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PEOPLE AND PLACES

Flying 4 Kids

In April the weather is just starting to warm up. The parks are starting to see a little post-winter action, and the wind is just right for kite flying!

On Saturday, April 23, IAPD is organizing a statewide kite fly to raise awareness of the Park District Youth License Plate. The plate features a colorful kite — a true symbol of youth. Twenty-five dollars from the sale of each plate lands in a special grant fund for youth programming at park and recreation agencies in Illinois.

"We want as many IAPD and IPRA members as possible participating in this event," says Ted Flickinger, Chief Executive Officer of IAPD. "The more Park District License Plates that are sold, the more funds available to IAPD and IPRA members."

IAPD will provide an event planning kit containing ideas on how to make your kite fly as easy as possible on staff and as enjoyable as possible for your residents. License plate brochures and signage will be sent to participating agencies as well. Contact Bobbie Jo Hill at IAPD at 217-523-4554 or bjhill@ilparks.org if you are interested in hosting a kite fly at your agency on April 23.

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New IPRA Logo Symbolizes Commitment to Member Service

The IPRA Board of Directors at its September meeting approved the design for a new logo. At its core are the notions of inclusion, technology, community (that of an association) and professionalism. The design was prepared by Hill Rawls Design Ink and represents a recommitment to professionalism and declaration of your association's mission.

For details of the logo's use and for electronic copies of the design, please contact Tom Ford at IPRA (Tom@il-ipra.org or 630-752-0141).

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Manning Tapped for Hall of Fame Honors

Brent Manning, the executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, will be inducted into the Illinois Conservation Foundation's Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame in February.

The foundation chose four individuals from among dozens of nominees for the honor. Hall of famers were selected based on their commitments to conservation, the protection of natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities.

According to Joel Brunsvold, the chairman of the foundation's board and the director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, "Each of us benefits every day from the effort invested and commitment shown to natural resources stewardship by these individuals."

Manning, who joined the forest preserve district in 2003, was director of the IDNR and its predecessor, the Illinois Department of Conservation, from 1991 to 2003. During that time, he oversaw more than 85,000 acres of land acquisition and spearheaded public ownership of the 19,000-acre Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the 15,600-acre Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area. He helped win legislative approval for the state habitat stamp, the Illinois environmental license plate and the Illinois Conservation Foundation. In addition, his commitment to education led to the Environmental and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education, which trains teachers and provides science and natural resources classroom materials.

The three others to be inducted into the Hall of Fame are:

• Kenneth V. Fiske of Woodstock, the founding executive director of the McHenry County Conservation District and a current board member of the Corporation for OpenLands. He is a former chairman of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission.

• The late Dr. W. D. Klimstra of Carbondale, who was the founding director of the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at Southern Illinois University—Carbondale.

• William L. Rutherford, Sr., a Peoria attorney who helped found the Forest Park Foundation. The foundation has acquired and donated land for local and state parks and natural areas, including thousands of acres to the Peoria, Pekin and Fondulac park districts in central Illinois.

40 - Illinois Parks and Recreation


Agencies Sought to Host Teen Battle of Bands


The lead singer of Grayslake teen band What Four rocks out at the Illinois State Fair
The long road to rock-and-roll stardom could begin at your park district.

On January 29 at 1:00 PM in the Wright Room of the Chicago Hyatt the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association Teen Committee will present an Illinois Teen Battle of the Bands session at the IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference that will show you how your agency can host a local or regional band competition. These contests will determine which bands get to vie for top honors at the 2005

Illinois State Teen Battle of the Bands at the Illinois State Fair next August.

The Teen Committee's first-ever battle reached its speaker blasting conclusion on August 21, when the Grayslake's own "What Four" walked off the state fair stage with top honors. As prizes, the group won an invitation to Gravity Studios and United Technique Studios. They also won the production of a music video with The Sterling Group and a showcase at the Wheaton Grand Theater.

For more information on the 2005 battle of the bands, contact LeeAnn Fisk with the Village of Orland Park Recreation and Parks Department at 708-403-7275.

The Park and Rec Top Ten:
2004 Illinois State Teen Battle of the Bands

1. What Four Grayslake
2. In Limbo Homer Glen
3. Royale with Cheese Elburn
4. Northern Exile Algonquin
5. Neophyte Standing Grant Park
6. DoWncall Barrington
7. Dr. Ed & Flu Shots Algonquin
8. Neutral State Chicago
9. Andrew & Zo Morton
10. Twisting Roses Algonquin

November/December 2004 - 41


Fare Thee Well


A member of the Jesse White Tumblers literally flips over Seemore the Eagle, the mascot of IAPD's Eagle Eye Program. The action took place as port of the opening ceremonies at Park District Conservation Day at the Illinois State Fair.

The weather was better than fair, the fare was delicious, and Illinois parks and recreation fared extremely well at the 2004 Park District Conservation Day at the Illinois State Fair!

Saturday, August 21st, hundreds of park district, forest preserve, conservation and recreation agency performers, volunteers and fairgoers converged on the state fairgrounds in celebration of Illinois parks and recreation. The Jesse White Tumbling Team amazed a spirited audience during the opening ceremony, which featured comments from dignitaries including Secretary of State Jesse White and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director Leslie Sgro.

