King of the Hill ramp is just one of the agility pieces with today's selection of Dog Park Equipment

If you don't have a dog park with dog playground equipment in your neighborhood or multi-family community, you may want to organize a group and build one - for the benefits of both canines and owners.

Because here are some interesting statistics.

We all know that dogs benefit from having a designated space for them to play. They get out of the house. They can run around unleashed. And they can socialize with other dogs.

When you add in dog playground equipment, such as ramps, tunnels and hurdles, there are even more benefits. Dogs learn new tricks that stimulate them mentally. They interact with their owners, which they love to do. And they burn up all that pent-up energy from sitting indoors.

 

The giant "Sandi" Christmas Tree in West Palm Beach, Fl. The tree is made with 700 tons of sand as part of the "Holiday in Paradise" event produced by the West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation

Many people might have the misconception that Parks and Recreation Departments are mainly busy during the summer months.

They certainly are with local citizens flocking to parks to dine alfresco at picnic tables, play or watch baseball games, swim in a community pool or participate in an arts program at the rec center.

Here are the results of a recent survey on what people like to do at parks besides just sitting on a park bench

Why do people visit parks?

According to a recent survey by the National Recreation and Parks Association, there are several and they vary in scope by quite a bit.

In other words, there's more to parks than just sitting on a park bench.

For example, when posed this question: "What are the Key Reasons you go to parks?" here are some answers.

62% - said to be with family and friends

52% - to be physically active and exercise

50% - to be close to nature

36% - to experience adventure and excitement

16% - to learn a skill or craft

8% - to have someone take care of children (programs for kids)

As you can see, hanging out with family and friends is the top activity for park visitors. This certainly points

A family enjoys a walk in a park. Many people are choosing to #OptOutside on the day after Thanksgiving

If you go to the National Park Foundation website, you can find some interesting facts about Thanksgiving, including portions of Abraham Lincoln's letter proclaiming the holiday.

There's a fascinating story behind the history of this popular holiday.

For one, all Americans might not be celebrating this same day off every November if it weren't for a woman named Susan Josepha Hale.

Hale was a popular writer and editor in the 1800s. You might have heard of a nursery rhyme she wrote called, "Mary Had A Little Lamb." (By the way, her poem was the first words ever recorded on the first phonograph invented by Thomas Edison).

As

Doug Leen with two of his "Ranger Doug" national park posters

When Doug Leen was a park ranger for Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, an iconic poster from the past caught his eye.

Ever since then he has been on a mission, like an archaeologist of national parks, to find or create those missing park posters.

In fact, he refers to himself as "Ranger of the Lost Art."

Earlier in his life, before Doug became a dentist, he decided to spend a few years in the outdoors as a park ranger.

He worked at the spectacular Grand Teton National Park, America's equivalent of the Swiss Alps.

While involved in an annual cleanup, he came across an old, dusty poster for the park tucked away in the corner of a barn.

Something about that nostalgic poster of those majestic mountains struck a note with him.

Upon further research, he discovered the poster was one created by artists back in the 1930s as part of the Works Progress