Here are a few suggestions the NTRS has to make the most out of your Therapeutic Recreation activities. What activities do you plan on participating in this week?
- Speak before your town board or city council about accessible recreation needs.
- Request to have your local leaders proclaim “National Therapeutic Recreation Week.”
- Plan a community disability awareness event.
- Organize an “Olympics Day”: Have events such as speed walking (or rolling), a softball throw, a golf putt, Frisbee toss, basketball shoot-out, playing card toss and other activities.
- Present to co-workers on the benefits of therapeutic recreation.
- Organize a team-based tournament event involving people with disabilities.
- Print up flyers and pamphlets with leisure education activities on them to hand out to co-workers and friends.
- Hold an open house and workshop on therapeutic recreation for local health care professionals.
- Organize a coaches’ seminar on recreational inclusion and the benefits of sports for youth with disabilities.
- Organize a community “Buddy Walk” for persons with disabilities and a community partner. Promote inclusion and health lifestyles.
- Organize an event for a panel discussion in which people who have benefited from therapeutic recreation may share their success stories.
- Organize a barrier-free day to promote the importance of removing barriers for people with disabilities from participating.
- Write a press release on National Therapeutic Recreation Week and submit to your local media.
- Invite equipment vendors to demonstrate adaptive recreation equipment (such as hand bikes and upper body exercisers) and ask them to help you explain simple modifications that can enhance a recreation program’s accessibility for everyone.
- Invite community parks and recreation staff to an open discussion on including people with disabilities in their program planning.