HISTORY/BACKGROUND

The organization was originally founded as the Baltimore Recreation Society in 1945. Hope Godwin, employed by the Baltimore City Bureau of Recreation, was the first president. In 1950, the society expanded to include recreation professionals throughout the state of Maryland and changed its name to the Maryland Recreation Society. In 1960, the society once again changed its name to better reflect its membership. The new name was the Maryland Recreation and Parks Society. The current name, The Maryland Recreation and Parks Association, Inc. was formally adopted in 1973.

STRATEGIC PLAN

Download a copy of the Strategic Plan.

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MRPA STAFF

Tom Donlin, Executive Director
director@mrpanet.org

Diane Collins, Administrative Assistant
diane@mrpanet.org

Adrienne Varieur, Administrative Aide
adrienne@mrpanet.org

Prince George's Stadium, 4101 Crain Highway, Suite 201, Bowie, MD 20716

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2012-2013 OFFICERS

President
Matthew Purkins
Carroll County Recreation & Parks
300 S. Center Street
Westminster, MD 21157
Work: (410) 386-2103
mpurkins@ccg.carr.org

President-Elect
Michele Potter
City of Gaithersburg
Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Culture
506 South Frederick Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Work: (301) 258-6350 x116
mpotter@gaithersburgmd.gov

Past President
Joseph P. O'Neill
M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
1500 Merrimac Drive
Hyattsville, MD 20783
Work: (301) 408-4320
joe.oneill@pgpgarks.com

Vice President
Terri Hilton
City of Rockville Senior Center
1150 Carnation Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Work: (240) 314-8802
thilton@rockvillemd.gov

Secretary/Treasurer
Susan Petito, CPRP
Town of Ocean City
Recreation & Parks Department
200 - 125th Street
Ocean City, MD 21842
Work: (410) 250-0125
Fax: (410) 250-5409
spetito@oceancitymd.gov

Secretary/Treasurer Elect
Sara Swarr
M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
6600 Adelphi Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Work: (301) 864-1611
sara.swarr@pgparks.com

Past Secretary/Treasurer
Stephen Parks
City of Greenbelt Recreation Department
101 Center Way
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Work: (240) 542-2182
sparks@greenbeltmd.gov

PARC Branch Chair
Steve Schwarzman
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks
7120 Oakland Mills Road
Columbia, MD 21046
Work: (410) 313-7271
sschwarzman@howardcountymd.gov

RALS Branch Chair
Ronald Strickler, Jr., CPRP
Town of Ocean City
Recreation & Parks Dept.
200 - 125th Street
Ocean City, MD 21842
Work: (410) 250-0125 x5164
rstrickler@oceancitymd.gov

TR Branch Chair
Jennene Blakely, CTRS, CPRP
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks
7120 Oakland Mills Road
Columbia, MD 21046
Work: (410) 313-1693
jplausier@howardcountymd.gov; mrpatrbranch@gmail.com

MARN Chair
Thomas Shuster, CPRP
Town of Ocean City Recreation & Parks Dept.
200 - 125th Street
Ocean City, MD 21842
Work: (410) 250-0125
tshuster@oceancitymd.gov

2013-2014 COMMITTEES

There are also several committees that are behind the great membership benefits that MRPA offers. There is plenty of room for involvement on each!

• Conference Committee
  The MRPA Annual Conference is a gathering of professionals, volunteers, board members and vendors from across the state and region. It is an opportunity to attend a veritable plethora of educational sessions on areas of interest to the parks and recreation profession, a chance to network with your peers and a time to acknowledge outstanding accomplishments of both departments and individuals as we recognize our annual award recipients. The conference is planned by a volunteer committee and there is plenty of room for involvement! If you are interested in working on this year's conference, please contact the conference chair.

  Committee Co-Chair: Beahta Davis
  Baltimore County Recreation & Parks
  Work: (410) 887-3806
  bdavis@baltimorecountymd.gov
  
  Committee Co-Chair: Barbara Lages
  Cell: (410) 456-0179
  bjlages24@aol.com

• Finance Committee
  Committee Responsibilities: Monitor the long range financial plan. Prepare periodic (minimum of annual) status reports on the association's investment funds. Work with the executive director to develop specifications for conducting the annual audit/review/compilation and where applicable, interview potential auditors. Meet with accountants to discuss the management letter of the association's fiscal practices. Act as an advisor to the executive director and executive board in financial practices, policies and procedures.

  Committee Chair: Paul D. Meadows, CPRP
  Calvert County Parks & Recreation
  work: (410) 535-1600 x2223
  meadowpd@co.cal.md.us

• Interagency Committee
  This committee's charge is to foster communication and coordination between various organizations involved in the delivery of recreation and park related services. The Maryland Association of Counties, Maryland Municipal League, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and YWCA are examples. If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact the committee chair.

  Committee Chair: Penny Justin, CTRS
  M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
  Work: (301) 249-7200
  penny.justin@pgparks.com

• Legislative Committee
  Committee Responsibilities: Develop a network and procedures to track and monitor state wide legislation prior to and during the January through April Maryland General Assembly session. Develop a list of issues and concerns for the upcoming legislative session. Determine strategy for communicating the above to the appropriate parties. This may include but is not limited to a platform brochure, legislative reception and other promotional events. Develop a state wide network to seek input and request assistance of key officials representing local recreation and parks departments. This network may also involve resources from the Maryland Association of Counties, Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Maintain a log of pending legislation which includes a brief description of each bill, its sponsor/s, committee assignment, hearing date and status. Conduct meetings on a regular basis during the session to review and respond to bills and develop a course of action. Develop and implement testimony strategy for each bill based upon committee consensus. i.e. writing testimony, organize panels, etc. Develop proactive bills when appropriate that will benefit parks and recreation. Design and implement specific strategies to seek favorable support of such bills. This may include seeking legislators who are willing to sponsor and introduce bills, seeking support from appointed local and state officials, undertaking a state wide campaign to solicit grass roots support and providing testimony before the general assembly. Monitor and provide appropriate response for national legislative issues.

