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ACROSS THE BOARD Qualities — Not Age — Make Excellent Commissioners by Dr. Ted Flickinger, CLP IAPD Executive Director

I received my AARP card in the mail a few months ago, on the day I celebrated my 50th birthday.

In AARP's eyes, I am now considered a "senior," and a member of perhaps the most powerful nationwide lobbying force of the not-so-distant future. By the year 2015,77 million Baby Boomers will have received their AARP card and joined the ranks of those like me who are very interested in a high quality of life for our senior years.

As I enter my "senior years," I plan to improve my golf handicap, continue to travel, compete in the "Flickinger Olympics" — my family's form of weekend entertainment, including tennis, golf, bocce ball, billiards, water skiing and driving the 1930 Model "A" Ford. And I will probably stay active on a voluntary basis for local board service. Given average life expectancy and barring any serious health problems, I could continue doing these activities long past my 70th year. There are many seniors who have similar lifestyles.

From the IAPD membership, 22% of all board members/commissioners are age 55 and over, with the majority in the 35-44 range. Will there be more senior commissioners in the not-too-distant future?

Because you are senior in age does not mean you can no longer effectively contribute to society, although this disturbing attitude does exist. According to the IAPD Senior Services Survey (see article on p. 25), "senior volunteerism" will grow dramatically in the near future with seniors wanting more meaningful activities. The new senior (the newly retired and ages 65-74) is a gold mine for park districts. They are educated, they have time and money, and they want to do much more than sit around and play cards ... and THEY VOTE!

Private sector organizations, such as Chicago's Executive Service Corps. (ESC), has already tapped this rich resource. For 16 years, the ESC has been recruiting retirees and using their expertise and contacts to help nonprofit organizations and government agencies solve their problems. Its dominant form of consultation is in the development of boards of directors. The ESC understands that a good board member plays a major role in policy-making, and many are rich or have rich friends, adding favorably to fundraising as a board's top job. In 1992 alone, the organization says 400 of its consultants donated 56,000 hours to helping 320 organizations in the Chicago area.

Gathering data from all 50 states, in 1990 seniors contributed an estimated $36.6 billion in volunteer hours. (How was this dollar amount figured? In 1990, seniors volunteered an estimated 992 million days, generat-

6 • Illinois Parks & Recreation • November/December 1994

ing an estimated 3.6 billion hours of service. The Independent Sector places a per hour dollar value of $10.00 on volunteer activities.)

Seniors contribute heavily to building America. Volunteerism is vitally important to our growth and survival. Seniors make great volunteers. Age should not be a consideration when cultivating a good board member. Instead, look for the following characteristics:

* belief and interest in the agency's purposes, goals and objectives;

* willingness to give time and energy to learn and carry out board duties;

* ability to develop tact and to work with others;

* respect for varied opinions, points of view and backgrounds;

* willingness to make personal sacrifices such as time away from family and work;

* ability to inspire the community's confidence, respect and support;

* acceptance of board decisions;

* ability to participate in discussions with demonstrated reasoning, good judgement and the courage of personal convictions; and

* support of the chief executive in his or her role as manager of the agency.

Illinois Parks & Recreation • November/December 1994 • 7