Write a Proclamation About Play!
A proclamation — a simple public address, in essence—does not require a vote and is signed by only one person, usually the mayor. The process to approve a proclamation is easier than you might think and an excellent tool to take your advocacy campaign to the next level! Here’s how you go about creating and securing a proclamation about play.
Send a formal letter to the mayor’s office asking if he or she would be interested in signing a proclamation for an Official Play Day, thus demonstrating the commitment and support that city officials have in ensuring the healthy development of all children. (View a sample letter.) If you are finding roadblocks in the mayor’s office, building a relationship with the chief of staff or director of Parks and Recreation could help you have an ally within the government who can advocate on your behalf. And if all else fails, make getting the proclamation declared a classroom trip!
Have a grade school class head to city hall — obviously supervised by caring adults within your committee — and ask for the proclamation! This is a great way to expose children to government processes as well.
The letter you send must contain the following:
- Your formal request for consideration of DAY and DATE as a Play Day.
- The date you need the request for the proclamation approved. Make sure you give a lead time of at least eight weeks and then follow up at least weekly.
- Daytime contact information—name and phone number—for the point person within your play committee who is responsible for the proclamation.
- Provide information about what your play committee has achieved thus far — events, growth, media attention, etc.—and how you see your group growing as the town/city has its awareness raised about play. Note: This should be NO MORE than one to two sentences about the activities you have accomplished so far, giving reason(s) why the mayor should support your request.
- The draft of the proclamation you are proposing (see an example) that is NO MORE than four paragraphs long with each paragraph composed of NO MORE than four typed lines.
- Indicate whether the proclamation, once reviewed, will be picked up or mailed. If the proclamation is to be mailed, indicate the name and address to whom it should be mailed.
Follow up with the mayor’s office after you have submitted the above items.
If your proclamation is approved, you will receive written or phone notification from the mayor’s office. Note: If you want to receive this information by mail, ensure you indicate that and include your mailing address.
If you would like the mayor to participate in a post-proclamation approval ceremony or event, send a formal invitation with all of your event details. If the mayor agrees to participate, be sure to alert the media and invite partners and community leaders to the signing.
"A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child in him."
– Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet, 1904–1973