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Illinois Park and Recreation
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
I was very lucky to be involved in this group, Ray Ochromowicz, Ed DeMarco, Pam Kos, Jeanine Wilcox, Debbie Dingerson, John Curran, Jeff Boubelik, and Ron Lorenzo. These individuals welcomed me into their professional circle (and eventually in a lifelong personal relationship) where I was exposed to their dedication, work ethic, professional commitment to learn and grow in the field. These strong characteristics totally contributed to my professional development. Along with the many educational opportunities we created on the Southside to our strong desire to be involved in IPRA, greatly added to my commitment to extend a helping hand to other professionals and to professionally approach a problem, solve the problem and not sit back and only criticize. Then professionals like Fred Hall, Joe Schultz, Mick Pope, Kay Forest, Robin Hall, and Tom Richardson popped in to be on my team of mentors. They walked the talk. They showed me the art of valuing and trusting the opinions of others, and that educating oneself does not end at college. La Grange – The Illinois Park and Recreation Association has been recognized with an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) 2014 Power of A Award for its innovative professional development offering, Leadership Academy, in partnership with the University of Illinois.
The Power of A Awards recognizes organizations that distinguish themselves with innovative, effective and broad-reaching programs and activities that positively impact America and the world. The Power of A Awards recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions associations make to society by enriching lives, creating a competitive workforce, preparing society for the future, driving innovation and making a better world. We appreciate all of the work that our volunteers have contributed - special thanks to the Leadership Academy Board of Regents for making this program a success! Whether it is a strength or weakness, I do not know, but I don’t have children of my own, and as a result, I tend to treat kids a bit more like short adults. Spending an enjoyable afternoon in the woods with a group of children, I decided my captive audience was as close I could come to a focus group, and so I asked them: if they could do any kind of day camp at all, what would it be? The resounding answer was a day camp with zombies. Thus, Zombie Survival Camp was carefully considered, researched and developed with great success.
That was perhaps my most valuable lesson in programming with children. Don’t just create programs you think they will like, or programs you think they need, or ask their parents what kind of programming they would sign their kids up for. Ask the kids what they want. Kids, after all, are people, too. When working with children, I take them seriously, and I don’t sugarcoat situations. In short, I make it clear to them that while I will do my best to give them the adventure that they so desperately want, they are largely responsible for their own safety, survival and happiness, and together we embark upon the great adventure engaging in a week of wilderness survival activities that could be found at any Scout camp, (except for the fact that ours are conducted in zombie-infested territory, where legions of gray-skinned high school volunteers may lumber out of the brush at any moment to satiate their thirst for human brains). That, of course, is the second key to Zombie Camp. In order to give the kids the adventure they seek, there must be at least some element of risk involved, and they must be allowed to take it. Zombie camp is not for the "helicopter parent," and it comes with a full disclaimer to those who sign up. There are no manicured trails; we will be blazing our own. There will be ticks and poison ivy. Whether it is hot or temperate or pouring rain, we will be outside. We will go to the riverbank, take off our shoes and squelch our toes in the sand and mud. Trees may be climbed. Knees may be scraped. The occasional ankle may even be twisted, but so far, we have not had a single camper devoured by a zombie. In many ways, Zombie Survival Camp is very much a program about building teams and overcoming fears. The fears they face are many, whether it may be that the moss they just touched on that log might be poisonous, or that the wild goose feather they just picked up might have disease on it, to the terrifying aspect off the zombies themselves. In fact, the zombies serve a useful purpose in helping put their fears in perspective. Compared to the zombies, nature is much less frightening, and when working together as a team, they manage to defeat the zombies; valuable lessons in true courage are learned. This leads to my final key to Zombie Survival Camp: imagination. It’s not just about treating kids a little more like adults, it’s about acting a little more like a kid yourself. It’s about finding your inner child, grasping the imaginative potential of every moment, and for a few hours each day allowing yourself to pretend that zombies really do exist. Ann Cejka Program Coordinator Ushers Ferry Historic Village Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation 5925 Seminole Valley Tr. NE. Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52411 Phone: 319-286-5764 www.ufhv.com CALENDAR/UPCOMING EVENTS
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Here are some of our latest job posts - to view the complete listing, click here!
