Montgomery County Council proclaims July 2026 National Park and Recreation Month

The Montgomery County Council's Planning, Housing and Parks Committee on July 14 presented a proclamation recognizing July 2026 as National Park and Recreation Month and thanking the county's parks and recreation staff, volunteers and partner organizations.

The committee chair opened the event by recalling his own experience in Montgomery Parks and highlighting the role of volunteers and coaches. "I was thinking back to my time in Montgomery Parks and and Recreation, as a young person who benefited from so many of the programs," the chair said, calling out longtime volunteer coach Larry Klopek as an example of community support for youth programs.

The council president praised partnerships between the recreation department and local schools that have expanded youth opportunities. Speaking about a county-supported girls' flag-football initiative, the president said the program helped the first cohort of players develop a lasting interest in the sport and credited the department's vision for expanding opportunities beyond county borders.

Council member Will Giawanda thanked staff, trustees and volunteers and noted that public surveys routinely rank parks and schools among residents' top county attributes. "Number 2 thingtop two things people love about Montgomery County in surveys are schools and parks," Giawanda said, calling parks a primary way many residents interact with county government.

A director from the Recreation Department described the agency's scale and mission, noting the department employs nearly 200 full-time career staff and more than 2,500 part-time staff who provide camps, after-school programs, aquatics, adaptive recreation and senior services. "This is a full circle moment for me personally," the director said, adding that the proclamation uplifts staff and volunteers and recognizes their day-to-day work.

Mitty Figueredo, introduced at the event as the parks director, accepted the recognition on behalf of parks staff and the Parks Foundation. "I am very grateful to accept this recognition on behalf of the parks department," Figueredo said, thanking the Parks Foundation for advocacy and fundraising.

The proclamation text included specific findings and commitments: Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres across hundreds of parks, trails and historic sites and provides environmental education, adaptive recreation and volunteer opportunities; Montgomery County Recreation delivers year-round programs including summer camps, after-school services, fitness classes and senior programming; and initiatives such as free rec-fit memberships and Rec Assist work to remove financial barriers to participation.

The proclamation resolved that the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee and the full County Council recognize July 2026 as National Park and Recreation Month and encouraged residents to participate in county programs and outdoor spaces. The proclamation was presented on July 14, 2026.

The event included representatives from the Montgomery Parks Foundation, volunteers and community groups, and concluded with thanks to department staff and a reminder to use parks year-round.