Downers Grove Encourages Residents to Celebrate 'Park and Recreation Month'

The Downers Grove Park District is celebrating National Park and Recreation Month with a variety of contests and promotions in July.

Throughout the month, the park district will partner with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and participating local businesses to encourage everyone to show and share the love for parks and recreation.

The campaign's theme, “I [Heart] My Park and Recreation,” encourages individuals, families, friends, and park-lovers everywhere to venture to their local parks and recreation areas to experience the many benefits they offer, such as programs to inspire healthy, active lifestyles and activities to appreciate nature and the environment. 

Paramount to this year’s theme is a social media campaign where residents can share why they love their local parks and recreation. Downers Grove residents can visit dgparks.org, and then click on the Facebook and Twitter icons to become a fan or follow Downers Grove Park District. 

Residents are also encouraged to post creative answers and share photos of why they “[heart]” Downers Grove Parks and Recreation. 

“We are excited to hear what our residents have to say about why they love our parks and programs. It’s a great time of year to celebrate with the warm summer weather, kids out of school, and lots of camps, programs and special events happening in our parks and facilities,” said Brandi Beckley, marketing and community relations manager for the Downers Grove Park District.

The park district is also running a Play Pass promotion with several local businesses. Show your Play Pass upon visiting the participating business locations between July 1 and July 31, 2013, to receive a special promotion. The Play Pass is the Park District I.D. card used at 4500 Fitness, group exercise classes and Downers Grove Golf Club. 

Visit dgparks.org for a list of participating businesses.

In addition to getting involved in Park and Recreation Month locally, people can also share the love for parks and recreation on a grander scale through the "Show UR Love" weekly photo contest. During each week of July, NRPA will have a different theme that people can follow to snap pictures in their local parks and recreation. Submit photos that show the love for local parks and recreation to NRPA through Facebook to be entered into the contest. NRPA will award weekly prizes and a grand prize at the end of the month.

To learn how to show the love during Park and Recreation Month, visit www.dgparks.org or www.NRPA.org/july-love.