Top Awards for Budget

I am proud to announce that for the fourth year in a row the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has won the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. This award represents the highest honors in public sector budgeting, and is given by the Government Financial Officers Association (GFOA). When one applies for this award, a team of budget experts from around the country review the document and grade it. Most of the categories they look at really boil down to how transparent and understandable is the budget?

One of the reviewers commented this year:

"This is a fine, highly rated document with a relatively small budget and shows what can be done by a small, hard working staff with the goal of producing an Award-winning budget."

Our budget has become THE central document of our organization. We have worked to connect our budget and our strategic planning goals and express many of the measurable results we track in the budget.

In the spirit of financial tranparency we post both our budget and annual audit on-line:

NVRPA Budget:

http://www.nvrpa.org/uploads/Files/AdoptedBudget2012.pdf

NVRPA Audit:

http://www.nvrpa.org/uploads/Files/NVRPA%20CAFR.pdf

Our audit or CAFR has also won the top GFOA award for several years in a row.

I am extremely proud of our ace budge and finance team for winning these honors.

PTAs win big with Waterpark Shout Out Program

The academic year might be over, but thanks to a new program, area elementary kids will have a chance to help there schools out while having fun at their favorite waterparks this summer. That’s because the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is sponsoring a “School Shout Out” this summer at its five area waterparks!


It’s easy. At the admissions window as you buy your entry ticket, simply mention School Shout Out to the attendant, and let them know which elementary school you currently attend. Your submission will be added to the list of schools, and at the end of the summer, the school with the most Shout Outs at each of our five waterparks will receive a $300 check for its PTA program!

The Falls Church Patch reported on this program:
http://fallschurch.patch.com/articles/give-falls-church-elementary-pta-the-chance-to-win-hundreds#photo-6688267

We have already seen many messages from area PTA and kids getting into the spirit of the Shout Out program. Since each one of the five NVRPA Waterparks will have three winner, there is an opportunity for many area schools to take advantage of this.

NVRPA Waterparks include:

• Great Waves at Cameron Run - Alexandria
• Pirate's Cove at Pohick Bay - Lorton
• Upton Hill - Arlington
• Atlantis at Bull Run - Centreville
• Volcano Island at Algonkian - Sterling

Pirate's Cove

Get kids from your elementary school organized and tell the attendant at your area NVRPA Waterpark what school you are from as you enter the waterpark this summer.

Cameron Run



Upton Hill



Volcano Island



Atlantis

60 miles at 102 degrees!

My wife and I just finished a two day ride on the W&OD Trail. Yesterday it was 102, and today it only got up to 95. We drank a LOT of water and needed every drop of it. We covered 30 miles each day and had a great time. At the mid point in our get away, we stayed in a bed and breakfast in Leesburg, and soaked up the history and charm of the town.

I was struck by how friendly all the other trail users were. Today we had two conversations with other bikers as we cooled off. Each came from a very different background, but they were both charming and friendly and helpful people. Many other people, we said hello to along the way. It is a great community that uses this wonderful trail.

The W&OD Trail is an amazing resource stretching 45 miles from Shirlington to Purcellville.