IPRA Today - Certified Playground Safety Institute CPSI Registration is Open!

Did you know IPRA offers free and low cost events for you to learn and network?

"Conceal Carry - Find Out How Conceal Carry Laws Affect Your Agency And Parks" at the Facilitiy Management Section meeting March 7 (free), "Sponsorship 101: Prospecting, Asking for Dollars, and Relationship Building" at the Recreation, Diversity, and Communications and Marketing sections meeting March 12 (free), "Building Positive Partnerships with Parents" at the Winter Directors Workshop on March 14 ($25), "Best Tactics to Pitch Stories to Local Media" at the Communications & Marketing meeting on April 17 (free), and "Strategic Planning" at the Innovation Renovation Workshop on April 25 ($50 includes lunch).

Further, we have events coming up where you can learn more about IPRA and our new five year plan and how you fit. This includes the IPRA Strategic Plan Roll Out Events on March 13 in Geneseo (northwest, IL, part of a NWIAPR event, $10 for lunch), March 13 in Decatur (central, IL, part of a CIRCLE meeting, additional registration to attend CIRCLE), March 20 in Bartlett (Chicago-Metro), and April 4 in Mt Vernon (southern, IL, before the SIPRA meeting).

Additionally, you can learn more about IPRA or just come for free networking at the Quarterly Open House events. The next one is May 30.

We also have free quarterly webinars for new members or members looking to review how to access their benefits. The next one is March 28.

For southern Illinois members, you may also feel free to attend our upcoming IPRA Board meeting on March 7 in Fairview Heights, IL at 7:30 AM.

We also have the IPRA Leadership Academy Graduation coming up on April 11.

Another educational opportunity that is new this year is our Skills Development Webinar Series. For $249, you can sign up for monthly webinars. Many agencies are seeing the cost savings in inviting a group of staff (or even a neighboring agency) to call in on a single phone line and attend the webinars as a group at significant cost savings. All attendees may receive CEUs for no additional cost. The next topic, "The Better Business Model - Creative Ideas to Boost the Bottom Line" will be on March 12 and March 20. A list of topics for the year are available on our website.

For a list of all of our upcoming educational opportunities and to register for any of these events, please go to www.ilipra.org and use the calendar on the left side of the home page. IPRA wants to ensure that you receive the value for your dues dollars, so we hope that you will take advantage of these free and low cost events to continue your professional development, network with others, and learn more about our association together.

-Debbie Trueblood, CAE
Executive Director

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