Enjoy your summer

Well summer is finally and officially here. Swimming pools are open and full. Ballgames are being held daily, as long as it doesn’t rain. The temperatures are slowly getting to normal, but not quite there at night. It is the middle of June, and before we know it, school will be back in session and fall will be knocking on our door. 
I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that July is the National Recreation and Parks month in the United States. It is a time to consider your leisure or recreational pursuits or interests. Spend a day at the pool, take a long walk, ride your bike, take your dog to the dog park, go fishing, hit the golf course with some friends, take in a baseball or softball game. The list is endless here in Blue Springs, in the immediate area and in the metro area, of things to do and places to go, and you don’t have to spend a fortune. But do something to help yourself, for your physical or mental health and fitness.
Once you start, keep it up. You will find that you feel better, may have more energy, a different outlook on life and perhaps a more positive opinion of the current conditions we all face as individuals, families, employees, business owners, educators, and etc. The National Recreation & Park Association encourages us all to be active, be engaged, and be healthy. The NRPA is our national association for professionals, educators, researchers, and even lay people involved in the leisure or recreation business.
To learn more about NRPA go to www.nrpa.org.
A milestone was reached this year in Missouri that few people know about. The Missouri Park & Recreation Association reached and celebrated its 50th anniversary as a professional association for those of us in the Parks & Recreation field. There are around 1,100 members in the association that work in, or for, municipal, county, state parks. There is also therapist, educators, students, military, and park boards or commissioner members. We annually develop a platform of legislative priorities that we work on with our state legislature. We provide our members with educational opportunities through workshops, clinics, a statewide conference, and tours of existing facilities. We provide research and data to our members on various subjects. Our offices are in Jefferson City, staffed by a small but inspired staff.
If you want to learn more about the MPRA, our Web site is www.mopark.org.
So get off the couch, from behind the computer, and get out and do something that you enjoy. Make some new friends, start a new hobby if you don’t have one. Our leisure time is limited so enjoy it, use it wisely, you will never get it back once it is gone.