LEGISLATION DISCUSSED — The IAPD met recently with Senate President Phil Rock to discuss the legislative platform. Senator Rock offered his suggestions and commented that he looks forward to working with the IAPD in the 83rd General Assembly. Pictured are (left to right): Senate President Philip J. Rock, Oak Park; Dr. Morgan C. Powell, President, IAPD, Commissioner, Champaign Park District; Arlene Mulder, Sergeant-at-Arms, IAPD, Commissioner, Arlington Heights Park District; Dr. Ted Flickinger, Executive Director, IAPD; Stephen Scholten, Director of Park & Recreation, Medinah Park District, IPRA and Joint Public Awareness Committee Co-Chairman. (Photo credit: Bill Foreman)

COOPERATIVE VENTURE INITIATED

Officials and representatives of the IAPD met recently with Peter B. Fox, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Community Affairs and Mike Woelffer, Assistant Director, regarding the "Life. Be In It." program. A reception to kick-off the "Life. Be In It." program is planned to be held at the Governor's Mansion tentatively scheduled for May 23 or 24, 1983.

The Public Awareness Committee has requested that Ted Flickinger, IAPD Executive Director, work out details of the cooperative ventures with the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs in promoting the "Life. Be In It. "program. The Department of Commerce & Community Affairs has agreed to assist the Committee in developing public service announcements through the Illinois Information Service and promoting the program through various publicity sources.

IAPD officials and representatives who met with Fox are shown in the photo above after meeting with Senator Rock.

Join and Help Promote "Life. Be In It."

The National Recreation and Park Association has developed a national campaign geared towards making people all over the country more aware of how much recreation and leisure activities add to the quality of their lives. The two major objectives of the campaign are: (1) to create an awareness of the importance of being active and to get individuals to place activity higher in the priorities of everyday life and (2) to broaden the concept of activity away from the point of view that sees "activity" as including a wide variety of leisure experiences that are inexpensive, can be done spontaneously, and require little, if any, special equipment or facilities. Recreation and leisure activity — whether an energetic game of tennis, an oil painting class, a picnic in the forest preserve, a brisk 5 mile run, a classical ballet class or a walk in the park — has a positive effect on your physical and emotional well being.

As a special celebration of the value of recreation and leisure activity, June 4, 1983, has been proclaimed National "Life. Be In It." Day. Park, forest preserve and conservation districts and city park and recreation departments are planning some super special events for June 4th as a special kick-off of the summer services.

Get more out of your Life. Be In It!

More Agencies Sign Up

Eighty Illinois leisure agencies signed up last fall to participate in the LIFE. BE IN IT. program (see list on page 10 of the January/February, 1983 issue of Illinois Parks & Recreation). Since then, several others have joined the program: Alsip Park District, Burr Ridge Park District, Carol Stream Park District, Hanover Park Park District, North Berwyn Park District, and Northwest Special Recreation Association. If your agency has not signed up for this worthy program, contact Connie Skibbe, Director, Park District of Highland Park, 636 Ridge Road, Highland Park, IL 60035 (312/831-3810).

Illinois Parks and Recreation   8    March/April 1983

Peoria and S.P.R.A. Announce Plans For LIFE. BE IN IT.

Peoria Park District will celebrate National LIFE. BE IN IT. Day on Sunday, June 5,1983.

Old Fashioned Sunday is Peoria Park District's traditional summer kick-off. In its eighth year, Old Fashioned Sunday is always held the first Sunday of June. This is a large event, and well-known in the Peoria area, with an estimated 12,000 in attendance last year. The purpose of the special event is to provide activities for the entire family with a flavor of bygone days. These activities include old time music, contests, cart rides, antique cars, crafts, and the Short Branch Saloon serving draft root-beer.

This year's event will be tied into the LIFE. BE IN IT. theme, using the characters for visual ads and the philosophy stated in the public service announcements.

The Suburban Parks and Recreation Association (S.P.R.A.) will be sponsoring a "LIFE. BE IN IT."Day on June 4, 1983 at Cook County Forest Preserve's Busse Woods located in Arlington Heights.

The day's events will be a virtual potpourri of leisure time pursuits: A fishing derby, a 10K race, a festival of youth and family games, new games seminar, softball, soccer and volley-ball tournaments, horse shoe contests, frisbee golf, canoeing and boating demonstrations, community health booth, balloon ascension, day-long live entertainment, and arts and crafts demonstrations and workshops.

Illinois Parks and Recreation   12   March/April 1983