PEOPLE AND PLACES
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Glenview Seniors Receive Governor's
Home Town Award
The Glenview Senior Club, a
sponsored organization of the<
Glenview Park District, received first place among 275
applicants in the Governor's
Home Town Award competition at a ceremony held in
Springfield on June 23. The
honor, administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs,
recognizes the contribution of volunteers to their communities. The
winners were commended by Gov. George Ryan who stated: "The giving
spirit of these volunteers is an inspiration to everyone in Illinois. In
dozens of cities across our state, we are seeing Illinois become a better place
to live, work and raise a family because of their efforts." (Pictured left to
right: Glenview Park District commissioner John Winand, Senior Center
director Joyce Pottinger and club member Jim Miliius.)
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Susan Balling |
NEDSRA Recognizes Its
Staff and Board
At its fifth annual "Reach for the Stars Night" recognition dinner, Northeast DuPage Special
Recreation Association (NEDSRA) recognized its staff
and board. Anniversary Awards were given to
NEDSRA's past chairman and retiring board of
trustee Edward "Corky" Jordan of Addison Park
District who received a 5-year award. NEDSRA
staff members also receiving recognition awards were
Jeff Grams of Wood Dale for 10 years of service and
Susan Balling of Lombard for 20 years of service.
Balling received a Resolution from the NEDSRA
Board of Trustees honoring her many contributions to
NEDSRA. Additionally, Jeena Greenwalt of Chicago was the recipient of the Director's
Award for reaching a high level of excellence in her responsibilities over
the past year as the Manager of Youth Group Services.
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Amy Rivas joined the Wheaton Park District as the human resources
supervisor. Previously, she was the human resource/safety coordinator at
the Wheeling Park District. Rivas will administer all employee benefit
programs and risk management functions for the district. She is a graduate
of Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in Recreation
Administration.
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Robert Dorneker was appointed superintendent of recreation for the Evanston Park and Recreation
Department. Since 1986, Dorneker has been
the Complex manager for Evanstons Robert Crown
Community Center and Ice Complex, which serves
tens of thousands of customers annually. As Complex manager, Mr. Dorneker supervised two ice rinks
with figure skating, hockey, speed skating and
broomball programs, plus preschool classes, basketball, martial arts, dance, an outdoor bike/skate
park, summer camps and a summer drop-in program for children. Dorneker
was appointed superintendent following a national recruitment effort.
He will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Evanston Recreation
Division, including four community centers, the lakefront, an adult
and a children's theatre, youth and adult sports and the Special Recreation
Program, which serves people with special needs. The Division has 90
year-round employees and 400-500 seasonal employees.
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Kathy Affatati has been named director of registration and customer service at the Northbrook
Park District. Along with her varied registration
responsibilities, Affatati plans to create a more uniform customer service policy at all park district
registration offices. She comes to the park district with
ten years of extensive customer service background
at the Glenview Park District. She also was a recent
owner/operator of the Pitts Family Restaurant in
Land 0 Lakes, Wise., where she practiced implementing a variety of customer service techniques.
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Susan Beal was hired as the accounts payable
supervisor for the Northbrook Park District. She is
joins the staff with 11 years of administrative and
accounting experience. She earned a bachelor of
science degree in hotel/restaurant management from
Iowa State University and worked for Marriott Corporation in Chicago for nine years. She also
received additional financial experience at Glenbrook
Hospital in Glenview, 111. Her new responsibilities
include overseeing accounts payable and capital
expenditure projects in Northbrook.
