Sample Press Release

For Immediate Release
August 18, 2007

Contact:
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(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Mayor Appoints Youth to Play Commission

Vienna, Fla. – Mayor Bonds appointed Javier Martinez, age 12, and Lillian Chavez, age 17, to the city’s Play Commission, demonstrating the importance of youth voice in creating an agenda for play. These appointments come at a time when the city is restructuring its recreation programs and services to provide more unstructured play. The Play Commission was one of five commitments the city fulfilled to become nationally recognized as a Playful City USA community in 2007. The Play Commission represents a public-private partnership between the city and its citizens to ensure all children have great and accessible place to play.

“In helping serve youth, the commission realized it needed to know better today’s youth; bringing Javier and Lillian’s voices to the table, who have five years of experience playing outside in Southside neighborhoods, is a major asset when revamping recreational activities for the community,” said Mayor Bonds.

The youth members were selected based on Playmaker—play advocate—qualities: imagination, motivation, playfulness, and leadership skills. The term ‘Playmaker’ and definition were adopted from KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. This is the same organization that honored Vienna with the Playful City USA recognition in 2007.

Youth Play Commissioners, alongside other Commission members, will be responsible for creating an action plan for play that includes providing unstructured play activities to area children and helping to fundraise and design a tree house, a toddler playground, a skatepark, and water slide.

“On my block, I am known as being the most random and active kid. There isn’t much for us to do here, but that has never stopped us from having a good time and creating games from thin air,” said Martinez. “Hopefully, I will be able to bring some fun into this ‘play’ commission.”

At city hall, Martinez and Chavez were presented with a resolution that listed their one-year term on the Play Commission.

For further information, please visit the parks and recreation department website at yourcitypark@city.us. The site offers in-depth information about the KaBOOM! Playmaker Network and the department’s action plan for play.

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