On March 13, all of us who care about Illinois parks, recreation and conservation lost a visionary leader and a friend. Robert W Rolek lost his life at age 54 while awaiting a liver transplant.

Many will recall Bob as a partner in the law firm of Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush, DiCianni & Rolek, EC. As a trusted attorney and a leading expert on park and recreation-related issues, Bob helped countless agencies with their questions about bonding, referendum issues, tax caps, land acquisition and all other matters that commissioners and administrators routinely face. His counsel was reliable and gracious.

Many park and recreation agency executives and commissioners learned their first lessons on the many legal issues surrounding local government administration from Bob. He often gave freely of his time to conduct workshops for the IAPD. He also was a driving force behind four editions of the Illinois Park District Law Handbook, an authoritative text, to be sure, and now a fine legacy to the two professions he loved: park administration and the law.

While serving as a park district administrator. Bob worked hard to earn his degree from John Marshall Law School. He also held a master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado in Boulder, with a specialization in land use planning.

After passing the bar, he could have pursued many lucrative career options. But the former executive director of the Round Lake Area Park District chose to serve as corporate legal counsel or co-counsel for many Illinois school districts, municipalities and park districts, including the Zion Park District, the Lindenhurst Park District, the Wildwood Park District, the Grandwood Park District, the Round Lake Area Park District, the Wauconda Park District, the Grayslake Park District, the Lake Bluff Park District and the Tinley Park-Park District, to name just a few.

He chaired the Local Government Section of the Lake County Bar Association, the Illinois Park Employees Health Network (IPEHN) and the Claims Committee of the Park District Risk Management Association (PDRMA). He served as a member and as president of the Lake Bluff School Board. He was an active member of the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. And, because he believed that parks and recreation should benefit all people, he worked tirelessly as a founding member of the Special Recreation Association of Round Lake, Lindenhurst and Zion.

His life was too short, but very full. Everyone in our profession owes him our thanks and gratitude. And we will surely miss him.

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Matthew L. Ellmann has been hired for the newly created position of superintendent of recreation at the Park District of Oak Park. Ellmann, a 22-year veteran of parks and recreation in Illinois, most recently held the position of executive director at the Park District of LaGrange. Prior to working for LaGrange, he was the first director of parks and recreation at the Warrenville Park District.

In Ellmann's new position, he will be responsible for a staff of four facility and program managers overseeing the operations of two outdoor pools, an ice rink complex, seven community centers, and over 3,000 recreation programs annually.

"We are thrilled to have a person of Matt's expertise and enthusiasm join our staff. The hiring of Matt Ellmann is a significant step at the district as we begin to implement a new service delivery model to meet the recreational needs of Oak Park residents," stated Gary Balling, executive director of the Park District of Oak Park.

Shannon Brett has also joined the district's staff. She has been named the new gymnastics coach at the Park District of Oak Park. Brett competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Central Bucks School of Gymnastics. She attended the University of Missouri on a full scholarship and graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology. She coached at the Tiger Academy of Gymnastics in Columbus, Missouri, where she was head coach of the competitive team for the 2003 season. Brett will be responsible for teaching preschool through team level courses at the district.

Jennifer LaFleur joined the district staff as the communications and marketing coordinator in November 2004. Lafleur is responsible for enhancing the operation and image of the district through the development of public information materials, print advertising, web design and a variety of special projects. The Pekin native is a recent University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana graduate with a bachelor's degree in communications. She was previously affiliated with the Oak Park YMCA and also established her own web design company.

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The Lake County Forest Preserve District named Andrew Kimmel as depute executive director in April.

Kimmel joined the Lake County Forest Preserves in 1990 as director of environmental education and public affairs. In that role, he oversaw creation of a comprehensive public information and marketing program and expansion of nature programming at forest preserves countywide. He played a lead role in several successful forest preserve referenda. From September 2003 to March 2005, he also served as acting director of cultural resources for the forest preserves.

Kimmel has 24 years of professional experience with conservation, parks and outdoor recreation agencies, having previously worked as assistant to the director of the MetroParks, serving Summit County in Akron, Ohio, and as communications coordinator for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. He has a Masters of Public Administration degree from Roosevelt University and a Bachelors of Science degree in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. He is an elected member of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and a Certified Park and Recreation Professional.

