Celebrate National Therapeautic Recreation Week & Promote Therapeautic Recreation Year Round!

The purpose of National Therapeutic Recreation Week is to enhance public awareness of therapeutic recreation programs and services, and expand recreation and leisure opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Therapeutic recreation uses treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life.

National Therapeutic Recreation Week, which was established by the National Therapeutic Recreation Society, has been celebrated during the second week of July every year since 1984. Each year, NTRS develops press releases, proclamations and program ideas to help agencies observe the celebration.

During the nationwide celebration, agencies and individuals host health fairs, career days, festivals, wheelchair athletic events, workshops, receptions, information booths and open houses. Proclamations, press releases, articles and public service announcements also help enhance awareness during National Therapeutic Recreation Week.

Here are some ways you can promote and celebrate therapeautic recreation year-round:

1. Have your local mayor/governor proclaim “National Therapeutic Recreation Week” July 9-15, 2006.

2. Organize a disability awareness event.
3. Organize a “Senior Olympics Day”: Have events such as speed walking, softball throw, golf putt, Frisbee toss, basketball shoot-out, playing cards toss.
4. Organize an intergenerational program for seniors & children such as story time, reading programs to encourage reading or other programs that might enhance academic performance.
5. Organize a presentation to co-workers on the benefits of Therapeutic Recreation.
6. Organize a community event with a basketball tournament or other sports event involving persons with disabilities.  
7. Organize a lip-sync contest involving participants; make it a rule that the songs must incorporate a leisure activity.
8. Organize an open house or workshop for health-care professionals in your area & have a therapeutic recreation theme.
9. Hold a workshop for coaches on inclusion & the benefits to youth sports for kids with disabilities.
10. Create a facts sheet on Therapeutic Recreation.
11. Organize a community “Buddy Walk” for person with disabilities & a community partner. Promote inclusion & health lifestyles.
12. Organize an event for persons who have benefited from therapeutic recreation come and share stories.
13. Promote mental health fitness through activities.
14. Organize a barrier fall day to promote removing barriers from people with disabilities from participating.
15. Organize a question & answer with government officials to educate them on Therapeutic Recreation.  
16. Create a “About Therapeutic Recreation” brochure to give to your doctor on your next visit to promote education and awareness.
17. Submit a press release on therapeutic recreation week to the local newspaper.
18. Invite news reporters & television news to one of the special events to promote & educate local community.
19. Speak at your next city council meeting about the accessibility needs of your community.
20. Write letters & visit local business about being accessible to persons with disabilities.  
21. Promote adapted equipment and explain simple modifications that can enhance accessibility within your community.
22. If you work in a facility catering to the disabled or elderly, develop a raised garden in your facility. Have the community/residents choose items to grow.
23. Partner with community mental health organizations to hold a leisure education month long class.
24. Have participants/residents write stories of how therapeutic recreation has made impacts on them. Get permission to post these and their pictures.   
25. Invite community parks and recreation staff to open discussion on inclusion and what it means.
26. Place the definition of therapeutic recreation on your e-mail signature as a way to market what therapeutic recreation is.   

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