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Our Mission
To Advance park and recreation opportunities that enhance the quality of life through education, communication and advocacy.

Our Vision
The Kansas Recreation and Park Association is THE SOURCE for information which advances parks and recreation in the State of Kansas and beyond.

Career Center /Join KRPA
The Kansas Recreation and Park Association launched an Online Career Center on November 15, 2006. Employers can go online to post job listings. Professionals can go online to post their resume. All of these services are available to KRPA Members only. If you would like to join KRPA to receive access to the KRPA Online Career Center, click on this link to the KRPA Membership Application.

Questions, contact Bonnie Simon Email or by phone, 785-235-6533 ext 20

KRPA Today is the association's quarterly magazine
which is distributed to over 1,000 members and state legislators. The publication contains information KRPA news and the latest trends in parks and recreation. You can also find resources that connect you to fellow professionals from around the state of Kansas, and to products and services that will allow you to excel as a professional. To access the digital version of KRPA or to learn more about how to submit articles, photos or advertising CLICK HERE.

HealthyKansas Summits set for June
Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ HealthyKansas program and the Kansas Recreation and Park Associations (KRPA) will be convening four regional summits in June to promote opportunities to encourage physical activity, healthy eating and avoiding tobacco in Kansas.

“This is a unique partnership between many organizations across the state that are committed to helping Kansans get more physical activity, eat healthy and avoid tobacco,” Sebelius said. “We know that improving these three individual behaviors will have a positive lifetime impact on their health.” More

Recreation Commission Budget Workshop and More! -
May 1, 2008 - Topeka, Kansas The morning session is for Recreation Commission Staff. The afternoon session is for all professionals in KRPA. Click here for more information!

The Will to Survive and The HIPAA Privacy Rule Workshop -
May 14, 2008 - El Dorado, Kansas This workshop is for anyone interested in the topics that will be covered in the workshop. The Kansas Park Law Enforcement Association will be hosting this workshop. A nationally known speaker, Dr. Bobby Smith, will be featured in the morning. The Sheriff of Butler County, Craig Murphy, will be featured in the afternoon session. All interested persons may register for this workshop. Click here for more information!

Representatives of KRPA Participate in NRPA Legislative Forum
Eight KRPA representatives were among nearly 400 advocates from across the nation who participated in the annual National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) National Legislative Forum, March 12-14, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. More

KRPA to Co-Host Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors Oct. 6-7 in Wichita
The Kansas Recreation and Park Association will partner with several state agencies, trails advocates and health organizations to host a workshop Oct. 6-7 that will focus on developing healthy lifestyles in communities and getting individuals and families better connected to outdoor opportunities.

The event will be called Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors and is scheduled for Oct. 6-7 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency and Century II. More

KRPA Strategic Plan
The Five Year Strategic Plan was created to provide the Association's leaders with a tool that will be used to allocate resources in a manner which is sensitive to member needs for professional development, legislative action, networking and promotion of benefits of parks and recreation at the local and statewide level.

Launched in January, 2008, it puts a renewed emphasis on the benefits of being a Vision and Mission-Driven Association which provides customized services for all its members, regardless of their branch affiliation, the region of the State where they reside, their agency employment level or years of experience in the profession.

The Kansas Recreation and Park Association will solidify its position in the State of Kansas as THE SOURCE for information which advances parks and recreation in the state and beyond.
Click here for the KRPA Strategic Plan

President Bush Signs Into Law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007
In a move that child safety advocates say will save the lives of thousands of children, President Bush signed The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007. The legislation provides incentives for states to adopt comprehensive pool safety laws that will protect children from life-threatening injuries and horrible deaths from dangerous pool & spa drains.
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HealthyKansas sponsors 2008 Sunflower State Games Essay Contest
Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced this week that the 2008 Sunflower State Games Essay Contest will be sponsored by HealthyKansas.

“It is important children understand at a young age the benefits of exercise and healthy eating habits,” Sebelius said. “This essay contests offers students an opportunity to write about the impact of healthy activities on their lives.”

