Time to Go Nuts for Squirrel Appreciation Week!

Get ready to go nuts! If you didn't know already, Friday, January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day and we love squirrels so much that we're celebrating all week long! It's the perfect time to learn about one of the world's cutest mammals and celebrate our favorite squirrel mascot, Parkson Rex! We'll be sharing some fun facts about squirrels as well as offering a chance to win a DPR Prize Pack with daily contests on our social media pages! Continue reading for more about the history of National Squirrel Appreciation Day and our mascot, Parkson Rex, as well as how you can enter to win a DPR Prize pack on this nutty day with us!

History of National Squirrel Appreciation Day

National Squirrel Appreciation Day was established in 2001 by Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitation specialist who desired to encourage positive attitudes and kind hearts toward these bushy-tailed, nut-loving creatures. While some might consider these tree climbing critters a nuisance, squirrels actually play a large role in the ecosystem. Ever see them burying a nut in the ground for future use? Eventually, you might notice a tree where the nut was buried - way to go Squirrels for contributing to renewing our forests! Learn more about the history of National Squirrel Appreciation Day.

About our Mascot, Parkson Rex

In July 2018, we welcomed Parkson Rex into the Durham Parks and Recreation family during our annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Our former mascots, Earl and Pearl, adopted Parkson after finding him in Durham's Carroll Street Park. Now he is taking over their legacy as DPR's mascot! Watch more of their story on our YouTube page. We've learned that Parkson loves food with nuts and his favorite color is green! His hobbies include climbing trees, playing in Durham parks, exercising at DPR recreation centers, and connecting the Durham community to wellness, the outdoors and lifelong learning. If you ever see him around the city, make sure to give him a hug, a high five, teach him a new dance move or share some exercise tips! And don't forget to make him laugh by sharing an "a-corny" joke. Read more about Parkson Rex on our website.

Join the Squirrel Appreciation Celebration (and enter to win a DPR Prize Pack)

We're couldn't just appreciate squirrels for one day...so we made it an all-week celebration honoring squirrels and here's how you can join in the fun with us:

• Starting Monday, January 17 through Friday, January 21, we will be posting one photo a day on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) of Parkson Rex hanging out at one of our recreation centers, facilities or parks! Share in the comments where you think he is and if you have the correct answer, you'll be entered to win a DPR Prize Pack. Each Prize pack includes a DPR water bottle, squirrel stuffed animal, sunglasses, color-changing cup and sunglasses, coloring book, gloves, hat, picnic basket and more! Winners will be randomly selected and announced daily and contacted through social media. Pickup will take place at the front desk of the Administration building. Good luck!

 Whether you participate or not, we hope you take some part of your week to honor this beloved creature. Some other ways you can celebrate include planning a visit to a local park to go squirrel watching, dancing to a song about squirrels, or learning more about squirrels from a book at your local library. And don't forget to tag us on social media @dprplaymore and use the hashtags #squirrelappreciationday and #parksonrex.