Board mentor relationships are about give and take

Many of the best commissioners got their start by a fellow board member taking the time to invite them to an IAPD seminar or a regional networking meeting. It's a fact. People are more likely to get involved if they are asked.

Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD Executive Director

This call to action is directed to commissioners who have been around for a while: Tell a board member from your agency or a neighboring district that you would be happy to accompany them at an IAPD function such as the upcoming Legislative Conference on April 23 and 24. It's fun to meet colleagues from other park districts and forest preserves. You can learn from them and make friends. Most importantly, you become a more informed commissioner and you feel more comfortable making decisions on important issues.

This "reaching out" is often called mentoring. And, ultimately, a good mentor relationship is all about give and take. You learn from a mentor and he or she learns from you.

Roger Florey was a mentor to many fellow board members during his 24 years as a commissioner for the Rolling Meadows Park District. And he continued this mentoring philosophy during his service on the board of directors for the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD). Among those he helped along is Pamela O. Newton, an IAPD vice president and a 10-year board member of the Lake County Forest Preserves.

"Roger lead by example," says Newton. "He didn't lead by words so much as by what he did. His leadership skills were his heart and enthusiasm and it was totally contagious."

Says Newton: "I believe I mentored Roger and I am certain that he mentored me. Mentoring is an equal opportunity relationship of learning and friendship.

Mentoring is an equal opportunity relationship of learning and friendship.

"For Roger and I it was life skill mentoring. Some people use the word coach. A 'life coach' makes sure that amidst the hustle and bustle of daily living and stress, we continue to develop our best qualities."

"As an elected official we all have the responsibility to reach out and to that level of service," says Newton. "When I see talent out in the community, I believe it's my responsibility to reach my hand and pull them up. Ask them 'have you considered serving on the park board on this committee?'

Newton is one of 19 directors on the IAPD board. Look on page four of the magazine to find an IAPD board listing and call someone from your area. There is a representative from every region of the state. They are your colleagues and they're ready to help you be a better board member.

April Issue: Benchmarking Here's what they're saying about Beyond the Board Room, IAPD's new bimonthly resource for board members: "Very good, down-to-earth information that I can really USE! I'm copying parts for all of the various boards I'm on. Thanks!" - Jim Ash, Clark Engineers, Inc. "This is exactly what we need to sustain board members' interest, educate them on the difference between policy and administration and at the same rime teach the basics of parliamentary procedure. I look forward to reading and distributing the next edition." — Bobbie Herakovich, General Manager, Champaign Park District

6     Illinois Parks and Recreation

BOARDMANSHIP INSIGHTS

Tribute To Roger Florey Presented January 25, 2002, at the IAPD/IPRA All Conference Luncheon and Awards Program by Dr. Ted Flickinger In our presence today are many remarkable individuals. Some you will meet later in the program. They are distinguished guests from across the country, outstanding legislators representing districts throughout Illinois, and your award-winning peers in the field of parks and recreation. But right now, I want to talk about one person...a commissioner...a great leader for his home community as well as his state association...a friend...and a truly remarkable man. As of two weeks ago, the president of the Illinois Association of Park Districts, Roger Florey, was planning to be on this platform today. Instead, Roger passed away on Monday, January 21, from his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loved ones. Roger was a commissioner for 25 years for the Rolling Meadows Park District. He was a strong advocate for parks and recreation in Illinois and in Washington, D.C. As IAPD president, he reached out to meet new board members and traveled to visit member agencies and educational programs. He knew how important it was to listen and learn from others. Roger was a well-known master gardener. Although he loved golf, gardening was his passion and favorite recreational pursuit. He planted everything—corn, beans, tomatoes, sunflowers—and many of us will never forget his hot, and I mean HOT, peppers! A gardener has a deep respect for nature. With that respect they learn to bend and be flexible. Every year is different. A gardener is an optimist. You believe something is going to happen when you plant a seed. Well, Roger has planted many seeds for the Illinois Association of Park Districts. He has encouraged so many board members along the way to get involved in advocacy at the local, state and national levels. Many of the events and achievements celebrated today and this weekend at our state conference have been nurtured along by the care and considerable efforts of the IAPD president, Roger Florey. Roger was, and will continue to be, an inspiration to all of us. He was not only a dreamer, but a doer as well. He will be greatly missed, but his spirit and love of the park and recreation movement will live on in each of us. If Roger were here today, he would say, "Okay, let's get on with the show!" • Roger Florey succumbed to cancer on Monday, January 21, 2002, at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Roger was active in parks and recreation for more than 30 years. He started as a volunteer coach for youth sports in Rolling Meadows and was elected to the board of commissioners of the Rolling Meadows Park District in 1977. He was considered the park district "historian" and a mentor for many fellow board members. Roger became active in the Illinois Association of Park Districts more than 10 years ago and served on many committees including chairing the Seminars Committee and co-chairing the Joint Conference Committee in 2000. He was elected to the IAPD board of directors in 1996 and became IAPD president in 2001. He served on the Great Lakes Regional Council and was elected to the Board of Trustees of the National Recreation and Park Association in 2001. Roger was a tireless advocate for parks and recreation in Illinois and in Washington, D.C. His tenure as IAPD president is marked by outreach to individual board members and considerable travel to member agencies and regional meetings for the association. He is survived by wife, Sharon, their two sons and two granddaughters. Roger will be gready missed by his family, those in his local community, the IAPD family and his many friends in the field of parks and recreation.

March/April 2002    7