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David Anderson was hired by the St. Charles Park District as a restoration
ecologist, responsible for controlled burns, maintaining a valid
Illinois Pesticide License, seed preparation, applying herbicide to selectively
control invasive, non-native plants, assisting with cultivation of native
plants, and supervising part-time staff and volunteers. Anderson graduated
with a bachelors degree in biology from Aurora University. His
professional affiliations include the Nature Conservancy Volunteer
Network, West Chicago Prairie Stewardship Group, Bluff Spring Fen Volun-
September/October 1999 / 51
PEOPLE AND PLACES
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-In Memoriam-
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Roger W. Toohey
Roger W Toohey, a member of the Wheaton Park District board
of commissioners for ten years and president of the board from
1983 to 1985, died on
June 18. During his tenure, he negotiated the purchases of Arrowhead Golf
Club, Lincoln Marsh, and
the land from the Rice
Foundation where the Rice
Pool & Water Park and the
Community Center are located. Toohey was a member of the board of
directors of the Illinois Association of Park Districts from 1982 to
1987, serving as president of the board from 1985 to 1986. He
was a salesman for Revere Electric Supply Co. for 40 years and
was top salesman for the company for 20 of those years. Toohey
died after a three-year bout with kidney cancer.
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Dean Hampe
Dean Hampe, recreation supervisor for the Glen Ellyn Park
District, died on May 23 following a two-year battle with
kidney cancer. He began his 10 years working for the Glen Ellyn
Park District in 1989. During that time he developed several
youth athletic programs which have benefitted hundreds of
children. Hampe's love of children will be fondly remembered
for the many years he perfectly played the rosy-cheeked, jolly
Santa. He was a dedicated professional and will be missed by all.
Kristy Marie Burgener
Illinois parks and recreation lost one of its most promising
students and future practitioners when Kristy Marie Burgener, 21,
died on March 31,1999. She was diagnosed with kidney
cancer only three weeks earlier, after being hospitalized for
pneumonia. Burgener was a 1996 graduate of York High School and a
junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
majoring in Leisure Studies and vice president of Program
Development for Alpha Phi Sorority. Through her personal life, school,
and extracurricular involvement, Burgener was becoming a
successful young leisure professional. She worked as a camp
counselor at the Elmhurst Park District, where she would have been
summer camp director this year. Two scholarship funds are
being formed to honor Kristy's memory: St. Peter's United Church
of Christ, Elmhurst; and the Alpha Phi Foundation, Evanston.
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teers, Kane County Audubon and the Bluebird Recovery Program. In
fact, he successfully fledged 52 Eastern Bluebirds and 59 Tree Swallows
from the 37 Nest Boxes on his Bluebird Trails in 1998.
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Dori Napolitano joined WDSRA as a program
specialist after leaving her position as Recreation
Therapist at DuPage Convalescent Center. At
WDSRA Napolitano oversees pre-school, cultural
arts and after-school programs. Napolitano, a
Wheaton Central High School graduate, completed
her college education at Northern Illinois University in 1993. At NIU she earned her degree in
Human and Family Resources.
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Sharon Gedvilas joined the Western DuPage Special Recreation
Association (WDSRA) as director finance manager. Previously, she was the
director of finance for the Altenheim Nursing Home in Forest Park for
eight years. For WDSRA, she will develop the budget, oversee
investments, supervise payroll and develop financial policies.
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Lane B. Allen, AIA, was named senior
associate for Burnidge Cassel Associates, Inc., of Elgin.
Allen is responsible for architectural design, construction document and construction
administrative services. Lane is a founding member for Batavia
MainStreet, chairman for the Design Committee for Batavia MainStreet, and architect for the Facade
Program for the City of Batavia. He is chairperson
of the Government Affairs Committee for the
Northeast Illinois Chapter of the AIA. Allen's
particular interest in architecture is to enhance the overall quality of our
communities' sense of place by creating and preserving architecture which
responds to the Owner's programmatic needs as well as time and budgets
constraints. He has been with Burnidge Cassel Associates for four years
and has played a major role in many community-oriented projects.
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Tom Kalousek has been named director of the
Winnebago County Forest Preserve District.
Previously he was the deputy director of park services
at the Rockford Park District for 20 years. He gained
his early parks and recreation experience at the
Bensenville, Arlington Heights and Elmhurst park
districts. He also worked for the Elmhurst Park
District as landscape/horticulture specialist.
Kalousek is a member of NRPA, IPRA and serves as
chairman of the National Playground Safety Institute of NRPA.
