the NRPA Congress & Exposition in Baltimore. The highest award in the field of parks and recreation, the Gold Medal honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, fiscal resource management, citizen support systems, environmental stewardship, preservation, technological integration, program planning and assessment, professional development, agency recognition and services for special population. This year’s honorees include Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Class I), Grand Prairie Parks and Recreation, Grand Prairie, Texas (Class II), Canton Leisure Services, Canton, Mich. (Class III), Carol Stream Park District, Carol Stream, Ill. (Class IV) and Town of Herndon Parks and Recreation Department, Herndon, Va. Class V). More

California City's Task Force Formation to Boost Ecotourism
from The Desert Sun
A task force to help the city of Palm Springs, Calif., inventory its nature-based travel and tourism opportunities was announced last week The Ecotourism Task Force is the second task force created by Mayor Steve Pougnet in the last couple of weeks as part of the city's 20 steps toward sustainability. The Ecotourism Task Force will help the city inventory existing assets, expand and enhance existing tourism-based businesses and develop ecotourism efforts. More

Youths Offered Incentives to Start Running Miles
from the Santa Barbara Independent
Santa Barbara youths in grades 3-8 can embark on a lifetime of physical fitness through a new running program, Run for Life.There are three aspects to the program – coached clinics; incentives for jogging miles; and organized fun runs. More

Illinois City Struggles to Find Recreation Funds for Special-needs Residents
from the Southtown Star
Lori McAleavy loves to watch her 12-year-old son, Scott, round the bases during his softball games. Scott, who is autistic, plays in a softball league at the Tri-County Special Recreation Association, a Romeoville-based agency with sports clubs, summer camps and other events for people with disabilities. McAleavy has been signing up Scott for programs since he was 7, and she says the staff has helped her son become more independent. But Homer Township, Ill., residents like McAleavy recently got a case of sticker shock after discovering they soon would be shelling out much more. More

Temple City's 'Homework Help' Enters Second Year
from the Mid Valley News
Temple City, Calif., recently launch its second year of free Homework Help for grades first through sixth. Around 15 volunteers from local high schools and colleges helped around 20 students with their academics. The program provides a close one-on-one study session with partnered volunteers and students. Students are matched with the volunteer instructor each week to help build a good working relationship. More