IPRA Today

Robert, Superintendent of Facilities at the Winnetka Park District, was honored with a resolution in front of the Winnetka Board of Directors for his work with Winnetka Park District’s new Park Service Center.  The PSC was recently awarded the LEED Gold Level certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.  This is the first LEED public facility in Winnetka. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Kelly, Superintendent of Recreation at the Morton Grove Park District, was honored with a plaque in front of the Morton Grove Board of Directors for her work as the Chair of the IPRA 2010 BMW Championship Committee effort.  Kelly helped coordinate the efforts of the IPRA committee that supervised over 600 volunteers that provided nearly 11,000 hours of volunteer service.  The funds raised through this effort benefited IPRA and the Evans Scholars Foundation.  The Evans Scholars Foundation raises millions of dollars annually to provide college scholarships to caddies.

Robert and Kelly were aware that the other would be receiving recognition at their respective Board meetings, but since the meetings were being conducted at the same time, they were not able to attend each other’s meetings.  They were not aware that they would be receiving awards themselves and so were both shocked to receive recognition for their efforts.

Congratulations to the honored Mr. and Mrs. Smith of Illinois parks and recreation, Robert and Kelly.  Thank you for your contributions to the field of parks and recreation.  May you both continue to lead lives filled with surprises.  Just please do not surprise each other with being hired assassins, leave that to Brad and Angelina. 

--Mike Selep, CPRP, IPRA Interim CEO

This commercial is powerful in its own right.  However, what is even more powerful is what it represents to our world – because it’s true, we all do fall down sometimes.   This poses the more relevant question – how do you get back up?  Life is less about what happens to us, and more about how we choose to react to it.

Two years ago IPRA "fell down."  Today we are back up and running.  Our financial position is stronger, our strategic plan which was created by our members is in place, and we are preparing to select a leader to take us to the next level of excellence.  This is to the credit of many – including our dedicated staff led by Mike Selep and our committed current and retired members.

In this season of hope, and time of thanks, on behalf of the IPRA Board of Directors I’d like to thank all of YOU for "helping us get back up!"  Your support, and continued dedication to our association and our profession are unmatched. IPRA holds the promise of sitting once again as the strongest, and most effective state association serving the professionals who are providing leisure services to the communities of Illinois!

I look forward to seeing you in January in Chicago.  I wish you and your families a very happy holiday season!

-Carrie A. Haupert, CPRP, Executive Director, Bloomingdale Park District