LIFE. BE IN IT. super day extended into a super weekend as special events exploded all over the state June 3-5. Illinoisans were able to select from a variety of activities through planning by individual agencies, recreation departments, park districts, forest preserves and conservation districts.

The LIFE. BE IN IT. super weekend had its official kickoff at the Governor's mansion on May 24 when park and recreation agency professionals, board members, and legislators met for the festivities.

The June 3-5 events were as diverse as the agencies and their personnel. For instance, Alsip Park District sponsored a sand sculpture contest. The Park District of Highland Park hosted a six-legged race involving owner and dog. Bloomington Park and Recreation Department hosted a Triathalon featuring running, hiking and innertubing. Sterling Park District held a 10 K race; and Springfield Recreation Department and Peoria Park District promoted family picnics. In addition, over 40 park and recreation agencies held balloon launches on June 4.

So many agencies participated that to list them all here and now would be impossible. The IPR magazine plans continued coverage of agency success stories. Please send your super weekend descriptions, news clippings and pictures (black and white) to the Editor, IPR magazine, c/o IAPD, 217 East Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62701.

So far, news coverage of the LIFE. BE IN IT. weekend has been excellent. The very incomplete listing includes Channel 17, Decatur, coverage of the reception in the Governor's mansion; Channel 9, Chicago, coverage of the Country Side Recreation's float in the LaGrange Pet Parade; a WBBM, Chicago, radio interview; and articles in the Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Suburban Trib, The Zion-Benton News, The Daily Herald in suburban metro area. The Highland Park Mail Advertiser, the Highland Park News, and Pioneer Press. Dr. Morgan Powell, IAPD President and Commissioner and Champaign Park District Director Robert Toalson were interviewed by Channel 3 TV (CBS) for a half-hour program on LIFE. BE IN IT. in Champaign. During a radio interview, IPRA's membership services director, Lydia Lombardo, offered the free LIFE. BE IN IT. special events booklet to Illinois residents. Over 55 phone calls requesting the booklet were received following the broadcast. This proves the public will respond to this activities brochure promoting agency special events and tourism in Illinois. The Joint Public Awareness Committee (JPAC) encourages all agencies to offer the booklet locally through news releases and public service announcements. Since each agency has a good amount on hand, JPAC also urges they be prominently displayed at various facilities.

The booklet was produced through a grant received from the Department of Commerce & Community Affairs.

The Joint Public Awareness Committee feels the LI FE. BE IN IT. campaign has really zoomed off the ground. The media is now calling IPRA and IAPD for recreational information, and the LIFE. BE IN IT. clips showing the cartoon characters in action are hitting the TV screens.

Now is the time to accelerate efforts and to keep pushing LIFE. BE IN IT. If all agencies respond and continue highlighting the theme in publications and events, LIFE. BE IN IT. could well become a household phrase in Illinois.

Oak Park Celebrates LIFE. BE IN IT.

Parks & Recreation of Oak Park celebrated LIFE. BE IN IT. Sunday, June 5, in conjunction with the Village of Oak Brook's observance of "A Day In Our Village." Among the ac-

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Five hundred LIFE. BE IN IT. balloons were launched at the Park District of Forest Park "balloon blast "June 4 in observance of the kickoff of LIFE. BE IN IT. in Illinois. David Novack, Recreation Director, said replies to messages on the balloons came from as far away as Fresno, Ohio.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 July/August 1983

OAK PARK (Cont.)

tivities of the day were a stage show featuring the Jim Gilleran show, family games, the Jesse White Tumblers, and the Crickle, a show with a British flavor.

A cabaret stage show, presented at another location at the same time, featured local talent, clogging with Rebecca Gilleran, the Senior Singers, and an open mike. Free swimming at the Ridgeland Common swimming pool and outdoor basketball also were provided. LIFE. BE IN IT. balloons, pens, bumper stickers and buttons were given away.

They Start 'Em Out Young At Urbana Park District!

Local hospitals cooperated in the distribution of "Future Participant" infant T-shirts to newborn Urbana residents as part of the Urbana Park District's "Life. Be in it" campaign.

Appropriately, the first recipient of the infant T-shirt was the newborn daughter of the District's Superintendent of Recreation, Bobbie Herakovich.

The seven pound eight ounce Megan Jessica, pictured here with her mother, was born June 7 at 6:15 a.m. "That's what we call strategic programming and service beyond the call of duty by a dedicated recreator!" commented Robin Hall, UPD Director of Parks and Recreation.

USFL Joins Campaign To Encourage Activity, Fitness

Norm, "the all-around American sportsman." and the rest of the Life. Be in it. family - cartoon characters that entice Americans to become more active — will sparkle across television screens as the United States Football League becomes a full partner in one of the country's most innovative public service campaigns.

Life. Be in it., the public awareness campaign of the National Recreation and Park Association, induces Americans to seek out refreshing and challenging recreation for their mental and physical health.

Imported from Australia more than five years ago. Life. Be in it. is available to the nation's 4,300 local public park and recreation agencies to promote a zestful approach to life and teach Americans healthier life-styles.

Now, the USFL will join the Life. Be in it. campaign in the league's 12 franchise cities. Life. Be in it. public service announcements will appear during USFL games on the ABC Network and on ESPN-TV, a cable television network.

Local Agencies Benefit From Superun Event

The National Recreation and Park Association joined private industry June 4 to bring a unique recreation program with dual benefits — fitness and finances — to 14 test cities.

"Superun for America's Parks", sponsored jointly by Holiday Inn hotels and American Express Co. and administered by NRPA, featured a series of five-kilometer (3.1 mile) races in Milwaukee, Phoenix, Kansas City, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Jackson. Miss., Cleveland, Seattle, Tulsa, Memphis, Richmond. Tampa, Greenville, S.C., and San Diego.

Holiday Inns and American Express contributed up to $70,000 to the cities' park and recreation agencies based on the number of runners participating in each race.

Top male and female runners in 14 age divisions in each city also received prizes and the male and female runners with the fastest SUPERUN times received a "Superprize", a vacation for two at any Holiday Inn resort hotel in the United States.

Perhaps the unique feature of the race was the financial contribution made to the local park and recreation agencies. While the two corporate sponsors contributed money based on the number of runners in each city, the runners themselves could raise more contributions by having local sponsors pledge $2 to $5 for each kilometer run.

"We Americans too often take our parks for granted," said Hugh Overstreet, regional director of sales for American Express. "We tend to think they will always be there when we want them. SUPERRUN is one way of focusing attention on the financial needs of our parks and how much they add to the quality of our lives."

Illinois Parks and Recreation 11 July/August 1983