March 22, 2006

PRESS CONTACT:

Sarah Melnitsky: smelnitsky@cronin-co.com

AnnMarie Kemp: akemp@cronin-co.com

Cronin and Company, Inc.

860-659-0514

PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR "THE GREAT PARK PURSUIT - THE CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS FAMILY ADVENTURE"

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking families from across the state to participate in "The Great Park Pursuit, The Connecticut State Parks Family Adventure," an eight-week game that will take participants on a tour of parks and forests where they will take part in activities and challenges for a chance to win prizes including outdoor equipment. The game is part of No Child Left Inside℠, a statewide initiative designed to raise awareness for state parks and forests and build enthusiasm for the outdoors among children. The game kicks off at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill on May 6.

"Our goal is to get more children and families to our state parks to enjoy the beauty, history, recreational and educational opportunities they offer, from hiking to biking to cross country skiing," says Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy. "What better way to do that than to invite them to participate in a fun game that will allow them to experience our state parks and forests and their many resources first hand."

The Great Park Pursuit will take Connecticut families on a journey to eight different state parks and forests over an eight-week period. At each location, teams will be asked to complete various activities such as a scavenger hunt, hike, fishing contest and more. At the end of each task, families will receive a clue to the following week's park or forest. Additional clues to the location will be available on the campaign web site, www.nochildleftinside.org.

Family teams will be awarded 10 points for each park where the required activity has been completed. In the event of a tie, all top point scorers will compete in a final park challenge to determine the winners, who will receive one of three grand prizes including mountain bikes, camping and ski equipment. Additional prizes, including gift cards, will be awarded to the remaining top teams.

Upon registering for "The Great Park Pursuit," families will be invited to create their own personal family page on the campaign web site where they can track their progress throughout the game and post photos and comments.

"We're looking forward to getting families out to the state parks and forests to make their own scientific and historical discoveries," says Commissioner McCarthy. "Residents and visitors of Connecticut need to experience our parks and forests in order to fully understand how wonderful they are. That's what we're looking to accomplish through the game, along with generating greater awareness for our entire park system."

To register for "The Great Park Pursuit" and for official rules and guidelines, visit www.nochildleftinside.org. Family teams must consist of at least one adult 18 years or older and one child under 18 years old. To participate in all game activities and, therefore, be eligible for the grand prize drawing, families must register by midnight on April 28.

No Child Left Inside was created by DEP to raise awareness for the recreational activities available at the state's 137 state parks and forests, attract families to the parks and build enthusiasm for the outdoors among children. "The Great Park Pursuit, The Connecticut State Parks Family Adventure" is being executed by DEP with support from the Friends of Connecticut State Parks, Connecticut Forest and Park Association and WFSB-TV/3.