Great Lakes region.

Illinois communities can apply for a variety of outdoor recreation grants provided through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Grunt Administration. Local government units authorized by law to operate and maintain land for public recreation purposes are eligible to apply for the grants The grant program application period is open from July 1 through Sept. 2. Boat Access Area Development Program grants are financed with revenues derived from marine motor fuel tax and boat/canoe registration fees. The program provides financial assistance to local government agencies for acquisition, construction, expansion and rehabilitation of public boat and canoe access areas on Illinois lakes and rivers. Grant awards are limited to a $200,000 annual maximum for motorized access projects and $50.000 for non-motorized/canoe access projects. For more information on IDNR recreation grant programs, contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at http:// dnr.state.il.us/ocd/Gaoutnew.htm or http://dnr.state.il.us/finast/htm.

Citizen-Board Member President and NRPA Trustee Bob Robertson from Anchorage, Alaska. made a May visit to a park facility dedication and regular meeting of the Mason (Ohio) Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Robertson spoke with the board about the importance of the NRPA C-BM Branch and local advocacy for parks and recreation.

On July 4, Decatur, III., held a Hearts N' Parks walk/run in which participants won heart-healthy prizes such as cookbooks, free passes to the Decatur Indoor Sports Center (climbing wall, fitness center, track, playing courts, etc.) and Subway coupons. Free swimming was also available. The event was held by the Decatur Park District in conjunction with Decatur Staley (a corn processing plant), Subway, Coca Cola. Decatur Running Club and Decatur Indoor Sports Center.

Unfortunately, with the proposal to eliminate shared revenues to local units of government in Wisconsin, many leaders faced with potentially shrinking budgets have questioned the value of membership of their park and recreation personnel in associations and societies. This short-sighted approach could have future ramifications far greater than the cost of dues. Intangible benefits of membership can be overlooked if we don't remind our leaders of their importance, through such benefits as enhancing professional growth, career development and training, access to information, industry promotion and representation before government. With today's increasing market pressures, parks and recreation associations help communities manage the strategic challenges of shrinking budgets, downsizing staff and rapid advances in technology. "We forecast trends in industry to help park and recreation departments plan their futures and capture best practices in areas as diverse as financial management, technology, communications and government relations," says Steve Thompson, CPRP, executive director of the Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association. For example, a membership in the Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association provides more than 1,500 organizational members and a state association headquarter staff searching, reading, gatekeeping, solving, debating, analyzing, projecting, publishing, sharing and winning. No community agency could replicate these services on its own. But membership is more than that--it's also about civic responsibility. Perhaps Teddy Roosevelt said it best, "Every man owes part of his time and money to the business or industry to which he is engaged. No man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within his sphere." Share these thoughts with your leaders and help them understand the significance of associations contributing to their own proffesional growth and that of their communities.

The Illinois Park and Recreation Association received the 2003 Advance Artierica Honor Roll award for an Emergency Response Initiative program launched in 2002 to recruit volunteers from its 2,500-member organization to form teams of responders if terrorist attacks or other disasters impact comnmunities in which park district facilities are located. "IPRA's 'Ready When the Time Comes' program truly embodies the spirit of the award," says Michael Olson, CAE, president of the American Society of Association Executives, which coordinates the award. "'It is an honor and an inspiration to showcase this activity as an example of" the many contributions associations are making to advance American society." Said Bill Wald, IPRA's Chief Executive Officer, "the 2,500 members of IPRA are in an ideal position to serve as volunteers should a terrorist attack--or other catastrophe--occur. We're highly educated and trained to work with people of all ages and our community centers are often hubs of neighborhood activity. Further, users of our recreation programs and activities know us as friends and people they can trust." For more information on the award, contact Courtney Gardner at 202-656-2734 or Bill Wald at 650-752-0141.

The Quincy (Ill.) Park District has named NRPA memher Mike Parks executive director. Parks has been employed by the park district since 1974. He began his career as all entry-level park laborer and progressed through the ranks as a park maintenance crew leader, supervisor arid, for the past 19 years, director of parks. Parks also acted as interim executive director in 1993 and 1998-1999. Parks has had general administrative park maintenance/planning responsibility over the district's 28 sites and 1,000 acres of property since 1984.

AFRS member Paul Keenan, CPRP recently won three awards for outstanding contributions in teaching, community involvement and professional development. As a faculty member of the Civil Engineer and Services School, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, he teaches almost 100 classes a year in topics such as personnel management, financial management, leadership, fitness and sports management, recreation operations, mortuary affairs, education and training, MIS and a variety of other management-related Subjects. He was instrumental in developing and implementing distance-learning education for more 1,000 Air Force Services professionals at more than 60 sites around the world, and the courses he directs are among the highest rated in the institute. Keenen also presents at state and national conferences, and serves on the Beavercreek (Ohio) Parks, Recreation, and Culture Department Citizen Board. Keenan was honored as the recipient of the Air Force Institute of Technology "Civilian of the Year" Award, the Air University "Civilian of the Year" Award, and an International Personnel Management Association "Federal Employee of the Year" Award--Specialist Category. Remarkably, Keenan won all three of these awards for an unprecedented second year in a row. He currently serves on the AFRS Board of Directors as the Immmediate Past-President.

