October 8th & 9th, 2025

Killington Grand Resort Hotel

The Vermont Recreation and Parks Association (VRPA) and the Vermont Trails & Greenways Council (VTGC) are excited to host the 82nd Vermont Conference on Parks, Trails, and Recreation, Vermont's premier networking and skill-building event. We anticipate this year's conference could attract up to 200 volunteers and professional leaders, administrative staff, fundraisers, program directors, and field staff who manage municipal programs and facilities, run summer camps and pool programs, build and maintain trails, and improve access to recreation throughout Vermont.

THURSDAY THEME: 'Opening Access to Recreation'

In part thanks to the VOREC Community Grant Program, Thursday will have an Accessibility & Inclusivity theme, with one-third of the workshops dedicated to expanding access to recreation, parks, and trails for people of all abilities. There are many new and evolving programs doing important work to increase peoples' access to municipal recreation programs and Vermont's outdoor recreation resources. On Thursday, we will be celebrating and sharing this work. 

This two-day conference boasts over 27 educational sessions, networking events, an awards luncheon, and an exhibit hall. This is a don't miss annual event for parks and recreation professionals and service providers alike!

2024 Keynote Speaker:

Kelly Brush was born and raised in Charlotte, VT. She attended the Green Mountain Valley School in Waitsfield for high school before enrolling at Middlebury College. During her time at Middlebury, Kelly was an accomplished ski racer and a member of the alpine ski team. In February 2006, while racing for Middlebury, Kelly fell, striking a lift tower, sustaining a spinal cord injury (SCI) and leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. 

Determined not to let her SCI define her, Kelly went on to graduate from Middlebury in 2008, and completed graduate school at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2013, becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Kelly also started the Kelly Brush Foundation shortly after her injury to empower others with SCI to lead active and engaged lives through sport and recreation. The KBF is now a national leader in adaptive sports and recreation for the spinal cord injury community.

Today Kelly lives in Charlotte, VT with her husband and two daughters. She works as the founder of the Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF) and worked for 10 years as a pediatric nurse practitioner. And she is the ultimate weekend warrior, always finding a way to be outside and active with her family.