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Don't Wait...Register Now! It's Online...Coming August 15 Even Faster, Friendlier & More Frugal IPRA Calendar Submit an IPRA meeting or event 8/9 Programming Tools for After School Success 8/10 IPRA Teen Canoe Trip 8/18 SPRA Golf Outing 8/19 Facility Management Mtg. 8/19 IPRA Senior Committee Mtg. 9/8 National Institute on Recreation Inclusion (NIRI) 9/13 C&M Section Meeting & Workshop 9/13 NPSI Course & Exam 9/21 AFO Certification Course 9/23 1st Annual Park Pursuit 9/30 10th Annual Sprecher 5,000 Golf Classic 10/4 Supervisor Symposium-Your Winning Hand! 10/6 A&F Section Meeting 10/7 Facility Mgmt. Section Meeting Read These Articles and More Online Submit your news releases to IPRA 7/21 Dept. of Labor Revises Age Requirements For Lifeguard Employment 7/21 Despite the loss, White Sox outing was a blast 7/18 Naperville prepares to be judged in international competition 7/18 Dodgeball tournament gains status around nation 7/18 How to take care of thirsty trees 7/15 Good times at Special Recreation Day 7/12 Education Needs Assessment Survey 7/06 Office equipment and furniture moving sale at FVSRA 7/06 Hershey Track & Field 7/06 Western Open Highlights 7/02 Volunteer effort crucial to a well-run Western Open 6/29 Bartlett park district head retires 6/29 New athletic center to make a splash 6/29 As Batavia considers dog park, let your opinion be known 6/26 Seniors in bike club take weekly joy rides throughout summer 6/22 Yorkville Parks Plans More Than Slides, Sandboxes 6/22 Cooperative Purchase Program Order your plate TODAY Advertise Here March April May May extra June June extra July	Featured News » IPRA Is Moving - The sale of the building is complete and staff is ready for Oakbrook Terrace. » Park Pursuit Teams Excited - Time is running out if you have not signed up yet! » Cooperative Purchase Program Now Online - The ease and benefits are now greater! Resources » Did You Know? - Trends and information you need to know » News You Can Use - Fun, interesting and useful knowledge to help you succeed Things To Do » The Blog Spot Wants You - Write for the blog and share your ideas and learnings. » IPRA Mega-Garage Sale - Need desks? Chairs? Tables? Come to IPRA on 8/16 to shop. Sale Of IPRA Building Complete After receiving disappointing news last month regarding the sale cancellation of the IPRA building...we have now agreed to terms with the original buyers and the DEAL IS DONE! IPRA will close on the sale of their headquarters at 106 N. Schmale Rd. in Carol Stream the first week in August. IPRA will then lease the property back from the buyers until September 1 when the new office space will be ready for move-in. The centrally-located, modern and space-efficient office is located at 1815 S. Meyers Rd., Suite 400 in Oakbrook Terrace. Please understand, there will be a period of time from September 1-6 that the staff at IPRA will be unreachable by phone, fax and email. An office move of this magnitude will take a great deal of preparation prior to the move, and a great deal of time to get back up and running as normal. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Click here to view some pictures of the new IPRA headquarters. Park Pursuit Looks To Be A Blast Thank you to those teams who have already signed up for the 1st Annual Park Pursuit. It's really shaping up to be a fun event. The registration deadline for this "amazing" race around the city of Chicago is August 24. Hurry and get your team of four together and send in your registration form. The cost per team is only $125 and the benefits to you and your agency are great. Now that the busy summer is coming to an end it's time to stop procrastinating and psych up for the Park Pursuit. Click here to download your registration form. IRPA's Cooperative Purchase Program Now Online The Illinois Park & Recreation Association would like to invite you and your agency to participate in the NEW & IMPROVED 2005-06 IPRA Cooperative Purchase Program. Each year, IPRA coordinates a Cooperative Purchase Program specifically for park districts, municipal recreation agencies, forest preserves, conservation districts, special recreation associations and private agencies throughout Illinois. The program is an excellent way for your agency to save staff time and valuable tax dollars by purchasing in bulk with other agencies throughout the state. The cost savings are an obvious benefit of the program, but there are others: Save time comparing quotes and products Freight and delivery charges are included in vendor’s bids Vendors abide by the “Local Government Prompt Payment Act” NEW THIS YEAR...register, purchase and track your orders from your computer! Click here to view more of