Entertainers and exhibitors representing nearly 20 agencies were featured on the Illinois Building stage, Lincoln stage. Ethnic Village stage, X-Factory stage and in Conservation World. Representatives from Springfield Park District's Funshop and Preschool in the Park coordinated the Park

Play Station, a hands-on, fun, educational area where children made tie-dyed t-shirts, created nature bookmarks, molded scented play-dough and played a park and recreation game.

It's fair to say the day was a huge success!

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Assistant Ice Arena Manager Joins Winnetka Park District

The Winnetka Park District has hired Jason Schleinzer as assistant manager of the Winnetka Ice Arena. His duties include oversight of the ice arena staff and administration of the house league hockey program. He reports to Tom Gullen, superintendent of facilities for the Winnetka Park District.

"Jason has spent much of his life in an ice arena environment, both as a participant and as an employee, and he brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the job," says Gullen.

Before joining the Winnetka staff, Schleinzer was a recreation intern at the Lisle Park District as well as a facility supervisor at the Elmhurst YMCA, where he taught hockey and organized a house league hockey program from 2000 to 2004. For the last six years, Schleinzer has worked for the United Center in Chicago as a conversion specialist and hockey equipment handler for visiting NHL teams.

An athlete for most of his life, Schleinzer played high school hockey and golf, was a member of the golf team at College of DuPage, where he received his Associate of Science degree, and played on the club hockey team at Western Michigan University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in recreation management.

42 - Illinois Parks and Recreation


Lake County Forest Preserve Museum Remembers the Sweet Times

A new exhibit entitled "Sweetness: The Walter Payton Story" opened this October at the Lake County Discovery Museum at Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda and will run through mid-June. This first-ever museum exhibition about the life and achievements of Chicago football legend Walter Payton is presented by the museum and the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. "Sweetness" features sports memorabilia and Payton's personal mementos, including objects and images from his formative years in Mississippi and his time spent making football history with the Chicago Bears. Through an experiential and interactive journey, visitors will learn about the man, the legend and Lake County's place in sports history.

Professional photographers from around the nation share their best images of Walter Payton on and off the field in the accompanying exhibition, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Yards: Sports Photography of Walter Payton."

The Lake County Discovery Museum is located on Route 176 just west of Fairfield Road and east of Wauconda in Lakewood Forest Preserve. Gallery hours are Sunday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Waukegan Plans New Field House

After years of being forced to rely on local schools and an armory for indoor recreational space, the Waukegan Park District now plans its own field house, providing a centralized location for many park district programs and events.

The district will break ground next year on an $8 million, 70,000-square-foot field house, which will have six gymnasiums to house full-sized basketball/volleyball courts; an elevated walking/running track; a climbing wall; a fitness center with cardiovascular equipment, free weights and strength-training machines; locker rooms; an aerobics room; child-care facilities; multipurpose room; staff offices; a concession court featuring healthy food choices and even a blanch of the Waukegan Public Library.

The need for such a facility was identified more than a decade ago, and voters approved a hike in the district's corporate rate in 1997. "That rate increase is generating sufficient monies to pay off the construction bonds on the new field house," says Greg Petry, Waukegan Park District executive director.

The Waukegan Park District will break ground on the new facility as early as possible in 2005, with completion anticipated in spring 2006.

November/December 2004 - 43


Swinging for a Cause

The 17 organizations that sponsored holes played a big part in the success of the Seventh Annual ICF/IAPD Chicagoland Golf Benefit.

Over one hundred golfers and guests enjoyed a beautiful day on the links in support of the programs offered by the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Conservation Foundation. The Seventh Annual ICF/IAPD Chicagoland Golf Benefit took place at Arrowhead Golf Course on September 13, hosted by the Wheaton Park District.

This year's breakfast sponsor was V3 Companies of Woodridge, Illinois. Attendees were treated to a hearty, country-style breakfast cooked by the talented staff of the park district under the watchful eye of chief chef, Ray Morrill. IAPD and the foundation are especially grateful to the 17 hole sponsors for their generous support of the outing. A special thanks is extended to the 37 agencies and organizations for their donations of door prizes for the reception. Competition prizes were also awarded for closest to the pin, longest drive, longest putt and winners of the three flights of play.

The event closed with an afternoon reception featuring the fine cuisine offered by the district staff and chef Morrill. Check the IAPD our web site, www.ILparks.org, to view some of the pictures taken at the outing.

You are invited to tee it up next year at the Eighth Annual ICF/IAPD Chicagoland Golf Benefit tentatively scheduled for September 21, 2005 at Winnetka Park District's golf course. For more information, contact Jess Hansen at the ICF, or Sue Beard at 630/752-0141 ext. 132 or John Comerio at IAPD 217/523-4554.

IPRA Announces Newly Certified Professionals

Jennifer Black, APRP, Byron Park District
Wendy Craven, CPRP, WDSRA
Holly Franz, CPRP, Waukegan Park District
Joyce Frye, APRP, Byron Park District
Julie Johnson, CPRP, Crown Point Parks and Recreation Dept., IN
Dorene Mohler, APRP, River Valley SRA
Angie Nieporte, CPRP, Northfield Park District
Holly Specht, CPRP, Wilmette Park District
Robert Strickler, APRP, Darien Park District
Cindy Zaban, CPRP, Wilmette Park District

44 - Illinois Parks and Recreation


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