Park and recreation professionals traditionally have relied on emotional appeals to justify services and spending, using statements such as, “Look what we do for the community,” “Children need a safe place to play,” or “The trees need to be saved.” While these points are valid and meaningful, the messaging must evolve to address the priorities and needs of decision-makers to ensure continued support for park and recreation initiatives. Effectively telling your agency’s story is essential in today’s competitive landscape for building strong relationships with stakeholders, participants and the community. This session, “Show Up and Show Off: Making Your Agency’s Story Stand Out,” will address the critical need for agencies to articulate their mission, values and impact clearly and compellingly. Participants will learn strategies for identifying key messages, utilizing various communication channels, and engaging their audience emotionally and intellectually. This session highlights the importance of storytelling in enhancing agency visibility, fostering trust and securing support. By mastering these techniques, agencies can ensure their stories resonate and drive positive outcomes for their programs, agencies and the communities that they serve.
Molly Keays, an NRPA 30 Under 30 recipient and a 2024 American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration Extern, serves as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of South Windsor, CT. In this role, she oversees the administrative, parks, and recreational operations divisions, managing 22 full-time staff, 875 acres of parks, 16 miles of trails, and more than 200 programs annually. Molly emphasizes the importance of leadership in service to others, working with diverse populations to create opportunities that foster healthy and active living, community and social engagement, youth development, and education. Molly serves as a co-chair for the Connecticut State Association’s Young Professional Network, the past chair of the NRPA Young Professional Network, and a member of the ACA New England Conference Committee. Before her tenure as Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of South Windsor, Molly accumulated over ten years of experience at the YMCA, where she served as Director of Youth, Teen, and Camp programs at various New England YMCAs. Molly holds a Bachelor's degree in Youth Development and a Master’s degree in Recreation Management from Springfield College.
Join us for the NHRPA Holiday social and Commercial Member networking. We will meet at Block Party Social located at 51 Zapora Dr, Hooksett, NH 03106 at 11am. Commercial members are invited to join us this year and are being offered a few moments to speak in front of the group to share information about the products and services they have available.
Registration fee includes one hour of Axe Throwing, Networking and Lunch. We will be ordering pizza and appetizers for the group (Veggie pizza available as well). If you would like to participate in the Yankee Swap, please bring a gift with a value of $10.
We hope to see many professional and commercial members at this year's HOLIDAY SOCIAL!
Join the NHRPA Executive Board for our Annual Meeting! Learn about association events and how you can get involved!
Meeting agenda and room location coming soon!
Please provide any content for the Winter NHRPA Rec Connect Newlsetter by Friday, January 16th!
Meeting agenda and zoom link coming soon.
"NHRPA " is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH 03301
