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Click here for IPRA Calendar or Submit an IPRA meeting or event MAY 5/4 Participant Services Division of ITRS Meeting 5/4 IPRA Teacher Appreciation Award Dinner 5/4 Local Parks & Recreation Development: Useful Tools and Information for your Community 5/4 Athletic Committee Meeting 5/9 Arts & Events Committee Meeting 5/9 Teen Committee Meeting 5/9-11 National Playground Safety Institute Certification Course 5/11 School Age-Day Camp Committee Meeting 5/12 Facility Management Section Meeting 5/12 Promotion Positive Change Through Staff Training 5/17 Revenue Diversification: From Sponsorships to Contributions 5/18 Recreation Section Meeting 5/19 Basic Leadership Training - Aquatics 5/19 Senior Committee Meeting 5/19 Racquet Sports Roundtable 5/19 Facility Management Section Social 5/23 HR Manager's Luncheon JUNE 6/1 ITRS Meeting 6/1 Basic Leadership Training - Aquatics 6/15 IPRA Board of Directors Business Meeting 6/16 Senior Committee Meeting 6/23 Facility Management Section Meeting 6/24 Camp Counselor Challenge 6/27 & 29 IPRA Day at Six Flags Great America JULY 7/3-7/9 Western Open Volunteering 7/5 Kane County Cougars vs. Dayton Dragons 7/7 Senior Committee Meeting 7/12 & 13 & 15 IPRA Day at Six Flags Great America 7/13 Schaumburg Flyers vs. Gary Railcats 7/17 Kane County Cougars vs. Lansing Lugnuts 7/17-21 Six-County Senior Olympics 7/18-20 NPSI Course & Exam 7/20 Recreation Section Meeting 7/20 Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros 7/26 Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins 7/28 C&M Section Meeting and Social AUGUST 8/3 & 5 IPRA Day at Six Flags Great America 8/5 IPRA Lifeguard Games 8/9 IPRA Overnight Teen Canoe Trip 8/18 Senior Committee Meeting 8/18 Facility Management Section Meeting 8/19 Park District Conservation Day 8/24 ITRS Lunch Meeting SEPTEMBER 9/6 Museum and Nature Center Roundtable 9/7 IPRA Board of Directors Business Meeting 9/12 C&M Section Board Meeting and Roundtable Discussion 9/14 School Age - Day Camp Committee Meeting 9/15 Senior Committee Meeting 9/19 Aquatic Facility Operators Certification Course 9/19 CPRP Study Night 9/21 Recreation Section Meeting 9/23 2nd Annual Park Pursuit 9/26 HR Manager's Luncheon 9/29 Sprecher 5,000 Golf Classic OCTOBER 10/3 Supervisor Symposium: Piecing Professionals Together 10/5 Participant Services Division of ITRS Meeting 10/6 Facility Management Section Mtg. Read In The News @ ILipra.org or better yet Comment on these @ The Blog Spot APRIL 5/3 IPRA's Phone System Down On May 3 5/1 Post Your Resume and Get Discovered! 4/27 Grant Workshop Coming to Chicago Area 4/26 IPRA's Strategic Plan Projects Positive Changes For The Future 4/24 Stop the raid on open space acquisition funding! 4/24 Gold Medal Finalists Announced 4/18 Daily Herald to Retract Recent Article Citing IPRA 4/14 It's Certification Renewal Time...Do You Have All Your CEUs? 4/13 Scholten Elected IPRA Secretary of the Board 4/10 OSLAD Online Grant Application 4/07 Get Illinois Senate & House Updates 4/05 Annual Ski Trip - Still Attracting Teens & Adults Alike 4/05 Bloom-o-Meter makes chasing the blooms easy 4/05 IPRA Announces Summer Interns 4/05 Curtis Gentry Recognized as Influential African-American Submit your news releases to IPRA Order your plate TODAY Advertise Here 2005 March April May May extra June June extra July August August extra September October November December December extra 2006 January February February extra March April	Last Chance to Register for the NPSI Certification Course May 9-11 at the Elk Grove Park District 1.2 CEUs offered for the 3-day workshop Click here for registration information. Last Chance to Register for the Revenue Diversification Workshop May 17 at the Oakbrook Park District 0.4 CEUs offered for the 1-day workshop Click here for registration information. Thank you to our 2006 Spring Training sponsors: Basic Leadership Training - Aquatics May 19 and June 1 (2 GREAT OPTIONS!) Cost: $30 for IPRA members Contact Karen Spandikow at the Bartlett Park District for more information, (630) 540-4828 This training course is designed for pool managerial staff to help teach the fundamentals of running an Aquatic Facility. Participants will gain valuable training on dealing with issues pertaining to staff, patrons, facilities, emergency action planning and training, etc. Though this training will satisfy the Ellis and Associates requirement for “Basic Leadership Training,” it is designed to benefit pool managers of all other certifications including Red Cross and Starfish