July/August 1970

Mike is only four. You might say he is typical with a baseball cap and closely cropped hair. Sometimes he comes on too strong for the establishment. Kids have a way of saying it like it is...no camouflage or veneer.

This young man is one of the sizable entourage of youngsters who are in the niece and nephew category for Uncle Dave. Some call him Uncle Brigham since he is the oldest of the circle of the older generation curiosities. Daddy is a federal employee and mighty important. Mother is alright also. She does a little work on the side and cooks a pretty good meal.

But Daddy is the one. He may be a number on the government payroll or just one of 400,000 folks in the Washington arena. Then again, he is something special and Mike will tell you so if you ask him...or if you don't.

A recent copy of the Recreation Register came into the family circle. This was natural since the head of the house, in addition to running the agency to which he reports each morning, also belongs to a "recreation sumpin." I know because Mike told me.

So, the paper was passed around and scanned. There was talk of what the League is all about. Not very many seem to have the full picture and it was natural to turn to Uncle Dave as one who had lived with the situation for a couple of years. Of course he didn't know as much as Daddy but he might be able to tell us something. Four years old and bugging the dickens out of me! Oh boy!

In unity there is strength. I seemed to remember that from somewhere. This was a good place to begin and it could confuse and quiet a four-year old.

Wouldn't it be fine if all public servants were like Daddy and belonged to their own agency Recreation and Welfare Association, and these in turn all joined the League of Federal Recreation Associations? Now we would have 400,000 all working for the same thing and doing something about the many benefits which are waiting in the wings for such a group. Look at the purchasing power, the influence, the ability to bargain and the meaning such a unified voice could express. There is no limit if someone can just strike the right chord.

As if this were not enough to overwhelm bright-eyed Mike, there came urging to get down to cases, sort of a "what can this thing do for Daddy right now" type of explanation. As this one turned around to avoid being charred by the heat of the child's frankness, the nuts and bolts seemed to be dropping all around.

Yes, this has been a bad year for travel and the many who were expected to take advantage of good opportunities and discounts through the League have not been knocking down the doors. Money is tight and budgets are pinched. If the trip is over $300, it is just too much and there is not that kind of money running around loose.

The Buyer's Guides are out and there is another good reason to have Daddy in this thing called R&W. This is what we meant about the buying power of large numbers. And there were some tulip bulbs from Holland that Daddy could buy for a good price because he had his membership card.

There is no way to tell a four-year old about ways in which groups of Uncle Sam's people work with and find advantages in making or saving money through parking lots, cleaning facilities, barber shops, stationary and book stores, snack bars and cafeterias. He painting a guy into the corner with more questions about the time it takes to be a member of something. He thought he knew why some interest and dedicated service by a few hardy workers had breathed life into organizations that struggled to succeed and at time survive.

This matter of wanting to do for others and of feeling a responsibility caught the fancy of a young man. You don't have to be more than four to relate to that. So, the League does have responsibility and potential and we are going to hear more about it from Daddy. Right?...Right. came the answer.

Now it was time for a parent to respond and there was a picture at the top of the page for Mike to see. It should be obvious after this long talk about mice and men and recreation and things. The question came from a Mother who related well to the guy who has something to do with this League.

"Alright Mike, these are Executive Etchings and there is a man in the picture at the top of the page. Who is that man in the picture?" Mike loves Uncle Dave!

The answer was just what we all expected... "Don't worry, Mother, I know who that is alright... He's got problems! That's President Nixon."

David L. Brigham
Executive Director