Portman, Udall Renew Bipartisan Kids to Parks Day Push

Press Release

U.S. Senate National Parks Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Chairman Mark Udall (D-Colo.) joined together this week to urge America's youth to live active lifestyles and to enjoy and protect our nation's special places by introducing a resolution to mark the fourth annual Kids to Parks Day.

Launched in 2011 with the National Park Trust, Kids to Parks Day has become the national kickoff to a summer of events at local, state and national parks. The U.S. Senate passed the resolution shortly after introduction.

"Ohio's national parks are a cherished resource, and I am proud to support the Kids to Parks Day Resolution encouraging our youth to experience these great treasures," Portman said. "I was fortunate enough to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park last year and learned about many wonderful park programs that were geared specifically towards kids."

"I helped launch the Kids to Parks initiative with my colleagues and the National Park Trust to get kids excited about being active and healthy outdoors and to inspire the next generation to become stewards of our nation's special places," Udall said. "Connecting with the outdoors is an excellent way to promote good physical and mental health and to support rural economies and Main Street businesses. Whether hiking, climbing, rafting or playing capture-the-flag, Kids to Parks Day kicks off a summer of activity that can inspire a lifetime of healthy habits."

"Kids to Parks Day was created in 2011 to engage kids with our country's diverse parks and public lands and water," said Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust. "Our goal is to get hundreds of thousands of kids and their families outdoors to discover, learn about and enjoy our nation's parks. We are delighted that Senator Mark Udall (Colorado) and Senator Rob Portman (Ohio) have co-sponsored a Senate resolution to promote and proclaim this nation-wide of play. We encourage families to visit kidstoparks.org where they will find more than 1,000 park events listed by state along with numerous free park resources."

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