Aquatics. Do You Hold the Key to Unlocking the PDS Code? IPRA's Professional Development School has been set for November 5-8. Attendance at this year's PDS will help you unlock the creativity, passion and innovation needed to excel in parks and recreation. Registration information will be available online beginning July 3. Save 50% on your registration fees by correctly naming the mysterious face on the PDS flyer! Correctly guess the face and your name will be put into a drawing for 50% off registration fees! Click here to Unlock the PDS Code and then email your guess! Got Ideas? Dina Kartch, Education & Conference Director, is looking for some great educational ideas for this Fall and Winter. Email Dina with any ideas you have for workshops. It's your membership...get the training YOU want! New Features For park & rec JOBS Now Live! IPRA’s park & rec JOBS is the #1 place to post an open job position, post your resume online, and search for park and rec jobs! Start your search today and see what great opportunities await you and your future! Click here to begin! Need to fill a position? At approximately 1/10th the cost of an ad in the Chicago Tribune, we’ll get you qualified applicants in record time! Want agencies to contact you? Post your resume and cover letter online and watch the job opportunities come your way! You can also apply for jobs directly online with your saved resume and cover letter. Looking for a new job? Search the online job postings and see if there’s something for you. This is the place to find your next career move. Get Your IPRA News Sent Directly To You Via Email Don't want to wait for the monthly eNewsletters? Simply don't have the time to check out IPRA's weblog, The Blog Spot, every day? Now you can get all the IPRA news sent directly to your email account! Stay informed of IPRA news, local stories from the park and rec scene, and trends affecting you by subscribing to The Blog Spot's postings! If we don't post anything...you don't get anything. It's really simple to sign-up and it's really nice to know what's going on in your professional association. If you haven't been to The Blog Spot in a while you have a lot of catching up to do. For those of you who don't know what a blog is...who cares! Think of it as a webpage where you as the reader have the opportunity to comment back on the news. Agree with what's being said? Disagree? We can all learn from each other and The Blog Spot lets you, the member, share your voice. Check out The Blog Spot and sign-up to receive your email notifications. IPRA Seeks Four Open Positions on the 2007 Board of Directors Nominations are being accepted for IPRA members wishing to fill open positions on the 2007 Board of Directors. All nomination forms are due on June 12. Open positions include: - At-Large Board Member (2 positions available) - Northern IL Regional Representative - Chicago Metro-North Regional Representative Click here to download the Nomination Form. Video Library is Very Popular These Days Last month we told you that the May 31 date for renewing your certification was quickly approaching and over 500 professionals needed to renew their certification (renewal period June 1,2004 - June 1, 2006). You listened and the IPRA video library has been bombarded with requests for rentals! Be patient if your request can not be accommodated right away. Keep up the good work and keep that certification status up to date! Click here for the video rental form. Click here to login and check your CEUs online. Recently Certified Professionals! Certified Park & Recreation Professionals (CPRP) William A. Heider, Addison Park District Kelly Novotny, Downers Grove Park District Associate Park & Recreation Professionals (APRP) N/A Provisional Park & Recreation Professionals (PPRP) David L. Johnson, Genoa Park District Park Pursuit Registration Has Begun! The IPRA would like to invite you to join us on Friday, September 22 for the 2nd Annual Park Pursuit! Park and recreation professionals from around the state will come together in beautiful Lincoln Park for a day worth remembering. The Park Pursuit, modeled after the hugely successful Amazing Race game, allows for the members of IPRA to engage in a day-long race where team building, healthy competition and recreation take center stage. Participants of the Park Pursuit, made up of teams of four, will be challenged both physically and mentally as they race through the streets and parks of Lincoln Park. Clue cards will direct teams to various Lincoln Park landmarks where tasks will be performed to