People and News

Recently, VERNON SAUNDEKS was appointed Director to the Glen Ellyn Park District. Mr. Saunders has come to the Park District from Sterling Heights, Michigan, where he was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the municipality. Manager of an Ice Arena-Health Club complex, employed with various Community-school Enrichment programs and Y.M.C.A. staff, all encompasses the professional experiences that Mr. Saunders brings with him to his new position.

Mr. Saunders received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and his graduate in Recreation and Parks Administration from Central Michigan University.

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JODI HOFFMAN is the newly appointed Recreation Supervisor for the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, Homewood, Illinois. She is a recent graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a B.S. Degree in Parks and Recreation Administration. Miss Hoffman's responsibilities include Preschool, Cultural programs, Day Camps and Special Events.

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The Arlington Heights Park District of Arlington Heights, Illinois, announces the appointments of two supervisors to the recreation staff.

SUSAN LUEDEKING recently received her master's degree in Park and Recreation Administration from Indiana University, and STEVE POHLMAN received his bachelor of science degree in Park and Recreation Administration from the University of Illinois, Champaign.

Ms. Luedeking has worked as a recreation leader for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Roselle, Illinois, recreation departments. Mr. Pohlman has been employed by the Des Plaines and Rockford, Illinois park districts before coming to Arlington Heights.

Both supervisors will have the responsibility of community parks, each serving populations of 12,000 complete with activity centers and outdoor swimming pool complexes.

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MISS LEOLA BASKIN, age 23, has been named to the post of Program Developer at Proctor Recreation Center, according to an announcement by Rhodell E. Owens, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Peoria Park District. In this new position she will assist Proctor Center manager, Tom Gordon, in the development of new recreational activities for youth and adults. Miss Baskin will also supervise many of the present programs including the Neve Harms Memorial Library at Proctor Center.

The position of Program Developer was made possible by a Manpower Planning Council grant from the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973, through the Department of Labor.

Miss Baskin is a native Peorian, graduate of Woodruff High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Library Science at Illinois State University.

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MISS JAN MERSMANN has recently joined the Des Plaines Park District staff in a newly established Recreation Supervisor Position. Her responsibilities will include all specialist activities, cultural arts, women's sports, and programming the soon to be completed Band Shell. She holds a B.S. in Recreation from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. Jan had previously worked at Schaumburg Park District for three summers where she held the position of Director of Public Relations which gave her valuable experience in the administrative responsibilities of park district work.

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FRANK BURGESS, who has been a member of the Geneva Park Board for 26 years, did not run for reelection this spring.

Mr. Burgess was elected to the original Township Park Board in April 1949. Along with G. Russell Stieninger, he was the driving force for the re-organization and the successful referendum for a General Park District on April 7, 1953. Mr. Burgess has been President of the Board since July 1959. During his term the district has shown a well balanced increase in land facilities and programs.

Although not serving with the Park District, Mr. Burgess is already heading up the Bi-Centennial program for Geneva.

Mr. Burgess will be missed but his leadership will be felt by the Park District for years to come.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 32 May/June, 1975

Alton Mayor Paul Lenz and Gordon F. Moore, M.D., Park Commission President, study Phase I plans for the new park.

Alton Receives Gift

The City of Alton, Illinois, was pleased to learn that Governor Dan Walker signed into law, a bill transferring free of charge 645 acres of Alton State Hospital land to the City of Alton for a park.

The Alton Park and Recreation Commissions have now approved a "Phase I" development plan for the new park. The plan includes 12 baseball softball diamonds, 6 soccer and football athletic fields, and a playground area, picnic facilities, concession stand, restrooms and an 18 acre lake.

Other long range developments planned for the park include a swimming pool, golf course, ice rink, tennis courts, and a children's petting zoo.

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BIKE SEMINAR A SUCCESS

The first statewide seminar to help park districts and recreation departments organize bicycle safety programs was held at the Glenview Naval Air Station in March by the office of the Secretary of State, Michael J. Hewlett.

The program was organized with cooperation of the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Society and with help from bicycle manufacturers, insurance companies, governmental agencies and service groups. Sixty-three park districts of Chicago and suburbs participated.

Additional Safety Seminars will be held throughout the state. Local park and recreation supervisors were briefed on bike safety problems, planning, safety programs and conducting skill tests and bike rodeos.

Participants set up a bicycle rodeo complete with bicycle skill courses and 16 boys and girls competed for prizes. The children were judged on their ability to mount and dismount, circle, change direction, control a straight line, weave, maneuver to avoid obstacles, stop in an emergency, turn in a short radius, and demonstrate balance at slow speed.

The Secretary of State is concerned with safety since, last year more than 400,000 persons were injured in bicycle accidents seriously enough to require hospital emergency room treatment.

The seminar was designed to help prepare local park officials to stage their own rodeos and safety programs.

For information on additional seminars contact: George O'Connell of the Secretary's office (312) 793-3161.

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Kewanee Park District honors former director of parks, Vernon Verstraete, with a recognition dinner. Mr. Verstraete is presently director at the Kankakee Valley Park District. (Left to right:) Webster D. Wiley, Pres., IAPD, Com'r., Kewanee; Nicholas Bernitt, Com'r., Kewanee; Mrs. Verstraete; Vernon Verstraete; Eugene Berghoff, Exec. Vice Pres., IAPD.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 33 May/June, 1975