The Best Kept Secret in the Illinois Leisure Industry

by Bernadine M. Rechner

Chris Katsougris, CLP (left) and Kerry Hays, CLP, Darien Park District, were recognized for their joint article, "A Flood of Aid." Published in the September/October 1993 issue of Illinois Parks and Recreation, the article was selected as the best in the public awareness article award category.

When Ted Flickinger's letter came, Rich Grodsky was doubly surprised. His article in Illinois Parks and Recreation (IPR) magazine had won an award, IAPD's Executive Director informed him. The second surprise? Rich didn't even know the magazine awards existed!

IPR annual awards are the best kept secret in the Illinois leisure industry, yet the Joint Publications Committee (JPC) bestows them every year at the conference awards luncheon. Grodsky's award, like those of the other winners, was a plaque carrying the color cover of the IPR issue containing his article. Across the bottom of the award is the title of Rich's article and his byline. The plaque, quite different-looking than most awards he's received, hangs proudly in his executive office at the Evanston Recreation Department.

Articles eligible for JPC awards, like Grodsky's, are written by professionals, commissioners, attorneys, architects, scholars and others involved in leisure, both in Illinois and outside the state. Staff members of IAPD and IPRA are not eligible for awards, nor are articles appearing in the Department of Conservation's publications.

IPR articles are written to editorial guidelines dealing with length, format and photo submissions. Articles must be typed, double-spaced, and be no longer than 1500 to 2500 words, about six to eight pages. Black and white photos for inside the magazine must be 5x7 inch prints. Color slides are accepted only for the covers and must be vertically-oriented shots of Illinois subjects. Captions must accompany all photos and identify each person, the event and the location where the shot was taken.

Article guidelines are available from Laura Bedford, IAPD Director of Communications and IPR Editor, who is ready, willing and able to help with all proposed magazine pieces. Laura also has many helpful hints and will answer questions regarding writing the article, photos, captions or the awards themselves.

For award purposes, all qualifying, published articles are slotted into various categories at the end of each year. Last year, those categories were:

Partnerships & Intergovernmental Cooperation
Personnel and Administration
Education
Areas, Facilities and Programming

38 • Illinois Parks & Recreation • March/April 1994

Planning and Design
Public Awareness
Trends and Issues
Board Members and Volunteers
Cover Photo

Once categorized, articles are photocopied, with the authors names blocked out to maintain anonymity, and routed to a cadre of recreation professionals at Illinois universities. The five judges in 1993 — Dr. Nick DiGrino, Dr. Dave Culkin, Dr. Norma Stumbo, Dr. William McKinney and Dr. Regina Glover — were asked to read articles in one or two categories and determine the best of each. Tom Stevens, a professional photographer with Photo Resource Center in Springfield, judges the cover art and determines which photo is the best of the six published between the November/December and September/October issues each year.

The 1993 magazine award winners included:

Kim Harris, Southern Illinois University, for his photo which appeared on the September/October issue;

Eugene Pomerance, a commissioner from the Elmhurst Park District, for his story, "Board Members: Do Your Real Job Better," which appeared in the January/February issue;

Ray Morrill, CLP, Wheaton Park District, for his article, "Changing Families — Are We Changing With Them?," in the May/June issue;

Chris Katsougris, CLP and Kerry Hays, CLP, both from the Darien Park District, for their contribution, "A Flood of Aid," published in the September/October issue;

Peter Dyke, Thompson Dyke & Associates, for his July/August article, "Bond Referenda and the Master Plan";

Thomas C. Fisher, a former IPRA intern, for his article, "Recycling in Your Agency," which appeared in the November/December issue;

Margaret Arnold, Illinois State University, for "Networking: Make Conferences Work For You," in the September/October issue;

David K. Hamilton, Roosevelt University, who wrote "The Personnel Function in Illinois Park Districts" for the May/June issue; and

Jennifer Miller, CLP, Schaumburg Park District, for her article, "KASPER: Cooperative Efforts Give Latchkey Kids A Home Away From Home," which appeared in the March/April issue.

Just as there are hundreds of stories like these in Illinois forest preserves and in park, recreation and conservation agencies, there are talented people in all agencies to write them. And most agencies have a camera-toting person to record agency events. Putting the two together might just yield the future JPC award winners.

And Rich Grodsky? Rumor has it he's writing another article. Maybe he'll win another award, too.

Bernadine M. Rechner is a professional writer; commissioner of the River Trails Park District, Mt. Prospect; member of the Joint Publications Committee and past president oflAPD. •

Peter Dyke of Thompson Dyke & Associates displays his award for best planning and design article, "Bond Referenda and the Master Plan" appearing in the July/August 1993 issue of Illinois Parks and Recreation.

Margaret Arnold, Illinois State University, submitted the best education article, "Networking: Make Conferences Work For You." Her story appeared in the September/October 1993 issue of Illinois Parks and Recreation.

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