continue on in the race. Not only are bragging rights at stake but participants will get a true sense of unity while learning to work better as a team. Team Leaders are required to complete and fax/mail the following forms to IPRA prior to September 1: this form with payment information, the team member information form and the waiver forms for each team member. Click here for registration information. Early registration ends June 30...don't wait and pay more! Think you have what it takes to defeat the reigning Park Pursuit champions, the Manhattan Park District? They don't think so! Post your "trash talking" on The Blog Spot...but keep it clean. Camp Counselor Challenge June 24 at the Bensenville Park District Cost: $65 for IPRA members Registration deadline is June 9 Click here for registration information. Do you have great camp counselors? Do you want to motivate them to do their best? Camp counselors will have the opportunity to compete against other teams of counselors throughout the area to be the “Best team of counselors.” A team is comprised of 4 counselors. Hurry and get your team ready for some fun! We Want You for the Wee Western! Volunteers are needed to help with the Wee Western, the childcare program for the players' children during the 2006 Western Open. Help is needed Wednesday-Sunday, 7/5-7/9. If you are in the recreation section and work primarily with young kids this is the perfect opportunity for you! Play basketball, swim, hang out, go on day-trips...helping out with the Wee Western is a really fun time. Not only will you get to hang out with your friends and contribute to the largest group of volunteers at the golf tournament, you will also get a free golf shirt, a free hat/visor, free food and drinks and free admission for the days you aren't volunteering! Register to volunteer with our online application. Register to volunteer with our mail-in application form. "Category 5" Fun at Hurricane Harbor The new Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags Great America is making waves this summer! Join us on June 27, June 29, July 12, July 13, July 15, August 3 or August 5 for IPRA Days. Plan a group outing for your day camps this summer and have a ton of fun. Tickets are purchased on consignment and your agency will not be billed until a final count is determined on August 17. Tickets are only $28 versus the regular gate price of $56. Click here to get registered. Flyin' High with the Schaumburg Flyers Come on out to beautiful Alexian Field in Schaumburg to watch the Schaumburg Flyers take on the Gary Railcats! Before the game participants from your group can take part in a super-fun banner parade around the field! Tickets are only $6 but the fun of minor-league baseball is priceless. Click here to print out the registration form or do it all online. Hear the GROWWWL of the Kane County Cougars Experience great minor-league baseball and tons of family-friendly fun at the Kane County Cougars games in Geneva. Plan an outing to watch the Cougars take on the Dayton Dragons on July 5 or the Lansing Lugnuts on July 17! Tickets are only $6.25 for lawn seats and $7.25 for reserved seats! Click here to print out the registration form or do it all online (7/5 game)/(7/17 game) Lifeguard Games Aug 5 at Bensenville Water Park Cost: Early Bird Fee of $70 per team if you register before July 15 Registration deadline is August 28 Click here for registration information. The IPRA Lifeguard Games is a competition for park and recreation agency lifeguards and junior lifeguards. Teams of 4 (2 male and 2 female or 1 male and 3 female) will compete in a series of events to test their lifeguard skills, strength, speed, endurance and their ability to work as a team. This is a friendly competition that encourages each guard to rise to challenges, practice their craft, learn from other guards and have fun. Teen Canoe Trip Aug 9-10 in Sauk City, WI Cost: $55 per person or $26 per SRA participant Registration deadline is August 28 Click here for registration information. The Teen Canoe Trip is set on a 21-mile scenic stretch of the Wisconsin River northwest of Madison. On the first day, we will canoe approximately 12 miles and set-up camp along the river. The second day will consist of packing up and paddling the final 9-mile stretch. A special schedule is planned for SRAs with a reduced fee! Registration is first come-first served. There is an agency maximum of 10 participants including staff. The trip maximum is 150 participants.
Copyright © 2006 Illinois Park & Recreation Assoc. IPRA Website

