Little Red's Big Ideas

The Quality of La Quinta's Marketing is in its Plan

Thanks to the generoristy of my friend and parks and recreation marketing magician, Tustin Larson, I'm thrilled to post one of the finest parks and recreation marketing plans I've come across in my 20 years working with the profession.

While your community might be quite different than, La Quinta, a desert town near Palm Springs, California; I encourage you to review the plan for its format, media choices and quality.  As always if your agency needs assistance with a branding or marketing plan -- please call me at 760.809.3231.  

Download 2011-2012_FINAL (1)

If you do download the plan, Tustin asks that you let us know by leaving a comment.  THANKS.

Thanks IPRA! Awesome Apps Slides

As always, spending time at the Illinois Parks and Recreation Conference was both warm and cold.  The reception from friends, old and new was warm, but the crazy January weather was freezing -- actually well below freezing. This morning I presented my latest version of Awesome Apps and Cool Tech Tools and am happy to share the slides below.  For those who attended I hope your head has stopped spinning from the plethora of truly amazing resources.  If you download the slides, please leave a comment. 

I look forward to my next trip to Illinois.  You never know... maybe the temperature will climb into the 20's on my next visite.

Download Awesome Apps IRPA2013

GO DEPR in 2013! I've saved a few spots just for my blog readers!

No one appreciates a great deal on incredible education more than my blog readers! So, if you haven't registered for the brand new DEPR (Desktop Education for Parks and Recreation) Monthly Webinar series which begins next week and runs through December 2013, then don't wait another minute!  These webinars feature the very best instructors and topics in parks and recreation such as Prioritizing your Time, Leadership, Marketing Planning, Revenue Development and so much more.  

We are selling out, but I have held back a few spots especially for the readers of "Little Red's Big Ideas."  But don't wait another minute to check it out.  

If you are a fan of my blog and workshops then I know you and your staff will get tons out of these monthly online workshops -- especially since you can participate from the comfort of your desk (or laptop).

Click here see the entire line-up of speakers and topics AND to reserve your spot. Or cut and paste in your browser: http://www.cprs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=261&Itemid=115.

Direct any questions to me (Jodi) at 760.809.3231 or email littleredsbigideas@gmail.com

Nine Principles of Acting Aging Released by ICAA

The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), at its National Conference in New Orleans earlier this month, unvieled a new model for Active Aging.   According to an email from Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA, "This new industry-shifting model-the 'Nine Principles of Active Aging'-is designed to guide governments, product and service providers, employers, and the health care industry in implementing their active-aging strategies. 

These principles, and a few of the many questions that need to be answered, appear below. 

Nine Principles of Active Aging 

1. Populations: The older population is extremely diverse, from ability and age, to income and culture, to sexual orientation. How will we meet the needs of these different individuals? 

2. Perceptions: Ageism and negative stereotypes of aging are stalling the opportunity to empower older adults. To move forward, we need to leave the old way of thinking behind. 

3. People: Who will serve the older population's needs? With fewer people entering the labor market, where will the workers come from? Will technology fill the gaps? 

4. Potential: A society in which older consumers dominate purchasing decisions creates untold business opportunities. What are these opportunities, and how can businesses tap them? 

5. Products: Whether due to a lack of interest or understanding among product or service providers, too few offerings today are geared to the older population. From technology to housing, the result is immense opportunity for those who respond strategically. 

6. Promotions: Effective promotions are needed to inspire change. Yet marketers often earn a failing grade from older adults when they focus on the older population, perhaps because they have an inaccurate or incomplete picture of these consumers. To be effective, promotions must be rooted in the realities of today's older adults. 

7. Places: Environments can encourage or discourage older adults in leading active, engaged lives. From indoors to outdoors, what environments support active aging? 

8. Policies: How do policy decisions affect active aging? Consider how important policies are in areas such as age discrimination, and affordable care and housing. 

9. Programs: As promoted by ICAA, the seven dimensions of wellness-physical, social, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, vocational and environmental wellness-are the backbone of active aging. They are also key to meeting the challenge of providing diverse programs and environments that fulfill the needs of the diverse older population.

Established in 2001, ICAA has led, connected and defined the active-aging industry for the past 11 years. More information about ICAA is available online at www.icaa.cc . 

