Page 83 - Illinois Association of Park Districts Benefits of Membership 2017 - 2018

Public park agencies as providers
Most doctors, scientific and government organizations recommend regular physical activity and exercise. Physical education was once a mandate in public schools. But, in the face of budget and space constraints, many schools have chosen to eliminate this vital component from the curriculum. Without a scheduled exercise regimen, children have become increasingly sedentary, watching TV and playing video games. Watching TV now accounts for about half the leisure time of men, women and children in the U.S.11
Conclusion
Nearly all public park agencies provide recreational programming, organized sports activities and other fitness programs for children, adolescents and adults. Because it is central to the mission of public agencies to provide services to their residents at an affordable rate, these programs are tremendous resources to promote community-wide physical fitness and good health.
Everyone should engage in active recreation in order to control obesity and instill a healthy lifestyle. Members of the Illinois Association of Park Districts provide recreational opportunities in communities across Illinois at an affordable cost.
If we do not instill a commitment to exercise and regular physical activity, health issues and related health care costs will continue to climb. Workplace absenteeism will rise, causing lost productivity, wages and profits. School attendance rates will drop, resulting in lost educational opportunities for students and hardship for the schools themselves. It is the role of park districts and recreation agencies to work with parents, schools, health care providers, neighborhood groups and other community organizations to begin turning the tide and reversing the statistics on obesity.
ACTION
The Association will assist our agencies through grants to create programs that specifically address the obesity epidemic. The Power Play program provides a template for healthful beyond-school programming. The Association will also include articles in its statewide magazine and offer educational workshops.
11 U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey, 9/2005.
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