U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Declaring Saturday, May 19 National Kids to Parks Day

Get Ready: Second Annual National Kids to Parks Day Celebrated Coast to Coast- Hawaii too- with Park Events and Family Fun

71,958 Pledge to Play at www.kidstoparks.org

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Senate today joined the Governors of Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington and 246 Mayors in 45 States and Washington D.C. in declaring this Saturday, May 19, National Kids to Parks Day.  Tens of thousands of children will head to park events (go to http://www.kidstoparks.org for event listings) across the United States for a day many are calling the first national 'play in.'

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120424/DC93647LOGO)

Senate Resolution 463 was introduced by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and co-sponsored by Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Senator Lisa Murkowski (R- AK) and Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).  "We are so pleased to have bi-partisan support for the Second Annual National Kids to Parks Day," said Bill Brownell, chair of the National Park Trust Board, the founding organization of National Kids to Parks Day. "This event will help remind families across America to engage our youth with the natural and historic treasures and the pure fun available in neighborhood, state and national parks as the summer season begins."

"As Colorado's senior senator, I continue to encourage today's kids to spend more time outside.  There's no better place than our national parks to connect kids to nature and to teach them about our unique culture and history," Udall said.  "National Kids to Parks Day is a great opportunity for parents to inspire active and healthy lifestyles, while building the next generation of American stewards to enjoy and protect our nation's special places."

National Kids to Parks Day has been endorsed by: Department of the Interior's Youth in the Great Outdoors; American Academy of Pediatrics; National Education Association; and the Western Governors' Association among many others. (www.kidstoparks.org for complete list)

"We hope families are able to come to a national park and enjoy time together on National Kids to Parks Day. Saturday is also the first day that active duty military families can pick up a free annual pass good for entrance to all 397 national parks," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. (http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm)

National Kids to Parks Day is the signature event of NPT's popular educational program Where's Buddy Bison Been?® Through its mascot Buddy Bison, NPT encourages children to "Explore outdoors, the parks are yours!" 

National Park Trust (www.parktrust.org) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow.

SOURCE National Park Trust