October 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 15

made a concerted effort to market the
successes in our profession nationally.
Through those efforts, not only is the
NRPA membership kept informed-but
potential future partners who have not
traditionally been allied with parks are
also made aware of opportunities to be
part of innovative revitalization efforts.
As a result, our members gain access
to support that has not been available
in the past.
Successful projects of this magnitude
also become another member benefit,
because of the far-reaching impact. Projects like Parks Build Community validate our profession at the national level
by sending a consistent, engaging message about who we are and what we do.
What impact does a large-scale event
like NRPA's Congress and Exposition
have on a host city?

Without a doubt, this event will enrich
and enliven the Atlanta region in numerous ways. But I prefer to ask the question,
what impact can a host city-and even a
host state- have on those attending the
Congress? The Local Host Committee
for NRPA's 2011 Atlanta Congress represents a number of city and county agencies from over 16 jurisdictions in Metro
Atlanta and throughout the State of Georgia. This year's Congress will not only
address new trends and emphasize best
practices in our industry; it will also showcase for Congress attendees the pride
and commitment of our local host agencies from across the state-as we roll out
that great Southern hospitality for which
we are known worldwide.
We realized early on in the planning
process that even though Atlanta is the
host city, the impressions and memories of a successful Congress will be a

result of efforts made by Georgia agencies statewide. We understand that the
Atlanta metro area will probably hold
the greatest attraction to our visitors, but
we would remind attendees that within a two-hour drive of Atlanta are many
public treasures. From great state parks,
such as Amicalola Falls in North Georgia,
to one of the National Park Service's most
visited locations, the Martin Luther King
Jr. National Historic Site-the region offers much to those who have a passion for
parks of all kinds. And of course there are
also the many local parks within Atlanta
and the surrounding cities and counties.
Our hope is not only that our region
would provide a great experience for
Congress attendees-but that our visitors would be encouraged to come back
again soon to explore the numerous wonders throughout Atlanta and the state of
Georgia.

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October 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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