the details associated with the Cooperative Purchase Program. A letter from IPRA was mailed to you along with a handy note pad for you to write down items you need. New findings...helpful advice...event recaps...LET US KNOW! Dept. Of Labor Revises Age Requirements For Lifeguard Employment The Wage and Hour division of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) has posted an interpretation of the FLSA. The “Fact Sheet” states that 15 year olds can only be employed as a lifeguard at a “traditional swimming pool” and cannot be employed as a lifeguard at those parts of a facility which constitute elevated slides, artificial waves or other amusement type “rides” or mechanical devices. This is something to think about next season when hiring for your pool. Click here to learn more about the labor laws. In The Case Of An Emergency Look For ICE In the case of an emergency, paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE. ICE stands for *In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone number of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do. Paramedics know what ICE* means and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW! Please share this with everyone at your agency! 2005 NPRA Young Professional Fellowship Recipient Congratulations to Oralethea Davenport, CPRP of the Lan-Oak Park District for her continued successes including her most recent accomplishment. She has been named by NRPA as a Young Professional Fellowship recipient! The Fellowship provides selected young professionals (up to 8) with the opportunity to explore the operation of NRPA and its governing bodies at the 2005 NRPA Congress in San Antonio, Texas. Participants will meet with NRPA leadership and staff to review Congress plans, and will attend various Congress sessions, Trustee and Branch meetings with their assigned mentor. A primary focus of the program is to inspire future participation and leadership in the National Recreation & Park Association, and to develop professional contacts with NRPA officers, trustees, and other professionals from around the nation. Fellowship participants will also become involved in networking with members in their region following Congress. NRPA will provide a complimentary registration to the Congress and NRPA special events. Keep up the great work! New findings...helpful advice...event recaps...LET US KNOW! What Do You Want To Learn About? IPRA is conducting an online survey to help determine the most appropriate and beneficial workshops and seminars for its members. What do you want to learn about? Would you like more recreation programming workshops? How about park safety? Take the online survey and share with us what interests you. Have a say in the educational workshops and seminars you attend. Click here to take the Education Survey. Smokers and Non-Smokers Face Off On The Blog Spot The decision by the Buffalo Grove Park District to ban smoking at all outdoor facilities has created a back-lash from pro-smoking groups. A bold move by the agency is hoping that their decision will prompt other village officials to ban smoking in restaurants and other outdoor areas. The Blog Spot supported the decision but there are differing opinions out there. Share your thoughts on The Blog Spot and gain valuable learnings for the day your agency attempts such bans on cigarette smoking. Click here to read the conversations on The Blog Spot. The Blog Spot Wants You! Have you ever dreamed of having your name in bright lights? Ever think you would publish a best selling novel? Well IPRA may not be able to help you out...but we can share with the rest of the membership your experiences, knowledge and reasons why you love being in the parks and recreation field. Many of you IPRA members are experts in various trainings from aquatics to turf management, from event planning to balancing a budget. Share your stories in The Blog Spot. The more we all share the more we will all learn. Write to The Blog Spot today! Recent Blog Posts: Smoking in our Parks...Yea or Nay? * Preschool: Investment, Expense, or Imperative? * How are you coping with the summer heat? * Is Summer Half Over Already? * In the case of an emergency look for ICE * White Sox Group Outing * Special Recreation Day at the Schaumburg Flyers Game * Four Ways to Lock Down Your Wireless Network The Mega-Garage Sale Is Here If your agency needs desks, chairs, tables, etc. this is the place to get it. IPRA is hosting a Mega-Garage Sale on Tuesday, August 16 beginning at 9am. Merchandise will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and money is due at the time of purchase. Click here to view a list of items up for sale.
Copyright © 2005 Illinois Park & Recreation Assoc. IPRA Website

