IPRA Today - Welcome, Debbie Trueblood!

And the Winner is...

With that in mind, we decided to take a look at the awards presented by IPRA at the annual state conference. Mike Sletten volunteered to head up a task force that evaluated the purpose of each award and reviewed the criteria required to qualify. The task force intended to make each award distinct, with different accomplishments required for consideration for each. The current format limited the number of professionals who would qualify for an award and favored professionals who were heavily involved in IPRA, versus those that make a significant impact in the profession or the community through their work.

The task force started with the "Robert Artz Distinguished Service Award." This is the profession’s highest honor, but the title did not reflect the status of the award. This award will now be called the "Robert Artz Lifetime Achievement Award" and will require 25 years in the profession with a minimum of 15 years in Illinois. Emphasis on the professional’s contributions to the profession and their impact to their community will be measured equally.

The "IPRA Fellow Award" has been changed to the "IPRA Community Impact Award." The task force felt there was a void for individuals who are not an active in IPRA, but their work for their agencies have made a park and recreation impact on the communities they serve. Not everyone can be active in IPRA, but they can still do great things in their community that warrant recognition.

The "IPRA Outstanding Conservation Program Award" and "Environmental Leadership Award" have been combined and renamed the "Outstanding Sustainability and Conservation Award." The original two awards were somewhat redundant. Granted, one recognizes the individual and the other the agency, but they overlapped in several areas. The new award recognizes the agencies and their staffs for outstanding and innovative achievements in conservation projects and programs. Individuals can still be recognized through the "IPRA Community Impact Award."

The "IPRA Outstanding Facility Award" and the "IPRA Program or Special Event Award" had a minor adjustment, changing the criteria from divisions based on EAV to operations budgets of more/less than $5 million. The "IPRA Advocacy Award" and the "Community Service Award" have been essentially unchanged. The "Citizen Volunteer of the Year" and the "Meritorious Service Award" have been eliminated. IAPD gives out a citizen award that is more appropriate for their purpose. The "Meritorious Service Award" was a duplication of other individual awards.

I want to thank the individuals that served on this task force: Mike Sletten, Allison Nieamela, Joe Pollina, Tom Ritter and Diane Stanke. These professionals dedicated many hours to reviewing, researching and debating the purpose and need for each award. They did not take their task lightly, and they are committed to meeting again one year from now to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes. On June 28, the IPRA board approved the changes recommended by the task force.

The IPRA board wants to encourage more participation in the awards program. Award applications will be submitted electronically to the IPRA office. Each of you may know some professionals that deserve to get recognized for their achievements. Friday, Oct. 26, is the deadline, which gives plenty of time to submit an application. This isn’t "Everyone who participates gets an award," but you do have to participate to be eligible.

-John Curran, IPRA Chairman of the Board

Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush, DiCianni & Rolek, P.C.

536 East Avenue, LaGrange, IL 60525 | Phone: 708-588-2280 | Fax : 708-354-0535