Last Chance to Register for the Revenue Diversification Workshop
May 17 at the Oakbrook Park District
0.4 CEUs offered for the 1-day workshop
Click here for registration information.

Thank you to our 2006 Spring Training sponsors:

Basic Leadership Training - Aquatics
May 19 and June 1 (2 GREAT OPTIONS!)
Cost: $30 for IPRA members
Contact Karen Spandikow at the Bartlett Park District for more information, (630) 540-4828

This training course is designed for pool managerial staff to help teach the fundamentals of running an Aquatic Facility. Participants will gain valuable training on dealing with issues pertaining to staff, patrons, facilities, emergency action planning and training, etc.

Though this training will satisfy the Ellis and Associates requirement for “Basic Leadership Training,” it is designed to benefit pool managers of all other certifications including Red Cross and Starfish Aquatics.

Do You Hold the Key to Unlocking the PDS Code?
IPRA's Professional Development School has been set for November 5-8. Attendance at this year's PDS will help you unlock the creativity, passion and innovation needed to excel in parks and recreation.

Registration information will be available online beginning July 3.

Save 50% on your registration fees by correctly naming the mysterious face on the PDS flyer! Correctly guess the face and your name will be put into a drawing for 50% off registration fees!

Click here to Unlock the PDS Code and then email your guess!

Got Ideas?
Dina Kartch, Education & Conference Director, is looking for some great educational ideas for this Fall and Winter. Email Dina with any ideas you have for workshops. It's your membership...get the training YOU want!

New Features For park & rec JOBS Now Live!
IPRA’s park & rec JOBS is the #1 place to post an open job position, post your resume online, and search for park and rec jobs!

Start your search today and see what great opportunities await you and your future! Click here to begin!

Need to fill a position? At approximately 1/10th the cost of an ad in the Chicago Tribune, we’ll get you qualified applicants in record time!

Want agencies to contact you? Post your resume and cover letter online and watch the job opportunities come your way! You can also apply for jobs directly online with your saved resume and cover letter.

Looking for a new job? Search the online job postings and see if there’s something for you. This is the place to find your next career move.

Get Your IPRA News Sent Directly To You Via Email
Don't want to wait for the monthly eNewsletters? Simply don't have the time to check out IPRA's weblog, The Blog Spot, every day? Now you can get all the IPRA news sent directly to your email account!

Stay informed of IPRA news, local stories from the park and rec scene, and trends affecting you by subscribing to The Blog Spot's postings! If we don't post anything...you don't get anything. It's really simple to sign-up and it's really nice to know what's going on in your professional association.

If you haven't been to The Blog Spot in a while you have a lot of catching up to do. For those of you who don't know what a blog is...who cares! Think of it as a webpage where you as the reader have the opportunity to comment back on the news. Agree with what's being said? Disagree? We can all learn from each other and The Blog Spot lets you, the member, share your voice.

Check out The Blog Spot and sign-up to receive your email notifications.

IPRA Seeks Four Open Positions on the 2007 Board of Directors
Nominations are being accepted for IPRA members wishing to fill open positions on the 2007 Board of Directors. All nomination forms are due on June 12.

Open positions include:
   - At-Large Board Member (2 positions available)
   - Northern IL Regional Representative
   - Chicago Metro-North Regional Representative

Click here to download the Nomination Form.

Video Library is Very Popular These Days
Last month we told you that the May 31 date for renewing your certification was quickly approaching and over 500 professionals needed to renew their certification (renewal period June 1,2004 - June 1, 2006).

You listened and the IPRA video library has been bombarded with requests for rentals! Be patient if your request can not be accommodated right away. Keep up the good work and keep that certification status up to date!

Click here for the video rental form.
Click here to login and check your CEUs online.

Recently Certified Professionals!
Certified Park & Recreation Professionals (CPRP)
William A. Heider, Addison Park District
Kelly Novotny, Downers Grove Park District

Associate Park & Recreation Professionals (APRP)
N/A

Provisional Park & Recreation Professionals (PPRP)
David L. Johnson, Genoa Park District

Park Pursuit Registration Has Begun!

The IPRA would like to invite you to join us on Friday, September 22 for the 2nd Annual Park Pursuit! Park and recreation professionals from around the state will come together in beautiful Lincoln Park for a day worth remembering.

