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No-fly advocacy? Some groups ground annual lobby days in D.C.

Local, more strategic events gain favoO'Hara (left) and Dykes The yearly fly-in to Washington, D.C., is an advocacy staple for hundreds of associations. But a few groups are upending this tradition, rethinking their lobby days or ending them altogether. The National Recreation and Park Association held its last fly-in in 2014. The spring event had once attracted more than 500 people, but that year only 125 NRPA members made the journey. "It was costing a lot of money … to put on this event for what we felt like were diminishing returns," said Kevin O'Hara, vice president of urban and government affairs. "We made the decision we need to look at what we feel our advocacy… Read More