Thank you for your interest in the #MyParkMyWhy campaign – an initiative that highlights the importance of parks and outdoor spaces in our daily lives and why they are special. We are encouraging people nationwide to post a #MyParkMyWhy video – to share their own park stories. We are also asking cities, towns, park and recreation departments, organizations, and others to join us in this celebration of the outdoors.
Ready to get started? Here is everything you need:
Starting April 1, invite YOUR community members to share their #MyParkMyWhy stories on their social media channels by recording a 30-second video that features a local park or outdoor space and why it is important. The key to success for this campaign is for each individual to tag at least 3 other people to create a video of their own and challenge them to share their #MyParkMyWhy story, and then for those people to challenge 3 more, and so on.
In addition to challenging your community members to participate, we are also asking YOU to challenge other cities, towns, departments, or organizations to get their communities involved.
Step #1
Identify who the right person in your agency is to record this video, a recognizable figure like a department director or mayor, and then record a video using the talking points below:
- What is your favorite park or outdoor space, and what does it mean to your city/department/organization?
- Why is outdoor recreation important now? In 2021? During COVID-19?
- Talk about a local park and why it matters to your community.
- Challenge the people in your community to film a video capturing their #MyParkMyWhy story.
Example VIDEO script:
Hi! This is [NAME] from the [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] and I am here at [PARK NAME] in [LOCATION]. We are joining the National Park Trust’s #MyParkMyWhy campaign because we are excited to share the special outdoor places that [LOCATION] has to offer! We think parks are important for all people to experience, and we challenge YOU, the residents of [LOCATION] to get out to your favorite park and share YOUR My Park My Why. Don’t forget to tag [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] and the National Park Trust, and to use the hashtag #MyParkMyWhy!
** Be sure to show the park in the background, and make it a recognizable place. If possible, wear merchandise showing off your logo!
Step #2
Identify 3 people and/or organization partners to challenge, and include language in your post, in addition to the video above, that encourages your audience and those 3 specific people/organizations to also post a video.
Example language to including in your POST with the video:
[NAME OF ORGANIZATION] is excited about joining the National Park Trust’s #MyParkMyWhy campaign because we are excited to share the awesome parks that [LOCATION] has and why we think parks are important for all people to experience. We challenge [NAMES OF 3 OR MORE SPECIFIC CHALLENGERS] to share their #MyParkMyWhy. #NationalParkTrust #KidsToParks
Step #3
Post both the video and your prepared post language, and be sure to tag us and your specific challenge recipients correctly. Share at a time when your social media is the most active! For tips on how to tag on different social platforms, CLICK HERE.
Use your logos and/or our logos in your video (your choice). click links below to download logos, #myparkmywhy graphics, and video overlays
- Click here to download the National Park Trust and Kids to Parks Day logos.
- Click here to download #MyParkMyWhy digital graphics in different fonts.
- Click here to download video overlays to add to your video file.
Click here for instructions on how to add the above graphics to your #MyParkMyWhy video.
Be sure to tag the location of your park or the town of your organization.
Please note: In your video, you are challenging your audience (general audience, residents, all your followers, etc). In the language of your post, you are challenging 3 specific people or agencies.
Examples
FOR MORE EXAMPLES: Search the hashtag #MyParkMyWhy on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, or visit our social channels to see which ones we have shared to date.