Fitness Zones bring Fitness Equipment to City Parks

While outdoor fitness zones have been highlighted and displayed for several years at park and recreation conferences; it seems they are finally getting noticed by the media as a real solution to public health issues including obesity.  

A feature article which ran this week in USA Today opens:

"No costly membership. Open 24-7. Doesn't take up any space in your home. And it's good for you.

Free outdoor gyms, the latest weapon in fighting the nation's obesity epidemic, are sprouting up in city parks across the country. Clusters of traditional fitness equipment from elliptical machines to leg press and sit-up benches are being installed in city parks, often in poorer neighborhoods that may not have access to healthful options.

Leading the effort is the Trust for Public Land, a non-profit land conservation group that created its Fitness Zones program about three years ago to help cities fund outdoor health playgrounds."

In the article, Adrian Benepe, senior vice president and director of city park development for the Trust explains that the program has gone gangbusters," He says. "Essentially, it's like an outdoor gym with new varieties of exercise equipment built to withstand the rigor of weather vandalism."  The fitness zones which have been popular overseas are just catching on in the United States.

If you have these fitness zones in your parks or have used them (as I did while visiting Tel Aviv) please comment below.

CPRS District II Winter Workshop Extras

How do you create purposeful community connections? One handshake at a time! At the California Park and Recreation Association District II Workshop I present this simple idea to both young and veteran park and recreation professionals.  While email, social media and texting seem to be replacing face-to-face, spoken and "shared space" communication; it's time to brush off our good old-fashioned networking skills and put them to work.  I admit the ideas shared in this session things most have hear before or read at some point in time.  But the key to networking isn't in knowing best practices; it's in practicing the be the best.  

Here are the expanded handouts mentioned at the workshop.  Use them to build a better networking practice in 2013 and keep me posted as you become a Power Schmoozer!

Download Community Connections 2012

A few states and cities, according to a recent article in USA Today, show small declines in childhood obesity rates.  The article states: 

"We've had 30 years of increasing rates of obesity, but we might be seeing the turning point for this epidemic," says pediatrician James Marks, a senior vice president for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which issued a summary report on the topic. One of the foundation's goals is to reverse childhood obesity in this country.

The gains are pretty small in some communities, but if nothing else they reverse long-building trends of higher obesity rates among kids. "There are enough communities that have had declines that it shows any community that makes these kinds of changes could see their children get healthier," Marks says.

Some cities and states also have increased the quantity and quality of physical activity for students, and many have instituted strong nutrition guidelines for the types of foods that can be sold in vending machines, à la carte lines and school stores, she says.

The decline in childhood obesity could become more widespread with the improvements being made in school food nationwide, Wootan says.

Greater declines in obesity are likely to come when the government implements rules for competitive foods, such as candy, chips, soda, cookies and pastries, sold in vending machines, à la carte lines and school stores, she says. Those should be released later this year and go into effect in two years or so, Wootan says. "That's where we'll see a bigger impact."

Nationally about a third (31.8%) of kids and adolescents, ages 2 to 19, are obese or overweight, government statistics show. About 17% of them -- about 12.5 million kids -- are obese. Children are classified as overweight or obese based on where they fall on body mass index (BMI) growth charts.

Those extra pounds put kids at a greater risk of developing a host of debilitating and costly diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

According to the two groups, these places have made improvements in childhood obesity:

-- In Mississippi, the percentage of children in grades K-5 who were obese or overweight fell from about 43% in 2007 to 37.3% in 2011. (Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate in the country.)

-- In California, obesity and overweight rates for grades 5, 7 and 9 decreased from 38.44% in 2005 to 38% in 2010.

-- In Anchorage, it declined from 38% in 2002-03 to 36% in 2010-11 for those in kindergarten through 12th grade.

-- In New York City, obesity dropped among kindergartners through 8th graders from 21.9% in 2006-07 to 20.7% in 2010-11.

-- In Philadelphia, obesity among K-12 kids decreased from 21.5% in 2006-07 to 20.5% in 2009-10.

-- In El Paso, obesity among fourth-graders decreased from 25.5% in 2000-02 to 18.8% in 2004-05.

