H.C. "Chuck" Johnson, former executive director for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 32 years of public service by the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials. NACPRO is an affiliate of the National Association of Counties. Johnson retired in January after heading the Forest Preserve District since 1962. The award will be presented during the National Association of Counties Conference later this summer.

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The Downers Grove Park District is pleased to announce the selection of Kelly O'Rourke for the position of Recreation Supervisor. O'Rourke earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation Administration from Eastern Illinois University. She has worked part-time for the West Suburban Special Recreation Association and most recently worked as a Recreation Programmer for the Tinley Park District. Primary areas of responsibility include day camps, dance program/performances, concert series and special events.

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William C. Hopkins has retired as Elmhurst park District's Director of Business Services and Board Treasurer after 20 years of service. During his tenure, Hopkins' major accomplishments included: computerization of the District's accounting and financial reporting systems; leadership in arranging for issuance of $13,478,000 in department instruments to fund Courts Plus construction, land acquisition and various District capital projects; and establishment of investment programs which resulted in interest earnings of more than $3,400,000 which funded a number of projects at no cost to the taxpayers.

Hopkins is being replaced by Sandra J. Burk, formerly the Park District's Administrative Assistant and Office Manager. As Director of Business Services, she will administer, plan, organize and supervise all of the Park District's financial activities and serve as Treasurer for the Elmhurst Park District Board of Commissioners.

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The Peoria Park District recently honored employees, volunteers and trustees at their Annual Awards Dinner. Employees honored for 25 years of service were: Mike Donnelly, Foreman, Lakeview Park; Ralph Hatcher, Foreman, Maintenance and Repair; Beverly LaHue, Secretary of the Board of Trustees; and Dean York, Foreman, Forestry. Service awards were also presented to 25 employees representing 20,15, 10 and 5-year service categories.

Lou Basso was the recipient of the Landen Memorial Volunteer Service Award. The award honors individual who have voluntarily given their time, talent and skill assisting the Peoria Park District in the accomplishment of the District's goals.

Director Bonnie Noble was honored for 20 years of service, having been elected a trustee in 1973, elected President in 1979, and appointed Director in 1992.

Trustee Roger P. Allen was honored for his fifteen years as an elected Trustee. Allen is currently chair of the Finance Committee and the Park Board's representative to Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences. He has serve as Vice President since 1993.

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After seven years as a part-time employee, Kathi Wencewicz joins the Fox Valley Park District as a full-time Recreation Supervisor. In this new position, her primary responsibilities will be teen programming, special events and playground programs. Wencewicz is an Aurora resident and graduated with a BS in Recreation from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

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George Harnish, past president of the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, was presented with the Rockford Park District's Distinguished Service Award for his leadership and for providing educational and recreational opportunities for Rockford citizens. Hamish is an educator for the Creative and Performing Arts program at Auburn High School.

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The Nature Conservancy, an international non-profit conservation organization, has appointed Bruce W. Boyd to head its Illinois Field Office in Chicago. As state director, Boyd will oversee the Conservancy's Illinois program, which has protected over 57,000 public and private acres of natural areas since the Chapter's inception in 1957.

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46 * Illinois Parks & Recreation • May/June 1994

The Cook County Township Supervisor Association elected Robert A. Porter, Lemont Township Supervisor and director of the Lemont Park District, as their 1994-95 President. Porter has served as a Supervisor of Lemont Township for the past nine years. The twenty-six township supervisors meet monthly to share information and develop policy direction for townships of Cook County. Porter also serves as a board member of the Illinois Township Supervisors Association and recently published Illinois Township Supervisors Manual, now being used in all supervisor training programs.

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Kline Creek Farm Manager Chas Raleigh received the Malkovich Award for Young Museum Professionals for his contributions at the 1890s Kline Creek Farm living history museum near Winfield, a facility of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The award is given annually by the Association of Illinois Museums and Historical Societies honoring individuals under age 30 who are making outstanding contributions to the museum field.

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The Rockford Park District presented the IPRA/IAPD Community Service Award to Jim Keeling and Sunil Puri in recognition and appreciation of outstanding contributions and unselfish devotion for the advancement of parks, recreation and leisure in the community and the State of Illinois. The award recognizes the hundreds of hours put in over the past four years by the two friends in developing the Perryville plan for the eastern part of the Rockford urban area. It also recognizes their work in developing the 1.4-mile loop at Midway Village and Museum Center built with privately-raised funds and the current ISTEA project which will connect that loop to Rock Valley College.

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The Peoria Park District has announced the addition of Lisa Ullenius to their marketing division. Ullenius, a graduate of the University of Illinois, comes to the Park District from the advertising staff of a weekly Peoria paper. Her duties will include marketing and promotions for two of the District's five recreation divisions, as well as coordination of its program brochure.

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The University of Illinois Leisure Studies Department recently held its 28th Annual Awards

Banquet. The banquet was a celebration of the past, the future and the present.

Two new awards were presented this year. The Joseph J. Bannon Illinois Practitioner Award was presented to Steve Pohlman, Superintendent of Recreation and Facilities at the Wheeling Park District and current President of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association. Pohlman was recognized for his innovation in community service and support of the field of parks and recreation at the state and national levels.

The second award, the Mary and Duke Regnier Scholarship, was presented to Tara Tschetter, who is a junior in Leisure Studies.

Recipients of traditional awards were:

John Bruce Capel Award: Jeff Wait, a junior in Leisure Studies.

George Lowrey, Jr. Scholarship: Jennifer Georgas, a junior in Leisure Studies.

Graduate Student Award: Dan Yoder, a Ph.D. student in the Department.

Charles K. Brightbill Student Award: Lisa Werner, a senior in the Department.

Charles K. Brightbill Alumnus Award: Michael G. Wade, Professor and Director of the School of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies, University of Minnesota.

This year the Leisure Studies Department received a charter for Rho Phi Lambda, a recreation, parks and leisure honorary fraternity. Thirty-seven students were accepted into the fraternity.

Mail or fax your People in the News articles to:
Editor
Illinois Parks and Recreation
211 East Monroe Street
Springfield. IL 62701
Fax: (217)523-4273

Illinois Parks & Recreation • May/June 1994 • 47