Each June since 1996, hundreds of leaders of America’s recreation community have gathered in Washington, D.C., to take part in meetings and events designed to:

Increase the visibility of outdoor recreation on the national policy-making level

Heighten the understanding and appreciation of recreation’s importance to the nation’s health, economy and quality of life

Provide an opportunity to highlight key recreation policy initiatives and programs

Recognize outstanding leadership on behalf of outdoor recreation

Support the efforts of the American Recreation Coalition

Participants include:

Corporate CEO’s

Volunteers for nonprofit organizations

Federal and state agency officials

Journalists

Elected officials

Recreation facility operators, drawn from across the nation

Topics of discussion range from the link between recreation and health to the need for increased public-land volunteerism, from partnerships and other tools to enhance recreation resources to building connections between urban children and the outdoors, from enhancing access to outdoor recreation opportunities to the designation of a nation commission on recreation policy.

Great Outdoor Week enjoys annual Presidential recognition through proclamations and messages and includes meetings with members of the President’s Cabinet and Members of Congress.

Among the week’s core events for 2008 are:

The 20th Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award presentation

The first-ever National Get Outdoors Day

A special screening of the PBS documentary"Where Do the Children Play?”

The presentation of ARC’s Legends Awards to federal agency officials

National awards by the Coalition for Recreational Trails

A special Recreation Exchange featuring U.S. Department of the Interior Chief of Staff Brian Waidmann

Numerous special events will be held, sponsored by many recreation organizations and coordinated by the American Recreation Coalition.

Great Outdoors Week 2008 Schedule