Some reasons for these improvements: In Mississippi, the state board of education set nutritional standards in 2006 for foods and beverages sold in school vending machines, and a 2007 state law required the state's public schools to provide more physical activity time, offer healthier foods and beverages and develop health education programs, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report says.

California set strong nutrition standards for school snacks in 2007, the report notes. The foundation's report also cites a study that found that students in California are consuming 158 fewer calories a day than students in states with weaker nutrition standards.

Read the entire article here.  

Leave a comment about the types of programs your community offers to curb childhood obesity.

New Book Highlights a Life Enriched by Parks

Author Audrey Peterman has just released her second book on the national park experience.  She calls “Our True Nature!,” “a layperson’s guide to the NPS through my eyes and footsteps.”

Besides the grand national parks, it includes places such as Paul Revere’s house; the Liberty Bell; John Brown’s Fort; the Ocmulgee moundsand the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. With infectious exuberance, Audrey describes where these parks are, how to get there, where to stay, what to do, and even the best time of year to visit.  She says, “it provides the invitation and the information that has been so long needed.”  That the book is written by a woman of color, who has been to all the places described, makes it particularly unique.  She explains, ”I made a conscious effort not to use the words “fight” or “struggle” anywhere in the book, so much so that my friend who edited it describes it as “an eye-opening invitation to the parks conveyed in Audrey’s inimitable loving 

Read more about Ms Peterson's book at the National Parks Promotion Council blog or by clicking on the book cover (on the left). 

NEW Monthly Parks and Recreation WEBINAR Series Begins January 2013

If you've ever wished you had the time or money to get you, your staff (or even your boss or commissioners) to more CPRS workshops/conferences then here's some news you can use!

The California Park and Recreation Society is proud to announce a brand new monthly training delivered directly to your desktop beginning January 2013. 

Registration begins THIS Thursday, November 1; however you can add your name to the interest list by sending an email to Leslie@cprs.org. Space is limited to the first 40 agencies/people.  

 

Beginning in January 2013 CPRS will offer a monthly webinar series presented by the very best parks and recreation speakers and educators. The impressive faculty includes Mike Shellito, Craig Bronzan, Andre Pichley, Marie Knight, Virginia Chavez, Jim Wheeler, Keith Fulthorp, Chris Chamberlain, BJ Grosvenor, Rosemary Cameron and others.

Topics will include: Leadership, Creativity, Stress and Time Management, Marketing Planning, Social Media Strategies, Outsourcing, , Revenue Development, Staff Motivation, Front-line Customer Service Excellence and so much more. 

The webinars will use a  "Make and Take" 60 minute format and include CEUs. Each month a different topic will be explored to elevate and keep staff skills sharp without leaving the office! The annual subscription price is for a single Internet access but allows YOU to schedule as many staff as you desire to view/attend the webinar!

The cost to CPRS members or member agencies $199 per year (Introductory Price - breaks down to around $16/month.)
CPRS nonmembers or nonmember agencies $299 per year (if space permits.)

Space is STRICTLY limited to the first 40 people OR agencies who register. CPRS Members and Member Agencies are given a priority registration window. If you are interested, please send an email to Leslie Fritz at leslie@cprs.org.

 

Billionaire donates $100 Million to Central Park Conservancy

What would your park system do with a 100 million dollar donation?  In New York City, this dream has become a reality thanks to a donation from hedgefund manager, John A. Paulson.

In an aritcle posted on the New York Times website, the gift is not only the largest monetary donation in the history of New York City’s park system; it is possibly the nation's largest donation to ANY park system. 

The story explains that the donation was "decades in the making. It stretched back to the days when Mr. Paulson, now 56, hung out at the [Bethesda] fountain as a teenager, beneath the bronze statue Angel of the Waters, which was then scrawled with graffiti and bone dry. And it took shape more recently on walks with the president of the conservancy, Doug Blonsky, through the park’s North Woods.

How many more Mr. (and Ms.) Paulson's are out there in these United States who have had their childhoods and lives improved because of parks?  What can we do to let more people know that their gifts are needed more than ever to help maintain the places they loved as youth and young adults. 

Read the entire article here and prepare to be inspired to seek out your own donations.