The Park Pursuit, modeled after the hugely successful Amazing Race game, allows for the members of IPRA to engage in a day-long race where team building, healthy competition and recreation take center stage.

Participants of the Park Pursuit, made up of teams of four, will be challenged both physically and mentally as they race through the streets and parks of Lincoln Park. Clue cards will direct teams to various Lincoln Park landmarks where tasks will be performed to continue on in the race. Not only are bragging rights at stake but participants will get a true sense of unity while learning to work better as a team.

Team Leaders are required to complete and fax/mail the following forms to IPRA prior
to September 1: this form with payment information, the team member information
form and the waiver forms for each team member.

Click here for registration information. Early registration ends June 30...don't wait and pay more!

Think you have what it takes to defeat the reigning Park Pursuit champions, the Manhattan Park District? They don't think so! Post your "trash talking" on The Blog Spot...but keep it clean.

Camp Counselor Challenge
June 24 at the Bensenville Park District
Cost: $65 for IPRA members
Registration deadline is June 9
Click here for registration information.

Do you have great camp counselors? Do you want to motivate them to do their best? Camp counselors will have the opportunity to compete against other teams of counselors throughout the area to be the “Best team of counselors.”

A team is comprised of 4 counselors. Hurry and get your team ready for some fun!

We Want You for the Wee Western!
Volunteers are needed to help with the Wee Western, the childcare program for the players' children during the 2006 Western Open. Help is needed Wednesday-Sunday, 7/5-7/9.

If you are in the recreation section and work primarily with young kids this is the perfect opportunity for you! Play basketball, swim, hang out, go on day-trips...helping out with the Wee Western is a really fun time.

Not only will you get to hang out with your friends and contribute to the largest group of volunteers at the golf tournament, you will also get a free golf shirt, a free hat/visor, free food and drinks and free admission for the days you aren't volunteering!

Register to volunteer with our online application.
Register to volunteer with our mail-in application form.

"Category 5" Fun at Hurricane Harbor

The new Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags Great America is making waves this summer! Join us on June 27, June 29, July 12, July 13, July 15, August 3 or August 5 for IPRA Days.

Plan a group outing for your day camps this summer and have a ton of fun. Tickets are purchased on consignment and your agency will not be billed until a final count is determined on August 17.

Tickets are only $28 versus the regular gate price of $56.

Click here to get registered.

Flyin' High with the Schaumburg Flyers
Come on out to beautiful Alexian Field in Schaumburg to watch the Schaumburg Flyers take on the Gary Railcats! Before the game participants from your group can take part in a super-fun banner parade around the field!

Tickets are only $6 but the fun of minor-league baseball is priceless.

Click here to print out the registration form or do it all online.

Hear the GROWWWL of the Kane County Cougars
Experience great minor-league baseball and tons of family-friendly fun at the Kane County Cougars games in Geneva. Plan an outing to watch the Cougars take on the Dayton Dragons on July 5 or the Lansing Lugnuts on July 17!

Tickets are only $6.25 for lawn seats and $7.25 for reserved seats!

Click here to print out the registration form or do it all online (7/5 game)/(7/17 game)

Lifeguard Games
Aug 5 at Bensenville Water Park
Cost: Early Bird Fee of $70 per team if you register before July 15
Registration deadline is August 28
Click here for registration information.

The IPRA Lifeguard Games is a competition for park and recreation agency lifeguards and junior lifeguards. Teams of 4 (2 male and 2 female or 1 male and 3 female) will compete in a series of events to test their lifeguard skills, strength, speed, endurance and their ability to work as a team. This is a friendly competition that encourages each guard to rise to challenges, practice their craft, learn from other guards and have fun.

Teen Canoe Trip
Aug 9-10 in Sauk City, WI
Cost: $55 per person or $26 per SRA participant
Registration deadline is August 28
Click here for registration information.

The Teen Canoe Trip is set on a 21-mile scenic stretch of the Wisconsin River northwest of Madison. On the first day, we will canoe approximately 12 miles and set-up camp along the river. The second day will consist of packing up and paddling the final 9-mile stretch.

A special schedule is planned for SRAs with a reduced fee!

Registration is first come-first served. There is an agency maximum of 10 participants including staff. The trip maximum is 150 participants.