The NDRPA State Conference will be held in Watford City Sept. 10-12. NDRPA is celebrating its 50th anniversary and invites North Dakota park and recreation professionals from across the state to participate in the spectacular celebration, educational sessions and networking opportunities.

Download the preliminary schedule for full session details.

REGISTRATION

Register online or, if you have a large group registration, submit the group registration form to the NDRPA office. The registration deadline is Aug. 23.

Please note: registration is open to government and nonprofit entities. Commercial organizations are invited to participate in the conference as exhibitors. Please see exhibitor information below.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SMALL PARK BOARDS

NDRPA is pleased to announce five conference registration scholarships are available to park board commissioners or staff from park districts that have up to 2 full-time, year-round staff. The scholarship is limited to two people per park district and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. If a park district submits more than two scholarship requests, additional requests will be placed on a waiting list to be awarded after Aug. 19.

To request a scholarship, contact the NDRPA office at 701-355-4458.

CONFERENCE LODGING

Room blocks have been reserved at Teddy’s Residential Suites and Little Missouri Inn & Suites in Watford City. All education sessions, the awards banquet and the exhibitor showcase will take place at the Rough Rider Center. To book, please call the hotels directly and reference group ID: NDRPA State Conference Block. Hotels and room rates:

Teddy’s Residential Suites, 701-842-6480 – $119/night

Little Missouri Inn & Suites, 701-842-6262 – $104/night

The room block deadline is Aug. 10.

EXHIBIT HALL

NDRPA invites you to exhibit at the conference. Each exhibit booth fee includes a full conference pass, including all meals for one exhibitor representative.  Additional exhibitor passes are $110 each.  Exhibit hall space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested in exhibiting, reserve your booth today!

EXHIBIT HALL DETAILS

Location:                   Rough Rider Center, 2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Watford City, ND 58854

Exhibit Set-up:          Tues., Sept. 10      8-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. CT

Exhibit Schedule:     Wed., Sept. 11     7 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. CT

Exhibit Tear-Down:   Wed., Sept. 11     3:30-5:00 p.m. CT

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Tim Eggebraaten, The Off Duty Chief

Tim knows the importance of paying attention to the rhythm of life. Having worked in law enforcement for 25 years, he is an expert at “working the beat,” and has learned through experience, the value of discovering the harmony in it all.

We all face challenges which create our own beat in life when balancing family, careers and struggling to find time for ourselves and our physical, mental and spiritual health. Prepare to be energized, inspired and entertained as “The Off Duty Chief” shares strategies and tactics for working YOUR BEAT!

A police officer since 1992, Tim Eggebraaten has had many different roles during his career with the Detroit Lakes, Minn. Police Department: Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) instructor, patrol sergeant, investigative sergeant, K-9 handler, and chief of police. Eggebraaten retired in November 2016 after 25 years in law enforcement and three years as a correctional officer in Clay County, Minn.

Brent Sanford, Sanford Consulting LLC, former ND Lt. Governor & Watford City Mayor

A Watford City native and third-generation business owner, Brent served as mayor of Watford City from 2010 to 2016. During his service as mayor, the city found itself in the middle of the Bakken Oil Boom. The large-scale development of horizontal drilling and fracking in the northwest corner of North Dakota brought historic growth to the area. Watford City chose to welcome the newcomers and build into a community of the size necessary to handle the new energy economy and its new workforce. Community infrastructure investments were required including parks and recreation facilities and services. To accomplish this within a 5-year window of time, it took tremendous collaboration and cooperation among local community leaders. Brent will share how the city navigated through this time of immense growth with the help of its partners.

Following his service as Watford City mayor Brent Sanford was selected as North Dakota’s 38th Lieutenant Governor in November 2016. After concluding his service as the lieutenant governor, Brent founded Sanford Consulting LLC and Sanford Ventures LLC. With his consulting firms he’s worked with Minnkota Power Cooperative on its Project Tundra — a venture to capture and store carbon beneath North Dakota soil — and with the North Dakota Petroleum Council to bring refugees from Ukraine to work in North Dakota.

TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTS

There are several opportunities to enjoy Watford City and its beautiful surroundings with the company of fellow professionals at the conference, including activities on Tuesday afternoon:

Participate in the golf tournament at Fox Hills, an 18-hole course that rides the rolling prairie hills into large greens that can be approached equally well through the air or under the wind along the ground.

Take a Bakken Discovery tour and check out all Watford City has to offer. Stops include Wild Cow Coffee & Cream, Stonehome Brewing Company, Veteran’s Park, and more!

Or explore the road less traveled with a hike into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s North Unit. Experience the rugged splendor of the park for yourself!

Tuesday night’s social and dinner will take place at Kent Pelton Nature Park.

RAFFLE ITEMS REQUESTED

This year’s conference will include a silent auction for NDRPA scholarships. Each park district is invited to donate an item for the auction valued at $50 or more.