Member News

Minnesota Recreation and Park Association calls for REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS from MRPA member agencies interested in hosting the 2025 Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon. The event is scheduled to be held from 9 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2026.

Proposals are due October 18. Click here for the proposal form and further details. Thank you!

Most Recent and Upcoming AGM and Awards Luncheon Events:

AGM and Awards Luncheon 2023 - Held Friday, January 12 in Maple Grove

AGM and Awards Luncheon 2024 - To Be Held Friday, January 10, 2025 in New Brighton

The MRPA Awards committee is calling for awards nominations for the 2024 Professional Awards. Nominations are due Friday, October 11 by 5 p.m.

Individuals who have made an impact to the Minnesota parks and recreation field can be nominated for any of the six award categories:

• Clifton E. French Distinguished Services Award
• Nelson-Niles Award
• Horizon Award
• Dr. Gerald B. Fitzgerald Leadership Award
• Legislative Award
• Park and Recreation Board/Commission Award

Nominating a colleague, co-worker, commissioner or deserving individual can be done in just a couple minutes! Just click here and fill out the form.

The professional award recipients will be honored during the MRPA Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon on Friday, January 10, 2025 at the New Brighton Community Center. For more information on the professional awards visit https://www.mnrpa.org/Award-Categories.

Thank you,

Awards Committee Co-Chairs

Sam Werle

Duluth Parks and Recreation

swerle@duluthmn.gov

JJ Williams

Washington County

jj.williams@co.washington.mn.us

Wednesday, October 16

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saint Peter Community Center
Saint Peter, MN 56082

This one-day workshop will present a five-stage framework to design and operationalize culture within any organization. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand what culture is and give clarity to all team members.
• Examine their own current organizational values/standards/pillars, etc.
• Determine the satisfaction of their current organizational values.
• Discuss visibility of current values and identify new areas of opportunity
• Design strategies to celebrate those living into the values.
• Discuss how values can impact the infrastructure of the organization.

About Annie:

Annie Frisoli, founder & CEO of Creating Community LLC and international facilitator and presenter within the park, recreation, and event profession has led numerous training and strategy sessions on topics related to leadership, culture, and team development.

Click here for the registration form

Click here to pay online

The Emerging Recreation Leaders Institute (ERLI) 2 will be held in the fall of 2024.  ERLI 2 is geared for parks and recreation professionals with more than eight years of experience.  The program is designed to provide information across the profession, while participants also build their professional network.

Five Sessions in the Fall of 2024
Beginning October 15

Click here for the registration form

Click here to pay online

Delegate Registrations NOW OPEN!

The conference delegate information and registration form is available in the MRPA Parks and Recreation magazine’s summer edition.

We look forward to seeing you September 24-27 at the MRPA Annual Conference in Mankato!

Click here for the conference brochure

Click here for the registration forms

Member Rate - register online

Non-Member Rate - register online

Maintenance Rodeo

Join us for the second annual MRPA Maintenance Rodeo. The maintenance education is on Wednesday, September 25. Registration for Thursday, September 26 includes: rodeo competition, lunch, and access to exhibit hall. Register for one or two days.

Click here for the registration form

Click here to register online

MRPA Exhibit Hall Information

The MRPA Annual Conference is a great place for your business to get recognized while helping provide an educational and inspirational event as a sponsor and/or exhibitor. 

Click here for the exhibit hall and sponsorship brochure

Click here to pay online

MRPA Lifeguard Competition

July 28, 2024

Apple Valley, MN

Click here to register a team for the competition

For more details, visit Minnesota Aquatics Network Lifeguard Competition | Facebook

The Park and Recreation Days with the Minnesota Twins in June, July and August schedule can be found here.

The 31^st Annual Minnesota USSSA Hall of Fame Benefit Golf Tournament will be held:

• Thursday, July 25
• 9 a.m. shotgun start
• Theodore Wirth Golf Course in Minneapolis

Click here for the informational packet, which includes the entry form and sponsorship form

Click here to register online

If you’re not a golfer, there are ways to be involved through a hole or merchandise sponsorship. This information is included on the sponsorship form. Interested in helping promote the golf tournament? Click here for the flyer.

We hope you’ll join us for a great summer day of golf and fun on July 25!

MRPA Aquatics Managers Bootcamp

May 22, 2024
4 - 5:30 p.m.
Shoreview Community Center

Click here for more information and the registration form

Click here to pay online

This training will be held June 5 - 6 in Wright County. The focus will be on building and maintaining natural surface trails both multipurpose and single track. There will be time in the field learning and implementing best practices on trail construction/maintenance. *Limited to the first 23 registrants.

Click here for the flyer

Click here to pay online