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Becky Parkinson Newton has been named park supervisor of Chase
Park for the Chicago Park District. A graduate of the University of Illinois
with a degree in Leisure Studies, Newton will oversee a large facility that
52 / Illinois Parks and Recreation
PEOPLE AND PLACES
provides after-school programming, swimming, summer camps, leagues,
theatre, and fine arts. Newton was formerly a Physical Instructor for the
Chicago Park District and a Teen Supervisor for the Park Ridge Recreation
and Park District.
Tim McMahon has been named director of parks and recreation for the
Village of Lake in the Hills. Previously, he served as director of Alsip Park
District and with the U.S. Navy—Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Department in Long Beach, Cal. He also served on the board of directors
with the Southwest Special Recreation Association while in Alsip. He is a
graduate of California State University at Domiguez Hills with a bachelor's
degree in Business Administration.
Cheryl Crisman joins the staff at Plainfield Township Park District as
recreation supervisor for Special Events. Previously, she was the assistant
manager of Centre Court Athletic Club at Hanover Park Park District.
Crisman will be working to establish sponsorship and volunteer programs
for the district, as well as coordinating programs and special events. She
has earned a bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University in
Public Recreation and Psychology and a master s degree from Western
Illinois University in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration.
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Dan Kroger has joined the staff at me Glen Ellyn
Park District as recreation supervisor. He returns to
the Glen Ellyn Park District, where he completed
his internship, after working for the Tinley Park
Park District as an athletic supervisor. Kroger s responsibilities at Glen Ellyn include the supervision of adult leagues and youth athletic programs. He is
a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, earning a degree in Leisure Studies.
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Daniel R. Atilano, AIA, a senior associate-in-charge of recreation and municipal projects, was promoted to principal. Atilano's special areas of
expertise includes architectural programming, feasibility studies, space analysis studies,
master planning, referendum assistance and design. He is also
responsible for coordinating the firm's practice development and strategic plan.
Atilano is past president of the American Institute of Architects/Northeast Illinois
Chapter and the first recipient of the
chapter's Outstanding Young Architect in 1996. Prior to joining Burnidge
Cassell and Associates, Inc. in 1987, Atilano worked as a project architect
for an architecture firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His experience also
includes specializing as a facilities planner throughout the U.S. for
Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Indiana.
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These teens are friends of
the Itasca Park District
Itasca residents (from left to right) Drew Hafzold,
Jeff Reardon, Darcy Hatzold and Scott Presslak volunteer for Itasca Park Districts Summerfest.
These teenagers show their commitment to the Itasca Park
District by volunteering for a root beer stand that serves up
a frothy, homemade variety during the district 's
Summerfest celebration. Each has volunteered at the
district s Historical Depot Museum for more than three
years. There, they give tours and demonstrations to
children, help design exhibits and assist with special events.
Tell us about your friends.
People from all walks of life are making a difference in parks
and recreation. These "friends" make monetary contributions,
give their time to clean-up parks and forest preserves, teach
classes or coach sports teams. Friends of Illinois Parks is a new
nonprofit organization that strives to involve more citizens
statewide as friends in these ways and
others, such as legislative advocacy,
Tells us about friends of your park district
or forest preserve and we'll publicize them
in this space. Send a photo and caption to
Friends of Illinois Parks, 211 E. Monroe
Street, Springfield, IL 62701. To learn more
about Friends of Illinois Parks, call toll-free
1-877-523-4558.
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September/October 1999 /53
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Legislative Awareness Day Golf Outing -July 19
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Photo at left: Pictured here with
IAPD president Oscar Dahl (far
right), representatives from Hazel
Crest Park District enjoy a day of
golf with Rep. Art Turner. Photo at
right: Buffalo Grove Park District
board members and agency
director play a round with Sen.
Willam Palterson, and pose here
with IAPD president Oscar Dahl.
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The IAPD/IPRA Legislative Awareness Golf Outing Joint Legislative Committee thanks the
following hole sponsors for their support of the successful 1999 outing.
Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Cope & Bush, P.C.
Babbit Benefit Services
Barnardi Securities
Bilnic Corporation
Bond, Mork & Dickson
Brooks, Adams & Tarulis
CADRE Securities
Chapman and Cutler
DeKan Athletic Equipment Corporation
Everen Securities, Inc.