This year’s essay topic is ‘What is your favorite physical activity, and how does it help you stay healthy?’ The contest is open to all Kansas first through six grade students. Winners will receive a Sunflower State Games gold medal, official t-shirt, Barnes and Noble gift card, and a $100 savings bond.
Read full story!

Youth Sports Grants Available
The following grant opportunities are now available! Please note the opportunities listed here are NOT managed or administered by KRPA or NRPA and are being provided for informational purposes only. Any questions should be directed to the organization managing the particular grant program you are interested in. For information, please follow the links provided. Read full story!

Fred DeVictor To Be Inducted Into KRPA Hall of Fame
Fred DeVictor, who spent 37 years providing leadership for Lawrence Parks and Recreation before retiring last March, has been inducted into the Kansas Recreation and Park Association (KRPA) Hall of Fame... Click here to read more!

DeVictor, Stewart and Cobb Headline KRPA Award Winners
Fred DeVictor (Lawrence, Hall of Fame), Jeff Stewart (Gardner, Distinguished Professional) and Bill Cobb (Johnson County, Distinguished Fellow) are among nine association members, elected officials, board members or volunteers who will be honored at the annual KRPA Awards Luncheon on Wednesday (Jan. 23)... Click here to read more!

Advance the 2008 KRPA Legislative Platform  
Learn more about the critical issues related to parks and recreation in Kansas and how you can be an advocacy voice in helping make an impact and educate local and state leaders about our industry. CLICK HERE

DATABASE OFFERS ONLINE OVERVIEW OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
Users can customize search to match their recreation preferences

Looking for a place to hike, bike, or camp in Kansas? “Recreation Finder” is now online. This online resource allows users to search a database of more than 450 trails, 3,500 parks, and 12,500 recreation facilities across the state. Users can search for parks and facilities by name, location, park type, or facilities available.

Users can customize the map view by clicking the "customize" tab. This allows various levels of detail to be illustrated and ultimately printed. The map can become a bit overloaded if all the layers are illustrated, so this option is useful to reduce some of the clutter. A map of a selected destination may be printed by clicking the “print” tab. Trails are similarly searchable. Click the “trails” tab at the top and look for trails by trail name, difficulty, location, or type of use. A brief summary of trail features is provided, including length, surface, and allowable uses.

Recreation Finder is a collaborative effort of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association, the Sunflower Foundation, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Kansas Geological Survey's Data Access Support Center, Kansas State University’s Department of Horticulture Forestry and Recreation Resources, and hundreds of park and recreation professionals and other city and school district staff members statewide.

Healthy Habits To Fight Childhood Obesity
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. They have come together to fight one of our nation's leading health threats – childhood obesity. Its mission is to eliminate childhood obesity and to inspire all young people in the United States to develop lifelong, healthy habits. Their Web site has excellent resources to help agencies in the battle of obesity in their communities. The American Heart Association is a partner with KRPA in the effort to promote healthy lifestyles in Kansas Communities.
Click here to learn more

Nominate a Team from Your Community for the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award - KRPA and the Kansas Youth Sports Task Force will offer agencies an opportunity to recognize those groups who exhibit good sportsmanship with the first annual Outstanding Sportsmanship Award.  
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Retirees Membership Fees Lowered- In an effort to keep those who have retired from the profession involved and updated on Association activities, the cost of joining KRPA for retired professionals has been lowered to $25.
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Youth Sports Task Force Announces Two Initiatives For KRPA Members - As recreation leaders, the Youth Sports Task Force feels strongly that we need to take a leadership role in ensuring that children are allowed to participate in a healthy environment and under a set of specific values and that we push for positive reform in youth sports in our respective communities and throughout the state.   
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KRPA Discussion Forum Click on this link (KRPA Discussion Forum Instructions) to access the KRPA Forum / Bulletin Board that allows you to post questions about Aquatics, KRPA, NRPA, Parks, Recreation, and Recreation Commissions. You will have access to the responses to your question as well.