MERRELL ANNOUNCES NEW AWARD TO CELEBRATE INDUSTRY LEADERS IMPROVING THE OUTDOORS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY

In partnership with National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), annual winners will be recognized for achieving a positive or rewarding result through community and teamwork

ROCKFORD, Mich., Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Merrell®, the world's leading outdoor footwear brand, has collaborated with longstanding not-for-profit partner, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), to announce a first-of-its-kind, annual award – the Changing Nature of Work (CNoW) Award.

"Merrell exists to share the simple power of the outdoors with everyone," said Elizabeth Czachorski, brand marketing manager at Merrell. "This award, and our overall work with NRPA, helps to build awareness of disparities, advocate for more robust park and recreation systems and bolster the essential role of park and recreation professionals. Our award is another way we can recognize these professionals and the innovative work they are doing for their communities."

The new award honors an individual or team who has shown perseverance at work in the unexpected, ever-changing outdoors. The winner's work will demonstrate success in the changing nature of outdoor work that impacts the community, environment, or those around them including, but not limited to, persevering in nature disasters; promoting access to parks, shared-use paths and trails, or open spaces; or instituting strategies to enhance personal safety in areas surrounding parks, playground, or trails.

"We are excited to collaborate with our partners at Merrell on the Changing Nature of Work Award to recognize a park and recreation professional who is doing remarkable work in their community," said Kristine Stratton, NRPA President and CEO. "This award program not only celebrates a community hero, but it also brings to life a local project so that more people can experience the power of parks and recreation."

This is the first award presented by Merrell in partnership with NRPA. The awardee will be sponsored with Merrell gear for one year and will receive $10,000 toward the advancement of a project or effort. The nominee must be affiliated with a local park and recreation agency and be an NRPA member. Submissions will be accepted September 20 through October 21, 2022, with the winner announced at the end of November.

To receive updates on the nomination process, interested individuals are encouraged to submit their email here: https://bit.ly/3BPGGzg.

For more information on Merrell, please visit merrell.com. For more information on NRPA, please visit nrpa.org.

ABOUT MERRELL:
Merrell® exists to share the simple power of being outside and is committed to building an inclusive and sustainable environment for future generations to enjoy. As the global leader in outdoor active footwear with the Moab hiking boot and Jungle Moc, Merrell is focused on merging performance, styling, and comfort to empower all people to confidently explore the outdoors. Visit Merrell.com or follow us on social @Merrell. Merrell® is a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW), one of the world's leading marketers and licensors of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport, athletic, children's and uniform footwear and apparel.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION:
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org.  For digital access to NRPA's flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

SOURCE Merrell