June 20, 2016
Bob Vogel, Regional Director
National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington D.C. 20242
Good Morning Mr. Vogel,
We haven’t had the chance to formally meet but I know we have a few things in common and to your point, if we have the opportunity to talk about it, we can do something wonderful.
We do work in a bureaucracy, but my personal goal is to make government work. And I think if we work hard enough and talk about what we have in common, we can do some really exciting things. — Bob Vogel, Regional Director, National Park Service (source)
Building a sense of community.
When you were announced as the new director of the National Park Service’s (NPS) National Capital Region, you said:
“As regional director, I look forward to building a sense of community, shared stewardship and responsiveness to those we serve throughout the region.”
Here at November Project, building a sense community is a keystone for which the entire organization is dependent upon. Every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you are likely to see more than 250+ yahoos hugging, high-fiving, and laughing all while getting in a challenging workout. The reason you see these people come out time and time again is because of the sense of community that has been established, fostered, and grown over the years.
Outdoor Recreation
The NPS mission includes, “The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.” This is another commonality shared between NPS and NP. Since the inception of the DC tribe, we have enjoyed the benefits of outdoor recreation by visiting and celebrating the majority of the parks and sites located in the DC area under NPS’ purview.
Challenging Traditions
For November Project, every day is about challenging some of the traditions that have been institutionalized in the fitness community. We push to make fitness accessible and free to people of all skills and sizes, to make real connections, and to embrace the diversity and availability of the different parks and locations within our city.
The NPS has also reached a moment where traditions need to be challenged, you said it yourself.
“It’s easy to think of Washington as formal, classical, and frankly, old fashioned,” said Bob Vogel, NPS’s National Capital Region director at the event. “While we’re proud of our traditions we also need to challenge ourselves to think creatively about the future,” Vogel added.
Why I’m here
The reason many of us are writing to you at this moment is because we’ve come to an impasse where current traditions, policies, and ways of doing things have dictated that things need to change. I’ve quoted you and the NPS throughout this to show how many things we do share. On this common ground, I believe that there is an opportunity to have a dynamic conversation that would allow November Project to continue functioning as intended.
I’ve been a part of November Project for two years now. In fact, one of my most memorable workouts was at Franklin Park, a park you helped restore. During this time, I’ve been able to get to a healthier point in my life, make new friends, and explore different parts of the city that I had never visited. If you haven’t experienced it yet, the camaraderie of coming to a Wednesday workout at the Lincoln Memorial is indescribable. It is challenging to think of what it would be like without the opportunity to run up the steps, get to the top, turn around and see two of the most beautiful things — an amazing sunrise, and 300 friends running up to join you. Mr. Vogel, I hope you consider what we have in common, our shared goals and reconsider NPS’s position, and most of all, I hope to see you at the top.
Thank you,
Dan
This letter is in response to concerns about the future of the tribe in DC as described in the following link: http://november-project.com/npxnps-dca/