Have You Been To Your Local Park This Summer?

Join the America Is Your Park Campaign This Summer!

Vote for Your Favorite Park from May 23 – July 15

Coca-Cola is calling everyone out to the park this summer to vote in the third-annual America Is Your Park campaign, and I was very excited when I received an email from BlogHer informing me that I would be taking part in the campaign. I am of the opinion that parks are a vital part of our communities, providing free spaces and opportunities for us to be active and enjoy the outdoors.

Sponsored by the Coca-Cola Live Positively initiative, this campaign is to promote American parks and encourage people around the country to make use of the national, state and local parks in their area. The Coca-Cola's America Is Your Park campaign is also a partnership with National Park Service to help parks receive grants provided by Coca-Cola Live Positively.

Coke will award recreation grants to the top three parks with the most votes - $100,000 for first place, $50,000 for second and $25,000 for third. Also, a $15,000 grant will be awarded, at random, to a lucky park that comes in 4th to 25th on the leader board by the end of the contest. Last year, park supporters cast more than 13 million votes for their favorite park to win money for improvements.

How it works:

• Visit livepostively.com/parks to vote

• Use the interactive map online to find your favorite park and vote for it

• Learn how you can use foursquare to help your park earn even more votes

• Spread the word by sharing the news that you voted via facebook and twitter

• Campaign for your park by downloading available tools

Being the outdoorsy type, I totally love the idea of the Coca-Cola Live Positively initiative, but initially, I was conflicted about which of the parks in my area I should vote for. Of my local parks included in the campaign, I have visited the Bellevue Botanical Garden and The Bellevue Downtown Park, and had great experiences each time.

The Botanical Garden is within close walking distance from us and we always use the opportunity when visiting to stroll and enjoy nature. The Botanical garden is a multifaceted experience for me, taking me back to my undergraduate days when I took several botany courses, and also giving me a great time with the new and wonderful displays and activities.

The Downtown Park is a bit further away but we have also walked there once or twice. Last summer, as part of the Bellevue Downtown Park movie on the lawn series, we caught up with Gnomeo and Juliet which we missed at the cinema. It was also at the Downtown Park that I saw my first fourth of July fireworks and the accompanying events.

So which did I vote for in the end? Didn't you guess already? I voted for The Bellevue Botanical Garden.

I feel it has a more community feel to it, and there's just that ambiance that calls me to return again and again. I also see that the Garden has a lot of improvement projects going on and it would be amazing if I could help them win money to put towards making the park even better.

You can also join me to vote for the Bellevue Botanical Garden at livepostively.com/parks. Thanks!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Only legal residents of the 50 U.S. (and D.C.) who are at least 13 years old and reside within the U.S. at the time of participation are eligible to vote for a Park. Participate on behalf of a Park by: July 15, 2012. The 3 most popular Parks will be offered a grant and there will be 1 Wild Card drawing at the end of the Contest to award an additional grant.  To participate, for Official Rules, and complete details including grant descriptions, visit www.LivePositively.com/parks.  Void where prohibited.