Wheel Your Way to a Healthier You is an outstanding program in Minneapolis for youths to enjoy bike riding, rollerblading and roller skating. While physical recreation activities are the essential activities of this program, the underlying elements include community involvement, creative expression, life skills and leadership development. The age range is 11-16 years of age, with the 9-13 age group accounting lot 50 percent of the total. This program is an example of NRPA's work with the U.S. Centers the Disease Control and Prevention Mobile Outreach Project. For more information, contact Sherenia Gibbs (sgibbs@minneapolisparks. org or 612-661-4883) or Rose Escanan ([e-mail] or 612-661-4870).

Jefferson City (Mo.) held a healthy July 4 with three main events to support the Hearts N' Parks programs. The fun started at 8:00 a.m. with a one-mile walk/run sponsored by the local runners' club; then, the community parade at 10:00 a.m. encouraged Hearts N' Parks participants to participation. Later that day, a family-oriented festival was held that included CATCH recreation games, scavenger hunt, relay races, and aerobics and bicycle safety instruction. The event was open to everyone, but those who have joined the Hearts N' Parks Family Health & Fitness Program received additional points for attending any of the events scheduled that day.

The United States Tennis Association is conducting more than 100 workshops this year to assist tennis instructors and coaches who work in park and recreation facilities. Chicago will host one of the Development Coach Workshops on Sept. '20. A national trainer who is an expert in handling large groups and getting kids and adults to play tennis quickly in a fun and social atmosphere conducts each workshop. Each workshop participant will receive manuals containing lesson plans and team practices for kids and adults, two transition halls and a variety of helpful program information. For more information, contact Margaret Dorsey at 312-845-2500, x:3004.

Cost of physical inactivity in Michigan: $8.9 billion. Cost to each Michigan adult: $1,175. Quality of life resulting from regular physical activity: priceless. A study commissioned by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports reports that physical inactivity in Michigan is among the leading direct and indirect cause of medical care (including Medicaid), workers' compensation and lost productivity. If current trends continue, it's expected that the cost of physical inactivity will increase by 42 percent to $12.65 billion by 2007. Look at all the programs that you do that get people active. Parks and recreation departments are saving communities millions! For more information on this Michigan study, go to www. michiganfitness.org.

Kansas City, Mo., held a Fun and Fitness Day on July 30 to promote Hearts N' Parks programs. Activities included games (CATCH, obstacle courses), group challenges (free throw, tire steps, tunnel crawl, etc), stretching exercises, and nutrition (Go, Slow, & Whoa foods from CATCH). More than 1,500 youth attended.

More than 70,000 people attended the June 28 "FireFall" in Springfield, Mo. The event included fitness activities for kids (CATCH games, electronic tennis board, portable hockey shoots), nutrition information, and health screenings. FireFall was held in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, local Boys and Girls Clubs, local hospitals, city utilities and the American Cancer Association.

Homewood (Ill.) had a heart-healthy 4th of July with the Homewood Parade and Family Fun Fest. Children in the day camp march in the parade, carried a Homewood Park District banner that included the Hearts N' Parks logo and threw healthy snack pack boxes of raisins with a Hearts N' Parks logo sticker on them. At the Family Fun Fest, camp counselors led participants in an hour of games such as relay races, parachute games, and various CATCH games.

More than 1,000 kids enjoyed heart-healthy Fun in indianapolis on July 11 at the Hearts N' Parks Parachute Fit Fest. Youth from area day cramps participated in a full day of Parachute games and other activities, and learned about the importance of physical activity and healthy food choices. The event was held in conjunction with the Marion County Health Department, Ruth Lilly Health and Education Center, and several local hospitals.

Great Lakes Service Center

Walter Johnson, CPRP

Regional Director

615 Cambridge Lane Hoffman Estates, IL 60195

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

Northeast Service Center

Shawn DeRosa J.D., EMT 

Regional Director

590 Washington Street, 3d Flr. Lynn, MA 01901

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

To Free: 800-293-5365

[e-mail]

Pacific Southwest Service Center

Pamela Earle

Regional Director

350 S. 333rd Street, #103 Federal Way, WA 98003

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

Southeast Service Center

Larry Zehnder, CPRP

Regional Director

25 Cherokee Blvd. Chattanooga, TN 37405

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

Western Service Center

Maria Stamats

Regional Director

619 Prospect Lake Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]