  Committee Chair: Jeffrey Smith
  Humanim
  Work: (410) 381-7171
  jeffwsmith@verizon.net

• Marketing and Communications Committee
  Committee Responsibilities: Solicit articles of interest to the recreation and parks industry as well as association news for publication in the MRPA monthly newsletter. Develop and maintain content for the MRPA web site. Develop the annual MRPA Membership Directory and Buyer's Guide. Prepare and distribute news releases to promote activities of the association.

  Committee Chair: Alexandria Wilson
  M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
  Work: (301) 894-6616
  alexandria.wilson@pgparks.com
  
  Awards Sub-Committee Chair: Wendy Donley
  M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
  Work: (301) 277-3727
  wendy.donley@pgparks.com
  
  Directory Sub-Committee Chair: Barbara Lages
  Cell: (410) 456-0179
  bjlages24@aol.com

• Membership Committee
  Committee Responsibilities: Develop an annual marketing plan, to include a timeline, for membership retention and new member recruitment. This plan should include specific recruitment campaigns and promotions. Define, evaluate and promote existing membership benefits. Evaluate, on an annual basis, the membership fees and make any recommended changes to the board of directors. Research and develop new member benefits. Review and make any necessary revisions to the membership application, letters and membership brochure. Changes in the membership application should be coordinated with the administrative office. Develop and implement research tools, i.e. surveys, focus groups, etc. to solicit input from the membership regarding the direction of the association. Coordinate with the administrative office the distribution and processing of all membership forms.

  Committee Chair: Carrye Massey
  M-NCPPC - Montgomery Parks
  Work: 301-495-2527 carrye.massey@montgomeryparks.org

• Professional Certification Board
  The Professional Certification Board approves all MRPA educational sessions, including annual conference sessions, for CEUs.

  Professional Certification Board Chair: Sharon Norcio, CTRS
  Work: (240) 777-6882
  sharon.norcio@montgomerycountymd.gov

• Professional Standards Committee
  Committee Responsibilities: Promote and encourage professional certification among the membership by educating agencies and individuals. Develop an annual marketing plan, to include certification (CPRP, APRP, PPRP, RPRP) recruitment. Plan should include specific campaigns and promotions. Promote active continuing education by recreation and park professionals, volunteers and citizen advocates.

  Committee Co-Chair: Abby Gruber, CPRP
  City of Westminster Recreation & Parks
  Work: (410) 848-6962
  agruber@westgov.com
  
  Committee Co-Chair: Kris Mervine, CPRP
  Baltimore county Recreation & Parks
  Work: (410) 887-7684
  kmervine@baltimorecountymd.gov

• Resource Development Committee
  The Resource Development Committee shall be responsible for the raising of funds for the operation of the Association, including scholarships and he employment of paid personnel which may be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Scholarship Sub-committee shall receive applications, investigate the merits of each application and select those persons they feel should receive scholarships.

  Committee Co-Chair: Phil Bryan, CPRP
  Howard County Recreation & Parks
  Work: (410) 313-1668
  pbryan@howradcountymd.gov
  
  Committee Co-Chair: Ben Garver
  City of Westminster Recreation & Parks
  Work: (410) 847-9072
  bgarver@westgov.com
  
  Scholarship Sub-Committee Chair: Tammy Massey
  M-NCPPC - Prince George's Co.
  Work: (301) 390-8390
  tammy.massey@pgparks.com

• Training and Education Committee
  

  Committee Co-Chair: Betsy Thompson
  City of Rockville Recreation & Parks
  Work: 240-314-8627
  bthompson@rockvillemd.gov
  
  Committee Co-Chair: Kayode Lewis, CPRP,/a> City of Greenbelt Recreation Department
  Work: (240) 542-2198
  klewis@greenbeltmd.gov

STRATEGIC PLAN

Mission

The purpose of the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association, Inc. is to unite recreation and park professionals and citizen advocates to advance park, recreation and environmental conservation efforts through networking, development and training, and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Marylanders.

Goals and Objectives

       Development and Training

• Goal #1: Educate recreation and park professionals, lay persons and volunteers regarding future trends and current issues reflective of the recreation and park movement to enable them to provide the best service to the user and the best management of the resource.
• Goal #2: Provide a high quality level of instruction to recreation and park professionals, lay persons and volunteers at locations easily and strategically accessible to the members of the profession throughout the state.
• Goal #3: Promote programs that insure new professionals coming into the profession are trained and prepared to meet the needs of the different agencies.

       Networking

• Goal #1: Provide opportunities for park professionals, lay persons and volunteers to share common interests, concerns and ideas through organized activities.
• Goal #2: Create effective multiple communications lines whereby all individuals, organizations and groups involved in the business of recreation and parks have opportunities to share common interests, concerns and ideas.

       Advocacy

• Goal #1: Promote to the general public and the elected representatives the multiple benefits and quality of life that recreation and parks provides within the state of Maryland.
• Goal #2: Actively lobby federal, state and elected officials for the recreation and parks movement and it's resulting multiple benefits.
• Goal #3: Develop partnerships with organizations that support in whole or in part the mission of the association.

       Member Services

• Goal #1: Provide an efficient, trained, courteous, and responsive staff to meet the member's needs.
• Goal #2: Promote sponsorship and alternative funding means to reduce costs to members to attend and participate in Association activities.
• Goal #3: Promote and increase a membership that is reflective of the users and providers of the programs, properties and facilities provided by and managed by the recreation and parks profession.