Frank, Miller, Melamed & Tabis, P.C.
Friedman & Holtz |
Gewalt Hamilton Associates, Inc.
Ha-Lo Creative Concepts in Marketing
Halogen Supply Co., Inc.
Harris Bank
Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn
IPARKS
Kubiesa, Spiroff, Gosselar & Pieper, P.C.
Mad Bomber Fireworks Products, Inc.
Moss and Bloomberg, Ltd.
Neopost
NuToys Leisure Products
Olson, Grabil & Hoffman |
Palatine Oil Co., Inc.
PDRMA
Pollock Hoizrichter Nicholas, Ltd.
Rainbow Farms Enterprises, Inc.
Record-A-Hit
Reese Recreation Products, Inc.
Selden, Fox & Associates, Ltd.
Sente & Rubel Architects
Speer Financial, Inc.
Williams Associates Architects
Wizdum Audio, Inc.
Zeanon
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Legislative Grants Assist
Arlington Heights PD
The Arlington Heights Park District recently received three grants from Governor George H. Ryan's
Illinois FIRST program: $100,000 for replacement playground equipment at LakeTerramere Park;
$70,000 for renovations to Patriots Park's soccer fields, and $500,000 to help fund work on the south
wing of the Administration Center for classroom space, meeting rooms and a staging area. At the
playground grant presentation, pictured left to right: Arlington Heights Park District commissioners
Kathryn Graham, Mike Gilfillan and Tom Drake; Rep. Sidney Mathias; commissioners Sandra Fernstrom and Robert Smith.
$500,000 Grant Funds
Glenview PD Senior Center
The Glenview Park District recently received a $500,000 grant from Governor George H. Ryan's
Illinois FIRST program. The grant will help fund the cost of building the senior center wing of Glenviev's
planned 164,00-square-foot community center. At the July 18 ground-breaking ceremony, pictured
left to right: Glenview Park District commissioner John Winand, State Senator Kathleen Parker,
Glenview Park District executive director Tom Richardson and State Representative Lauren Beth Gash.
September/October 1999/ 55
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Ryan Marks Park District Conservation
Day with Grants for Parks
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Governor George H. Ryan marked Park
District Conservation day at the Illinois
State Fair by awarding $464,000 in Illinois FIRST grants to park districts
throughout the state for the construction
of playgrounds, jogging paths, bike trails
and other projects that will improve recreational areas. |
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"Today, in a continuing commitment
of my administration, we are helping park
districts around the state with their plans
to improve the quality of life for their residents" Ryan said. "We are stewards of this
state and it's our job to make sure that
recreation areas and open space is protected for our children, grandchildren and their children."
"These Illinois FIRST grants will go a long way to help these park
districts meet the needs of their neighbors with bike paths, jogging trails
and playgrounds," the governor added.
The grants were awarded to five park districts in Chicago's suburbs and
on in the Peoria area. Ryan was aided in the presentation by officials from
the Illinois Association of Park Districts, the Illinois Park and Recreation
Association and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
1. The Alsip Park Dance Troupe
are adorable ambassadors for
parks and recreation; 2. IAPD
board member Jim Shook
(Round Lake Area Park District)
and his grandsons learn about
Illinois snakes from Glencoe Park
District's The Grove in Conservation World;3. Bolingbrook Park
Dancers (Bolingbrook Park
District) know all about show
manship.
1. Tinley Park District - $43,000 for a new, safer multi-level
playground for children at Pottawattomie Park to replace an old playground. This grant was an initiative of state Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orlando Park 2. Olympic Fields Park District - $53,000 to help
youth groups and sports clubs erect new flag poles at Sgt. Means Park and
Bicentennial Park. The funds will also allow the completion of a walking
and jogging path at Sgt. Means Park and the purchase of new computer
equipment. This grant was the initiative of state Rep. George Scully, D Park Forest.
3. Crete Park District - $25,000 to help complete the
3,300-foot western phase of the Crete Bike Trail project, a 10 foot-wide
trail that extends the current trail along woodlands and over Goose Creek.
