August 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 70

NRPA Update

The Outdoor Alliance for Kids
Holds Capitol Hill Briefing
By Maureen Acquino

he Outdoor Alliance for Kids (OAK) recently held a briefing and panel discussion on Capitol Hill to shed light on the issue of the dwindling amount
of time our nation's children are spending outdoors and the corresponding
increase in childhood obesity, along with a number of other health issues,
and to brainstorm some solutions. The briefing, held July 11, provided an opportunity
for OAK members to discuss programs across the federal government that support
opportunities for children, youth and families to learn, play and serve in the outdoors.
OAK is a national strategic partnership, made up of nearly 100 organizations, including the National Recreation
and Park Association (NRPA), who have
a common interest in connecting children, youth and families with the outdoors in a safe and accessible way.
With nearly 90 Capitol Hill staff in
attendance, the event kicked off with
remarks from Jackie Ostfeld, cofounder and chair of OAK; Evie Elliot and
Louise Reyes-Gavilan, students at Creative Minds International Public Charter
School and participants in Every Kid in
a Park; Loren Blackford, president of
the Sierra Club; and Barbara Tulipane,
CAE, president and CEO of NRPA.
" OAK has been at the forefront of advocating for our kids and the outdoors at
a time when the future of parks and pub-

lic lands are uncertain. The importance
of getting kids outdoors is something we
can all agree on, " says Blackford.
A panel of OAK members and leaders
in the industry completed the briefing.
Participants included Kristy Anderson,
American Heart Association; Robert
Pullen, Great Appalachian Valley Conservation Corps; Diane Wood, National
Environmental Education Foundation;
Roland Richardson, NRPA; and Katie
Adamson, YMCA.
" We understand how critical it is to engage the next generation if we're really
going to ensure the long-term protection
of public parks, recreation and conservation efforts that benefit all people, "
says Richardson. But, as Richardson
acknowledges, that engagement is not
without barriers. Park and recreation

NRPA President and CEO, Barbara Tulipane,
CAE, addresses Capitol Hill staff at the July
Outdoor Alliance for Kids briefing.

Barbara Tulipane, CAE, president and CEO of
NRPA, greets Evie Elliot (r) and Louise ReyesGavilan (l), Every Kid in a Park representatives.

agencies are competing with digital distractions, and tackling safety issues and
stereotypes that minorities shouldn't engage in nature. " This is a very urgent issue, " says Richardson.
To help combat this issue, panelists
urged decision makers to support funding for out-of-school time programs in
local park and recreation agencies.
Wood likened the lack of funding to
pulling the keystone out of a bridge. " A lot
comes tumbling down with it, " she says.
Programs, such as school and community gardens and Safe Routes to School,
are " the spending items that come up in
budget cuts, but are so critical to community health, " says Anderson.
" Putting money aside, think about the
health of our nation, " Tulipane says, citing a recent Washington Post report that
claims 19-year-olds are as sedentary as
60-year-olds. " If that isn't enough to
want to support policy and legislation to
get kids outside and active, I don't know
what is. "
The briefing was hosted in partnership
with the Honorable Niki Tsongas (DMA), the Honorable Scott Tipton (RCO) and the Honorable Diana DeGette
(D-CO).
Maureen Acquino is the Assistant Editor for Parks
& Recreation magazine (macquino@nrpa.org).

Parks & Recreation

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August 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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