DEM will host the fourth event of the 2011 Rhode Island Great Outdoors Pursuit on Sunday, July 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in conjunction with Governor’s Bay Day at three locations: Colt State Park in Bristol, Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, and Brenton Point State Park in Newport.

The Pursuit event is open to the public and features a host of free activities. There is no cost to register and all activities are either free or low-cost. The general public who do not wish to register are also invited to participate in all activities. More information is available at http://www.riparks.com/RIOutdoorsPursuit/Home.html.

The Governor’s Offices will also offer a host of Bay Day activities at all three locations, and will include a neighborhood picnic, a touch tank with sea creatures, tours of the Rhode Island Emergency Management mobile command center, prize give-a-ways, and much more! More information on the Bay Day activities is available at http://riparks.com/GovernorsBayDay.htm.

The Rhode Island Great Outdoors Pursuit, co-sponsored by DEM and the Rhode Island Department of Health, aims to reconnect children and their families with nature and encourage more physical activity. Registration is free but is not required. Everyone, even if they don’t register, is welcome to come to the events and enjoy the fun. The Department emphasizes that although this is the 4th event, it is not too late to register as a team.

Teams visit up to seven different outdoor areas and earn points for each visit. The amount of points a team earns determines what prizes they are eligible for at the grand finale event which will be held on August 20. Generous grand prizes that are yet to be determined are donated by local retailers and sponsors. The full schedule and game rules are posted on the program website: www.riparks.com. So far this summer more than 1,900 people, who make up more than 460 teams, have participated in the Pursuit.

Support for the project comes from numerous game partners, including UnitedHealthCare, Blount Fine Foods, Walmart, Garelick Farms, Clivus New England, 93.3 Coast FM, Hasbro, Inc., Kids First, REI, Burlingame Corporation, Sunset Stables, Whole Foods Markets, Eastern Mountain Sports and O’Brien & Son, Inc.,

For more information, contact Terri Bisson at (401) 222-2776, ext. 4402 or email at terri.bisson@dem.ri.gov or Robert Paquette at (401) 222-2632 or email at Robert.paquette@dem.ri.gov.