Press release:

America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month for more than 25 years and in 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives officially mandated July as “Parks and Recreation Month.”

As the obesity epidemic continues to rage, programs like Park and Recreation Month and the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign are energizing an American population to adopt healthy lifestyle choices.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), created Park and Recreation Month to specifically promote the many benefits of local parks and recreation and celebrate the value they bring to their community. From programs to promote conservation and environmental sustainability, to educational programs that teach healthy habits to fun recreational activities, there’s something going on in Burien’s parks this July.

And on the “wild side”, there are great concerts in the park and the first ever overnight family campout at Seahurst Park in partnership with REI, all fun ways to get wild about nature and the environment around you.

“This year’s Park and Recreation Month theme from NRPA is GET WILD and Burien Parks is excited to get the whole community wild with a variety of fun and exciting initiatives throughout the whole month,” said Michael Lafreniere, Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services for the City of Burien. “We want our community to be healthy and active which is why Park and Recreation Month is such a great time – it gives everyone an opportunity to come out and experience the benefits of our parks and recreation facilities,”

Director Lafreniere continued. To reinforce that message, on July 2 Mayor Bennett issued a Mayoral proclamation designating July as Parks and Recreation Month in the City of Burien.

Nationally NRPA is launching a Get Wild Geocaching Contest, several social media initiatives on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Pinterest, and an online Get Wild pledge to support Park and Recreation Month. In addition to programmed activities, the public is encouraged to “Say Cheese” and take their photo holding a GET WILD poster in a City of Burien park and to post it online in their social media networks. There is even a contest and prizes for local fans of geocaching. More information is available at www.nrpa.org/july.

This July during Park and Recreation Month, GET WILD in Burien Parks. To learn more about July's Park and Recreation Month, the exciting planned activities and more, call Burien Parks at 206-988-3700 or visit them online at www.BurienParks.net.