CATEGORY . Kansas Recreation and Park Association 2008 State Report : Strategic Plan – KRPA launched its five-year Strategic Master Plan after introducing it at the 2008 KRPA Conference and Trade Show in January. The Strategic Plan includes a new vision statement for the Association and seven goals intended to provide a renewed emphasis on the benefits of being a Vision and Mission-Driven Association. Among the initial products of the Strategic Plan was a day-long leadership orientation workshop exclusively for the board of directors in February. In addition, each board member was assigned the responsibility of reviewing his/her board position job description and making needed updates to the listed responsibilities. Also, all board meeting agenda items are now linked to a specific strategy of the plan. State Conference Celebrates 60th Anniversary – The Association kicked-off the start of its 60th year of existence with a special celebration at the 2008 KRPA Conference and Trade Show in Wichita last January. Former presidents and award winners were special guests for an anniversary dinner that initiated the conference. For the first time in conference history, attendance exceeded the 500 mark and registration revenue surpassed the $100,000 level. Fran P. Mainella, former director of the National Park Service, served as the keynote speaker. Membership – KRPA membership, including all categories of individual members, has reached an all-time high of 938. As a comparison, membership in the association a decade ago was 690. Individual membership first surpassed the 900 plateau in 2006. Agency membership has also reached a record level as 83 communities are now represented. There were 61 agency members in KRPA in 2000. The organization also continues to attract student involvement. Currently, there are 65 students who belong to KRPA. Education – KRPA continued to emphasize educational opportunities for its members with a goal of hosting a minimum of 12 workshops throughout the year. The Association staged traditional events such as its three-day professional development institute – Tomorrow’s Leaders – along with hosting AFO and NPSI course seminars, and workshops that focused on recreation commission budget preparation, sports and general topics of interest to the recreation, park and natural resource branch members and Kansas Park Law Enforcement Branch. Partnerships – KRPA partnered with both the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), along with several other state advocacy groups, in developing two new education and advocacy initiatives that enhanced community awareness of obesity and wellness issues. KRPA and KDHE co-hosted a series of four regional health summit events and health fairs during the summer in Kansas City, Hays, Garden City and Pittsburg. The four events were staged on campus sites in each community and involved a wide-range of health advocates in the area. KRPA also is serving as a co-host with both KDHE and KDWP for a two-day state-wide special event – Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors – in Wichita which will feature a presentation by author Richard Louv...... ... Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights – In partnership with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, KRPA is in the process of rolling out a Children’s Bill of Rights’ awareness campaign throughout the state of Kansas. Modeled after a similar initiative developed in California, the program is designed to promote opportunities for young people to explore nature and give guidance to parents who want to encourage their children to spend more time outdoors. See ARTICLE