Exciting IPRA Updates!
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As so many of you get ready to roll out your summer programs, open your pools, or prepare for your summer festivals, let me give you some exciting IPRA updates before you get too busy.
First, I want to congratulate the Glendale Heights Department of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Recreation Supervisor Dale Hanstad. I was attending the conference for our affiliate, Illinois Afterschool Network (IAN), last week to introduce their keynote speaker during the luncheon. Dale serves on the IAN Board of Directors, representing our park and recreation community, and he received the IAN Board's Nelson Award for all his service. Congratulations Dale and the Glendale Heights Department! I was so excited to be there to see you receive this significant honor.
Second, if you are looking for a way to share your big news, ask a question, or give back to the park and recreation community, be sure to participate in IPRAConnect, our new online community. IPRA rolled out this new member benefit last week.
Start by logging in at connect.ilipra.org, using your IPRA login & password. Members can join communities and start participating in the discussions right away! We currently have one general community for all our members, but in time, there are limitless opportunities to roll out niche communities for every member need. We will be rolling out section specific online communities soon.
Third, IPRA's next new roll out will be our community campaign, Unplug Illinois. This is a two part education campaign- first, we will create a toolkit with all the information for our members to use to better educate their community with the latest research, facts and figures, templates, and infographics that will help you communicate your value in your community. With all the challenges we face in Springfield these days, the more we can educate the public, the better. This toolkit will help you. Watch for a postcard mid-summer and the opportunity to pre-order the toolkit by late summer. The second part of the campaign will be rolled out primarily next year. In part two, we will be focusing on educating directly to the public statewide on the benefits of parks and recreation. We will do this through a new website for the public, our new Community Calendar which already exists on our IPRA website showing all the upcoming events at your agencies to help families plan their activities statewide, as well as a wide variety of other ways to communicate the value of parks and recreation to the public.
Finally, if you are registering for NRPA's conference, be sure to note, IPRA will NOT be having a social this year in Las Vegas. NRPA has added an additional social to celebrate their 50th anniversary and we have opted not to compete with that event. We will plan something special for the Illinois delegation in lieu of the social.
As you head into summer, be sure to apply for the Leadership Academy (the application deadline is May 29), and watch for open applications for the next ProConnect mentoring program in mid-summer. Best of luck to those of you about to open your pools. IPRA will be here for you during your busy season. For quick responses from other professionals to help you through your summer challenges, use IPRA Connect.
First, I want to congratulate the Glendale Heights Department of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Recreation Supervisor Dale Hanstad. I was attending the conference for our affiliate, Illinois Afterschool Network (IAN), last week to introduce their keynote speaker during the luncheon. Dale serves on the IAN Board of Directors, representing our park and recreation community, and he received the IAN Board's Nelson Award for all his service. Congratulations Dale and the Glendale Heights Department! I was so excited to be there to see you receive this significant honor.
Second, if you are looking for a way to share your big news, ask a question, or give back to the park and recreation community, be sure to participate in IPRAConnect, our new online community. IPRA rolled out this new member benefit last week.
Start by logging in at connect.ilipra.org, using your IPRA login & password. Members can join communities and start participating in the discussions right away! We currently have one general community for all our members, but in time, there are limitless opportunities to roll out niche communities for every member need. We will be rolling out section specific online communities soon.
Third, IPRA's next new roll out will be our community campaign, Unplug Illinois. This is a two part education campaign- first, we will create a toolkit with all the information for our members to use to better educate their community with the latest research, facts and figures, templates, and infographics that will help you communicate your value in your community. With all the challenges we face in Springfield these days, the more we can educate the public, the better. This toolkit will help you. Watch for a postcard mid-summer and the opportunity to pre-order the toolkit by late summer. The second part of the campaign will be rolled out primarily next year. In part two, we will be focusing on educating directly to the public statewide on the benefits of parks and recreation. We will do this through a new website for the public, our new Community Calendar which already exists on our IPRA website showing all the upcoming events at your agencies to help families plan their activities statewide, as well as a wide variety of other ways to communicate the value of parks and recreation to the public.
Finally, if you are registering for NRPA's conference, be sure to note, IPRA will NOT be having a social this year in Las Vegas. NRPA has added an additional social to celebrate their 50th anniversary and we have opted not to compete with that event. We will plan something special for the Illinois delegation in lieu of the social.
As you head into summer, be sure to apply for the Leadership Academy (the application deadline is May 29), and watch for open applications for the next ProConnect mentoring program in mid-summer. Best of luck to those of you about to open your pools. IPRA will be here for you during your busy season. For quick responses from other professionals to help you through your summer challenges, use IPRA Connect.
