Follow our lead into the future

by Ray Morrill and Don Jessen,
Conference Co-chairs

The 1991 Illinois Park and Recreation Conference brings us back to the Hyatt Regency O'Hare and will offer many exciting and rewarding experiences for commissioners and professionals. Follow our lead into the future by choosing from 92 education sessions and 19 workshops all designed to help you do a better job in the days, months and years ahead.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Jan. 10, through Saturday, Jan. 12,1991, for a conference which promises to be the best ever. The conference begins on Thursday with nine workshops ranging from Management Techniques and Effective Strategies to Reduce Stress and Tension, to Working With Difficult People, and much more. Workshops continue on Friday and Saturday offering numerous opportunities to earn CEU credits and to expand your horizons to the future.

Ninety-two education sessions are offered this year beginning on Friday morning and concluding Saturday afternoon. Topics will include varied subjects such as "Human Resources Management," "Leisure Trends For The Future," "Customer Services and Retention," "Long Range Planning at the Board Level," "IMRF: What's in Your Future," and many more quality educational programs.

The keynote speaker at the All-Conference luncheon on Friday will be Roger Crawford, II, an internationally-known motivational speaker. Crawford inspires his audiences to recognize and accept their challenges and then to stretch beyond their self-imposed limitations to achieve their dreams and goals in life. "There's nothing such as unrealistic goals, just limited imagination," says Crawford.

The exhibit hall will be brimming with the latest equipment, technology and services for the leisure profession. The Thursday night grand opening of the Exhibit Hall features food

Don Jessen, left, Ray Morrill and Officer Sandy Alien promote "Back To The Future,"
the IPRA Conference, which will be held Jan 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

and beverages and will stay open longer for those arriving late. It should also be noted that Thursday night will provide an excellent opportunity for front-line staff and guests to visit the exhibit hall, because this is the only time when an individual does not need a badge for admittance.

This year's Joint Conference Committee and Conference Committee have exhibited concern for the environment by printing the pre-conference brochure and conference brochure on recycled paper. The sign boards and name plates used in last year's conference have been recycled and are being used again this year. We also ask that delegates turn their plastic name tag holders in at the end of the conference so they can be used in 1992. Arrangements have been made to have "dropoff containers for this purpose.

And, last but not least, we hope to collect the empty cans which seem to accumulate throughout the hotel, especially at the various hospitality rooms. Let's all do our part to help the environment.

What would a conference be without taking time for fun? Plenty of fun times have been planned. The Thursday night social features Joe Cantafio and the Giant Killers, formerly the Jade 50s. Saturday night's theme is "Back To The Future" and features action galore. Dance to the Rockin' Roadster D.J. and Orchestra 33 Band, and choose from a wide selection of food entrees.

Plan to join us for an exciting, educational and entertaining 1991 Illinois Park and Recreation Conference. "Follow Our Lead Into The Future." and join your friends and colleagues in January at the Hyatt.