NEWS ABOUT MEMBERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Haring Public Relations Des Plaines Park District 847-391-5087 (Direct) pr@DPParks.org June 13, 2014 Paul Cathey Takes on Golf Operations at the Des Plaines Park District Paul Cathey, formerly Superintendent of Parks and Planning for the Des Plaines Park District will now also be responsible for Golf Operations at both the Golf Center Des Plaines and Lake Park. His new title is Superintendent of Parks and Golf Operations. Paul has been with the Des Plaines Park District for nineteen years as a Superintendent, and has been in the field of Parks and Recreation for 29 years. In Des Plaines, Cathey manages a full-time staff of 24 handling Building Services, Special Projects, Mechanical Operations, Landscape and Golf Course Maintenance. The Golf Center Des Plaines, a unique golf practice venue, is the District’s principal revenue facility. Photo: Lisa Haring ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lisa Haring Public Relations Des Plaines Park District Direct: 847-391-5087 pr@DPParks.org Matt Hartnett, Named Aquatics and Youth Programs Manager, Brings Six Years of Experience The Des Plaines Park District welcomes Matt Hartnett, CPRP, as the new Aquatics and Youth Programs Manager, effective January 6. Hartnett will be responsible for managing Iroquois and Chippewa neighborhood pools and the Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center during the summer, as well as Youth Programs including year-round Learn-to-Swim lessons, Fantastic Fridays, Middle School Drop-Ins, School Day-Off Programs, and youth trips. Hartnett comes from the Round Lake Area Park District having been their Aquatic Center Supervisor since March 2007. He has extensive experience recruiting, training, and mentoring lifeguards, pool and beachfront staff, providing in-service training in accordance with both Jeff Ellis and Associates and PDRMA guidelines, and enforcing pool rules and regulations for staff and residents. He has coordinated the Learn-to-Swim program in Round Lake and brings hands-on experience from having been a lifeguard and Learn-to-Swim instructor. "I am looking forward to the challenges of new facilities and mentoring a larger summer staff," said Hartnett. "My goal is to help them develop a strong work ethic and a conscientious commitment to safety 24/7. I want our pool staff to continue the Des Plaines tradition of taking pride in their work and training, so we continue receive high scores on our Aquatic Safety audits." Hartnett has many new ideas for both the Aquatic and Youth Programs. "I would like to see us incorporate more fitness into our Aquatic classes. One of the hottest trends today is Aqua Zumba, which I would like to bring to Des Plaines, and I would like to investigate the possibility of using the Lazy River at Mystic Waters for resistance training." "Matt is a great addition to the Recreation staff," said Jennifer Boys, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation. "His aquatic and programming experience in Round Lake, including handling staff and facilities, will make this a seamless transition." For more information about Des Plaines Park District aquatic programs, visit www.DPParks.org or call 847-391-5700. Photo: Lisa Haring ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Haring Public Relations Des Plaines Park District 847-391-5087 (Direct) pr@DPParks.org Katie Skibbe is the New Des Plaines Park District Superintendent of Business Photo: 3613 Caption: Katie Skibbe, the new Superintendent of Business effective May 1. The Des Plaines Park District is pleased to announce the hiring of Katie Skibbe, as the Superintendent of Business, effective May 1. Skibbe comes to Des Plaines with six years of experience as the Assistant Finance Director for the Village of Buffalo Grove and three years of experience as the Accounting Manager of the Des Plaines Park District. She received her BS in Accounting and her MBA from DePaul University, with a concentration in Real Estate Finance. Skibbe is also a Certified Public Accountant. Skibbe’s responsibilities include managing the Park District’s current comprehensive financial position and systems, investment strategy, and budget. She will serve as a member of the administrative leadership team in coordination with the Executive Director to assist in district-wide visioning; planning; policy and procedure development, including customer service initiatives; safety and risk management; human resources, and marketing. Skibbe will also review the annual audit and capital improvement plan, and work on the Master Plan, Strategic Plan, and the Community Needs Assessment. She will supervise a full-time staff of eight. "Skibbe is perfectly suited to step into this leadership position because of her municipal financial administration expertise and accounting history with Buffalo Grove. We are fortunate to have Katie with us again as her interpersonal skills, effective working relationship with the Board of Commissioners and staff, and her strong organizational and communication skills make her a perfect fit," said Don Miletic, Assistant Executive Director. "I am excited to be back at the Des Plaines Park District," said Skibbe. "I look forward to creating a work environment that will enable staff to reach even higher standards of quality in their work." For more information about the Des Plaines Park District, including summer employment opportunities, visit www.DPParks.org. Photo: Lisa Haring ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Haring Public Relations Des Plaines Park District 847-391-5087 (Direct) pr@DPParks.org June 13, 2014 The Des Plaines Park District Announces the Retirement of Executive Director John Hecker John Hecker, the Executive Director of the Des Plaines Park District, retired on June 20 after 11 years in Des Plaines and more than 36 years in the field of Parks and Recreation. Hecker has guided the district through strategic plans which included the the acquisition of land, including North Lake Park; the building of facilities and amenities including skate and BMX parks at Mountain View Adventure Center, the new Chippewa Pool, and the dedication of an historical marker in Central Park; the establishment of a Green Team to help conserve resources; and the development of long-term community partnerships. Under Hecker, the Park District was twice recognized as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency, more than twenty parks were rennovated and brought into compliance with ADA standards, and the district added dozens of features that were most requested in Needs Assesment Surveys by Des Plaines residents. As a dedicated community leader, Hecker has been on the Boards of the Des Plaines History Center and the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation. He is a past president of the Des Plaines Chapter of the Rotary Club, is actively involved with local Veteran’s Associations and the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce, and has been an advocate for parks and recreation legislation in Illinois. Photo: Lisa Haring ### SECTION/COMMITTEE INFO
Park & Natural Resource Management Section Meeting & Workshop - 7/10/14
Geneva Park District 9:30AM - 11:00AM Therapeutic Recreation Section Meeting - 7/10/14 NEDSRA 9:30AM - 10:30AM Recreation Section Meeting - 7/10/14 Riverside Township Auditorium 2:00PM - 3:00PM |
