PEOPLE.

APPOINTMENTS

Tracey Crawford has been named superintendent of recreation at the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) in Northfield, Illinois. Crawford, who had served as manager of inclusion since joining NSSRA in 1996, was previously employed as a recreation specialist at Fox Valley Special Recreation Association in North Aurora. In her new position, she will oversee all recreation program development for people with disabilities living in the NSSRA partner communities. She will also manage recreation inclusion training programs conducted by NSSRA.

Robert "Dan" Gooch, executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage (IL) County, has been named president of the. National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO), a professional organization that represents and fosters excellence among county park agencies on a national level. Gooch had served as vice president of NACPRO for three years and made significant contributions as a member for six years.

"It is a great honor and privilege to be the NACPRO president," Gooch said. "This is an exceptional organization that offers county park professionals recommendations on important legislative matters and information on the values and benefits of leisure services."

During his term as president, Gooch plans to continue to facilitate education and communication among recreation agency professionals. He will direct and implement a national survey of county park and open-space systems to inventory the wide array of offerings and benchmark park agencies' fiscal and operational efficiency.

Gooch, who has been devoted to the conservation, education, and recreation mission of the Forest Preserve District for 24 years, is also a member of the Board of Officers of the National Association of Counties, an association affiliated with NACPRO.

Peggy Brown has recently been named assistant director of the Mecklenburg County (NC) Park and Recreation Department's South Park region. Brown will manage four recreation centers and 28 parks. She will be responsible for an operations budget of $3.5 million and will oversee 148 full-time employees.

The North Jeffco (CO) Park and Recreation District has elected four new board members. Incumbents Jan Eckhardt and Larry McGinley have each been given four-year terms, while Carolyn Jacobs and Bob Loveridge were elected to two-year terms.

The United States Professional Tennis Association installed its 1998-99 National Board of Directors (below) at its World Conference on Tennis at the La Quinta Resort & Club in California.

President Will Hoag

First Vice President Joseph Thompson 

Vice President Harry Gilbert

Vice President Mark McMahon

Vice President David T. Porter, Ed.D.

Secretary-Treasurer Townsend Gilbert

Past President Kurt Kamperman

AWARDS

David C. Hobson, executive director of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, has been inducted into the 125-member American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, which functions in cooperation with the National Recreation and Park Association. The academy, whose members include administrators and educators dedicated to advancing the knowledge, scholarship, and public understanding of parks and recreation, publishes the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration.

The Board of Parks and Recreation of Kansas City (MO) recently received Golf Digest magazine's top award in the Junior Development Municipality category. The winning program, Kansas City's Blue River Junior Golf Academy, is a learning center for young golfers. It features a three-hole training ground, which was designed by Kansas City professional golfer Tom Watson; a driving range; chipping and putting center; new clubhouse; and a golf library. The center, which strives to give juniors the opportunity to learn and play the game, provides a variety of clinics.

Established in 1984, the magazine's award honors excellence, encourages and rewards new ideas, and demonstrates how model programs work.

The American Camping Association (ACA) recently received a Silver Anvil Award, which is designed to recognize outstanding public relation programs across the country, from the Public Relations Society of America.

ACA, a national nonprofit educational association of camp professionals dedicated to enriching the lives of children through summer-camp experiences, won the award for its "Camp Gives Kids a World of Good" program. The program was created to communicate the value and benefits of summer camp. As a result, summer-camp enrollment increased 27 percent nationwide.

"Winning a Silver Anvil Award is extremely gratifying and professionally rewarding," said Bob Schultz, ACA director of resource development and corporate relations. "The real joy is knowing that more and more kids are benefiting from summer-camp experiences and seeing their self-esteem and confidence grow."