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Audrey Prazma, of Lombard, died of cancer on March 23, in Naperville. She and her husband, Charles Prazma, moved to York Center in 1959. In 1970, the Prazmas raised money to purchase green space and formed the York Center Park District in 1971. Charles Prazma was board president for 30 years and Audrey Prazma served on the park board as secretary for 34 years.

Audrey Prazma was active at all special events and was also worked with the Council of Catholic Women at Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church. Director of the York Center Park District Sharon Neubauer said, "Audrey was always concerned about other people. She would take the time to chat with anyone. She was very personable and devoted to the park district."

40 Illinois Parks and Recreation www.ILipra.org

The Genoa Township Park District has named Debbie Kraus as its new superintendent of recreation. Kraus has 20 years of experience in the field of parks and recreation. She has spent the last 15 years as the superintendent of recreation at the Belvidere Park District. She previously was a senior program director at Kanawha Valley YMCA in Charleston, West Virginia and a youth director at the Fond Du Lac YMCA in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in parks and recreation administration. At Belvidere, she oversaw a department budget that went from $250,000 to over $1.1 million during her tenure. She was also instrumental in helping with the development of Belvidere's new 25,000 square foot community center, River's Edge, and also the district's new 90-acre sports complex, Prairie Fields.

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Saturday, August 20 marks the 12 consecutive year that hundreds of thousands of fairgoers will discover the benefits of Illinois parks and recreation at the state's largest celebration of park districts, forest preserves, conservation and recreation agencies. And you can help.

Park District Conservation Day at the Illinois State Fair will start at 10:00 a.m., as park and recreation ambassadors dressed in Park District Conservation Day t-shirts greet fairgoers and remind them to check out the park and recreation entertainment and exhibits. They'll be distributing balloons and a Park District Conservation Day giveaway.

Venues throughout the fairgrounds will feature demonstrations of the many services and activities park and recreation agencies have to offer. The internationally known Jesse White Tumbling Team will perform at the Central Stage at the day's opening ceremonies. The Lincoln Stage is booked with the talents of park district singers, dancers and tumblers; swing bands; jazz bands; orchestras; theater groups and even the IPRA Teen Battle of the Bands. Park district zoos will exhibit snakes, lizards, giant hissing cockroaches and more at Conservation World. A Park Play Station, which features fun, hands-on activities from the Springfield Park District Funshop and Preschool in the Park, will be set up at the fairgrounds. And the Park District Conservation Day booth at the air conditioned Illinois Building will remind fairgoers how the Park District Youth License Plate supports park district youth programming in Illinois.

To help spread the word about the benefits of parks and recreation, call IAPD at (217) 523-4554 or visit ILparks.org for volunteer opportunities. You can also schedule performances for your agency's talented groups.

Volunteers and entertainers receive a Park District Conservation Day t-shirt and free parking and admission to the fair. The deadline for entertainers is May 30, and the deadline for volunteers is July 15. Hotel reservations may be made at the Springfield Hilton under the Park District Conservation Day room block. Call 1-800-445-8667 or (217) 789-1530 by August 5th to secure the $79 rate.

42 Illinois Parks and Recreation www.ILipra.org

The Glen Ellyn Park District hired two new recreation supervisors this spring.

Chris Evans is in charge of the soccer program, football, cheerleading, fitness classes and teen trips for the district. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 2000 with a degree in sport, health, leisure and physical studies with an emphasis in community and commercial recreation. He completed an internship with the Bloomingdale Park District before moving to his first full-time position at the North Berwyn Park District and then to the Rolling Meadows Park District.

Jeannie Robinson is responsible for various areas of recreation programming, including seniors, summer camps and after-school programs. She grew up in Akron, Ohio and attended Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, where she graduated in 1998 with a B.A. in sports management. She worked part time for the City of Akron Recreation Bureau for six years and full time for Akron General LifeStyles as an assistant manager of recreation for more than two years before moving to the Chicagoland area. In 2001, she became a recreation supervisor for the Bensenville Park District.

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Mindy Munn joined the Naperville Park District at the end of March as its business services director. She most recently served as the business services manager at the Elk Grove Park District in Elk Grove. Munn is in charge of the business, information systems and human resources departments. She is responsible for overseeing the district's budget. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and has a CPA.

Mark Campbell joined the Naperville Park District as its community development director at the end of February. He has held senior marketing roles in radio, public relations and advertising in Chicago and elsewhere. Campbell leads the district's efforts to generate alternative revenue, assure customer service and execute marketing. He is a graduate of Ohio University.

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