This grant was the initiative of Scully 4. Memorial Park District $50,000 to help make playground improvements at two or three parks
within this system, which is located in Hillside. This grant is an initiative
of state Rep. Wanda Sharp, D-Maywood.
5. Deerfield Park District - $100,000 to help construct 2,269 feet of new noise abatement
walls along the Tri-State Tollway to help separate park lands from the noise
of the Tri-State and the Edens Spur Interchange. This grant was the
initiative of state Sen. Terry Link, D-Highwood. 6. Fon du LOC Park
District - $280,000 to build a new branch of the State Significant River
Trail of Illinois. The new 1.5-mile section of trail will link neighborhoods
in East Peoria with the existing system. This grant was the initiative of
state sen. George Shadid, D-Peoria.
Illinois FIRST is a five-year, $ 12 billion initiative passed by Ryan this
spring that is designed to clean, purchase and improve natural areas and
recreation parks, repair and construct roads and bridges, expand and
upgrade schools and improve water systems throughout the state.
56 / Illinois Parks and Recreation
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Photo Highlights from Our Day at
the State Fair - Aug. 21
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4. The dynamic Jesse White Tumblers blocked the street and knocked the socks off a large crowd of onlookers at the fair; 5. The Addison Park Dancers, pictured here with IPRA President-Elect
Liza McElroy and IAPD President Oscar Dahl, win the '50s-'60s contest;6. Two young ladies
from the Addison Park Dancers have fun at the fair; 7.
Secretary of State Jesse White and IPRA President Elect Liza McElroy support parks and recreation by
attending this special day; 8. The acclaimed Decatur Park
Singers entertain many, including the Governor and First
Lady Ryan; 9. Country Club Hills Park District Senior
Country Line Dancers end the day in style at the Lincoln
stage; 10. Volunteer Cynthia Capek of Des Plaines Park
District gives away a "Benefits of Parks & Recreation"
whiz ring to a fairgoer; 11. A volunteer from Decatur's
Scovill Zoo—one of four petting zoos with displays in
Conservation World—shows off a friendly gecko.
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September/October 1999 / 57
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Major League Baseball Diamond
Skills Winners
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Major League Baseball Diamond Skills Youth Program
offers boys and girls ages 7 to
14 the opportunity to hone
their skills in America's favorite
sport. Local competitions are
held around the state at park
district sites with winners
advancing to a championship
competition held at either
Wrigley Field or the White Sox
stadium. Illinois youths joined
410,000 participants in this nationwide program in 1999. For more information about Major League Baseball Diamond Skills, contact IPRA. Pictured here are two
groups of finalists. Photographs by Peter Graham, Berkley Park District. |
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58 / Illinois Parks and Recreation
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Awareness Days Promote Parks
and Recreation....and FUN FOR KIDS!
Parks and recreation "Awareness Days" are held throughout the summer at major and minor league baseball venues in Chicagoland.
Sponosored by the IAPD/IPRA Joint Public Awareness Committee, the days are designed to promote the field of parks and recreation
and offer kids from park district summer camp programs the opportunity to "play ball" on big-league ballfields, get player autographs
and enjoy a game. This year 7,508 kids and adults attended Awareness Days. For more information, contact IPRA. 1. Special recreation participants enjoy an outing at the Schaumburg Flyers on July 14; 2. Niles Park District, day campers show off autographed
baseball at "Park and Recreation Day" at the Kane County Cougars on July 6; 3. Joliet Park District camper Jessica Lesh earns first pitch honors at the Cook County Cheetahs game on June 22; 4. Glencoe Park District is represented by Maria Farlekas, singing the
national anthem at the July 20 Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field; 5. Coloma Township Park District day campers swarm the
autograph booth at the
Rockford Cubbies game on June 26; 6. Burbank Park District day
campers show off their autographed scorecards at the Cook County Cheetah's game on June
23; 7. Palatine Park District Children's Choir performs the national anthem for
thousand at Comiskey Park at the start of the July 29 Chicago White Sox game.
59 | Illinois Parks and Recreation
