Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS)

08/24/2026

Have you registered yet? Will you be joining PRPS at the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference this year in Philadelphia? Drop a comment if you’ll be there September 29-October 1 and register to connect with professionals across PA and the nation. Register for 2026: https://conference.nrpa.org/registration/

08/21/2026

Are you headed to the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference in Philadelphia? Want some cool merch for yourself or your team? Check out our online store - open now!

Place your order by September 4 for pick-up at the LHC Booth during conference registration hours. We will have limited inventory available onsite, but to guarantee you get the products and sizes you want, order today. Don’t miss out!

A special shout-out to PINE Branding, who designed the logo for the Philadelphia Local Host Committee (LHC)!

We also partnered with Art Star to showcase a variety of local gifts available for purchase by local Philly artists. Items will be available at the LHC Booth in the Convention Center.

Order here: https://www.promoplace.com/nrpa2026store/

08/21/2026

Navigating Mental Health as a Parks & Recreation Professional
by Teddy Fisher, Director, York County Parks

In this personal reflection, Teddy Fisher shares lessons learned from a challenging year and the importance of practicing what we preach when it comes to health and wellness. The blog explores four key areas: asking for help, shifting your mindset, using parks and nature for personal well-being, and setting healthy boundaries.

Read Teddy's full blog to learn more about his personal journey and the lessons he's learned along the way.
https://prps.org/posts/navigating-mental-health-as-a-parks-and-recreation-professional

08/20/2026

Check it out! There's a New (Trail) state park beer (Shawnee State Park), and the launch party is this Saturday, August 22! Anyone is welcome to attend!

Save the Date!
PA Healthy Lands Week is September 26-October 4, 2026!

There's a New (Trail) state park beer in town and we're throwing a party to celebrate!

Come join us on August 22 at Woodhaven Brewing in Schellsburg, PA for a launch party to celebrate the newest addition to the PA state park beer series, Shawnee State Park! A portion of proceeds from this brew will go towards fishery improvements at the lake at Shawnee State Park.

Hope to see you there!

08/20/2026

Join members of the National Task Force: Pickleball Noise for a fact-based look at these concerns and what municipalities can do to plan for and address them. This session will cover what makes pickleball noise unique to other noise disturbances, the impact of this noise on human health, best practices for site location determination, and emerging approaches to reduce the impact of pickleball noise.

Register now! prps.org/events

08/19/2026

Register today! This is the last AFO course of the year offered by park and recreation professionals in PA.

Heading to Philly for the NRPA Annual Conference this September? Make the most of your trip and lock in your professional certifications right before the event kicks off! 🎓⚙️

💦 Sept 26–27: Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) Course & Exam
🔗 https://prps.org/events/2026/nrpaafo1

🛝 Sept 26–28: Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Course & Exam
🔗 https://prps.org/events/2026/nrpacpsi

Level up your skills, protect your community, and secure your gold-standard credentials. Click the links above to register today!

08/19/2026

Join Us for the New and Improved Leadership Development Academy!

Are you ready to grow as a leader and make a lasting impact on your community? The PRPS Leadership Development Academy is a six month long professional development program designed to help emerging parks and recreation professionals build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to lead with purpose.

Through a combination of virtual meetings, in-person events, guided assignments, and statewide networking opportunities, participants will explore leadership frameworks, set personal growth goals, and engage with the broader PRPS community at events such as the Fall Membership Meeting, District Meetings and Workshops, the Leadership in Action Summit, and the Annual Conference & Expo.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity! Register now: prps.org/events

08/18/2026

Going to the NRPA Conference next month? Want some cool merch designed by your friendly Pennsylvania Local Host Committee for yourself or souvenirs for your staff?

Email Niki at [email protected] to join the online store mailing list. The store closes September 2. Don’t miss out!

A big thank you to PINE Branding for designing the Local Host Committee logo.

08/18/2026

Join your fellow PRPS District 2 members for a fun evening at the ballpark! We're hosting a District 2 Social at the Harrisburg Senators game on Saturday, August 29, at 6:00 PM. Come enjoy great baseball, good food, and even better company as we cheer on the Senators against the Chesapeake Baysox!

We hope you'll join us for a great night of baseball and camaraderie! Register here: https://prps.org/events/2026/26summer-1

08/17/2026