Sale Of IPRA Building Complete
After receiving disappointing news last month regarding the sale cancellation of the IPRA building...we have now agreed to terms with the original buyers and the DEAL IS DONE! IPRA will close on the sale of their headquarters at 106 N. Schmale Rd. in Carol Stream the first week in August. IPRA will then lease the property back from the buyers until September 1 when the new office space will be ready for move-in.

The centrally-located, modern and space-efficient office is located at 1815 S. Meyers Rd., Suite 400 in Oakbrook Terrace.

Please understand, there will be a period of time from September 1-6 that the staff at IPRA will be unreachable by phone, fax and email. An office move of this magnitude will take a great deal of preparation prior to the move, and a great deal of time to get back up and running as normal. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Click here to view some pictures of the new IPRA headquarters.

Park Pursuit Looks To Be A Blast
Thank you to those teams who have already signed up for the 1st Annual Park Pursuit. It's really shaping up to be a fun event.

The registration deadline for this "amazing" race around the city of Chicago is August 24. Hurry and get your team of four together and send in your registration form. The cost per team is only $125 and the benefits to you and your agency are great. Now that the busy summer is coming to an end it's time to stop procrastinating and psych up for the Park Pursuit.

Click here to download your registration form.

IRPA's Cooperative Purchase Program Now Online
The Illinois Park & Recreation Association would like to invite you and your agency to participate in the NEW & IMPROVED 2005-06 IPRA Cooperative Purchase Program.

Each year, IPRA coordinates a Cooperative Purchase Program specifically for park districts, municipal recreation agencies, forest preserves, conservation districts, special recreation associations and private agencies throughout Illinois. The program is an excellent way for your agency to save staff time and valuable tax dollars by purchasing in bulk with other agencies throughout the state.

The cost savings are an obvious benefit of the program, but there are others:

Save time comparing quotes and products
Freight and delivery charges are included in vendor’s bids
Vendors abide by the “Local Government Prompt Payment Act”
NEW THIS YEAR...register, purchase and track your orders from your computer!

Click here to view more of the details associated with the Cooperative Purchase Program. A letter from IPRA was mailed to you along with a handy note pad for you to write down items you need.

New findings...helpful advice...event recaps...LET US KNOW!

Dept. Of Labor Revises Age Requirements For Lifeguard Employment
The Wage and Hour division of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) has posted an interpretation of the FLSA. The “Fact Sheet” states that 15 year olds can only be employed as a lifeguard at a “traditional swimming pool” and cannot be employed as a lifeguard at those parts of a facility which constitute elevated slides, artificial waves or other amusement type “rides” or mechanical devices. This is something to think about next season when hiring for your pool.

Click here to learn more about the labor laws.

In The Case Of An Emergency Look For ICE
In the case of an emergency, paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone number of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do.

Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW!

Please share this with everyone at your agency!

2005 NPRA Young Professional Fellowship Recipient
Congratulations to Oralethea Davenport, CPRP of the Lan-Oak Park District for her continued successes including her most recent accomplishment. She has been named by NRPA as a Young Professional Fellowship recipient!

The Fellowship provides selected young professionals (up to 8) with the opportunity to explore the operation of NRPA and its governing bodies at the 2005 NRPA Congress in San Antonio, Texas. Participants will meet with NRPA leadership and staff to review Congress plans, and will attend various Congress sessions, Trustee and Branch meetings with their assigned mentor. A primary focus of the program is to inspire future participation and leadership in the National Recreation & Park Association, and to develop professional contacts with NRPA officers, trustees, and other professionals from around the nation. Fellowship participants will also become involved in networking with members in their region following Congress. NRPA will provide a complimentary registration to the Congress and NRPA special events.

Keep up the great work!

New findings...helpful advice...event recaps...LET US KNOW!

What Do You Want To Learn About?
IPRA is conducting an online survey to help determine the most appropriate and beneficial workshops and seminars for its members. What do you want to learn about? Would you like more recreation programming workshops? How about park safety? Take the online survey and share with us what interests you. Have a say in the educational workshops and seminars you attend.

Click here to take the Education Survey.

Smokers and Non-Smokers Face Off On The Blog Spot
The decision by the Buffalo Grove Park District to ban smoking at all outdoor facilities has created a back-lash from pro-smoking groups. A bold move by the agency is hoping that their decision will prompt other village officials to ban smoking in restaurants and other outdoor areas.

The Blog Spot supported the decision but there are differing opinions out there. Share your thoughts on The Blog Spot and gain valuable learnings for the day your agency attempts such bans on cigarette smoking.

Click here to read the conversations on The Blog Spot.

The Blog Spot Wants You!
Have you ever dreamed of having your name in bright lights? Ever think you would publish a best selling novel? Well IPRA may not be able to help you out...but we can share with the rest of the membership your experiences, knowledge and reasons why you love being in the parks and recreation field. Many of you IPRA members are experts in various trainings from aquatics to turf management, from event planning to balancing a budget. Share your stories in The Blog Spot. The more we all share the more we will all learn.

Write to The Blog Spot today!

Recent Blog Posts:
Smoking in our Parks...Yea or Nay? * Preschool: Investment, Expense, or Imperative? * How are you coping with the summer heat? * Is Summer Half Over Already? * In the case of an emergency look for ICE * White Sox Group Outing * Special Recreation Day at the Schaumburg Flyers Game * Four Ways to Lock Down Your Wireless Network

The Mega-Garage Sale Is Here
If your agency needs desks, chairs, tables, etc. this is the place to get it. IPRA is hosting a Mega-Garage Sale on Tuesday, August 16 beginning at 9am. Merchandise will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and money is due at the time of purchase.

Click here to view a list of items up for sale.