Will you be my valentine?

One park district Cupid promotes both love and leisure among local residents.

By Debbie Garrett

On Feb. 14, the Urbana Park District will once again commission Cupid and his assistants to spread Valentine's Day greetings throughout the community. Costumed in red satin and glittering hearts, park district volunteers will be transformed into Cupid-like messengers delivering "Love Notes."

The Love Note program is available to all park district residents. It enables them to send a heart-shaped balloon, chocolate kiss and personal Valentine message to their sweetheart, friend or family member.

Novel approach

Love Notes originated from the desire to reach the career-aged segment of the park district's constituency. An assessment determined that the young professionals were "extremely busy" and "bored," but with "no extra time for leisure programs." Also, they were unaware of the district's current program offerings. It became readily apparent that the park district needed to creatively take leisure into the work place.

Through the Love Notes program, leisure experiences entered banks, university classrooms, grocery stores and factories in the community. While the original target market was career-aged individuals, the program received an overwhelming response from the entire community. The more than 100 blushing recipients included

Illinois Parks and Recreation 17 January/February 1986

Fighting Illini Football Coach Mike White, a judge, grandparents, university professors and a set of three-year-old twins.

Volunteer efforts

The sender pays $5 to have a Love Note delivered. In an effort to contain costs, the program is operated with the services of volunteers in three significant areas.

All of the advertisement and promotional efforts were furnished through the in-kind services of two local television stations. Cupid was seen delivering a Love Note and sprinkling "love dust" to recipients in both a commercial produced and aired on the local NEC station, and on CBS's PM Magazine.

Secondly, the City of Urbana and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District supplied vehicles to transport the volunteer Cupids and their hundreds of helium-filled balloons.

Lastly was the priceless enthusiasm, energy and time given by the University of Illinois students who became Cupids for a day. For these individuals, the smile, giggle and "Oh, no ... for me?" were more than enough to make the day worthwhile.

Enthusiastic response

The results achieved through Love Notes exceeded those which originally motivated the development of the program. Agency cooperation and the maximized use of local resources and talent became integral factors contributing to the success of the program.

These cooperative working relationships were strengthened and contributed to continuing interagency support and community service. Not only did the Urbana Park District innovatively bring leisure into the work places of many young professionals, but also into the community to be enjoyed by individuals aged 3 to 83.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Debbie Garrett is the community program coordinator for the Urbana Park District.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 17 January/February 1986