A new complex in Buena Park, California, houses all community activities for senior citizens, including adult day care, nutrition programs, classrooms, meeting rooms, recreational activities, and a nurses' station. Community involvement in planning the facility and its programs is discussed. (PP)

Drowning prevention is a focus of safety professionals nationwide. Many local coalitions provide ongoing activities and can give advice on how to get started. The article describes different community drowning prevention programs, looks at various resources, and explains how to begin and maintain local drowning prevention programs. (SM)

Documented here is the story of how a small town's recreation department, faced with limited resources of its own, mobilized diverse members of the community to fill the gaps in its summer recreation program. New activities--free daily lunches, girls' softball, canoe lessons--were instituted, and a unique citizen partnership was forged. (Author/DS)

Examines the impact of the 1981 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines for playground safety. Although compliance with the guidelines has not stemmed the rising number of accidents, it has enhanced awareness. This article offers an action plan which all communities can use to help alleviate liability problems. (SM)

The park and recreation department of Kettering, Ohio has begun to promote volunteerism both as a way to involve citizens and as an effective way to make money. Benefits include positive attitudes toward programs, cost reductions, and the availability of persons with special, unique skills. (JN)

Managing the issues associated with gang activity is prioritized in Minneapolis parks. A strong commitment to interagency cooperation and teamwork has effectively addressed the root causes of gang formation and prevented some criminal behavior. The article examines public safety enforcement, summer programs for Minnesota youths, positive role…

This article relates the history of a successful campaign waged by concerned citizens in a community against the local planning commission to preserve an endangered portion of woodland. (JD)

The status of two of life's necessities, air and water, is of crucial importance to the future of American parks and recreation programs, and continued cooperation among federal, state, local and private sectors is necessary to preserve them. (JD)

Recreation leaders recommend reaching out to homeless individuals and providing programs that may help improve their health, bring them some fun and happiness, and boost their quality of life. The paper describes how one North Carolina county addressed the issue through recreation programs and other activities. (SM)

The effectiveness of any recreation and park organization depends upon the involvement, cooperation and work of many individual citizens and groups. (JD)

When community groups assume stewardship of underused properties and turn them into recreational spaces, park agencies can save money on overhead and construction. Three stewardship projects in New York State, involving a playing field, gardening areas, and a historical restoration, are described. Criteria for successful projects are included. (PP)