We have so much to be grateful for. We give thanks for all that we have - our families, our health, our security, and our opportunities. We give thanks for our careers and all the friendships we have made in service to our communities. For all of us, in our careers, we can look back and see that our success comes from both formal education and informal networking. We see that professional development has been most effective for us when we could attend an event in person and learn from others in the room, making connections that stayed with us for years.

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Now is the time to tell our story. Where do you start? How do you frame it? How do you communicate the value of what we do?

Congratulations to our newly elected leaders!

The Agency Showcase Competition is the premier communications and marketing competition for park and recreation agencies. Nominate your best communication and marketing materials for judging and display at the Soaring To New Heights Conference.

Students studying parks and recreation are essential to the future success and growth of the parks and recreation field. Their education and experiences will translate into enriching experiences for future generations as new ideas, research and technology emerge. You have the opportunity to invest in the future of a park and recreation professional by donating a gift basket to the Silent Auction at the IAPD/IPRA Annual Soaring to New Heights Conference on January 28-30, 2016.

IPRA welcomes executive directors, future leaders, commissioners and guests to join us for the Director's Leadership Academy Breakfast (LAB). This is a light breakfast, networking and an interview with a transformational leader. The December interview will be with Adam Fox, President and CEO of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.

IPRA welcomes Executive Directors, future leaders, commissioners and guests to join us for the Director's Leadership Academy Breakfast (LAB). This is a light breakfast, networking and an interview with a transformational leader. February interview will be with Sonya Evanosky, MBA Vice President of Finance, Chamberlain College of Nursing

As the premier state conference for parks and recreation, forest preserves and conservation agencies in Illinois, the IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights conference brings together more than 4,400 professionals and elected officials for three exciting days of quality educational programming, networking and professional development. Featuring 18 pre-conference workshops, over 150 educational sessions, and an exhibit hall where more than 325 exhibitors showcase their latest and greatest products and services, the 2016 conference is THE place to be! Register today. The early bird deadline is December 7.

Have fun skiing and/or snowboarding with your friends and teens from other IL park districts. Wilmot Mountain has 25 runs, 8 lifts, 3 rope tows, 4 terrain parks, complimentary lessons, food/concessions available, and arcade room.

Congratulations to IPRA’s former graduate student, Gus Hallmon, on being awarded Best Student Presentation at the Alberta Parks and Recreation Association Conference in Alberta, Canada last week. His presentation, on behalf of IPRA, was research-based surrounding the barriers to a diverse workforce in parks and recreation in Illinois