Illinois took home the honors at the National Recreation and Park Association's 28th Congress for Recreation and Parks.

THE NATIONAL SERVICE AWARD
Ralph Cianchetti was honored with the National Service Award by the NRPA Citizen-Board Members Branch. Cianchetti has been a commissioner with the Park District of Highland Park for 16 years. His local leadership has been instrumental in the park district's growth in many areas including youth sports programs, the Heller Nature Center and, more recently, services for the aging population.

Cianchetti has been active at the state, regional and national level for the past several years and serves on the NRPA Board of Trustees. He has chaired the Leisure and Aging Task Force for the Trustees and played a key leadership role in the successful establishment of the new Leisure and Aging Section within NRPA. He was also a member of the NRPA Great Lakes Regional Council.

Cianchetti was a member of the Illinois Association of Park Districts' Board of Directors from 1983-1989. He served with distinction as the 1984-85 Vice-President and 1986-87 President. He was also active on a number of IAPD committees: Joint Legislative Committee, Finance Committee, Joint Conference Committee, Training and Seminars Committee, Joint Publications Committee and Joint Distinguished Park & Recreation Committee. In 1983, Cianchetti received IAPD's President's Award for outstanding contributions.

Cianchetti is currently the representative for NIPC and CADRE

NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL AND SPECIAL RECREATION AWARDS
Illinois is recognized as the number one state for the local delivery of park and recreation services and leads the nation in winning the most coveted award for parks and recreation — The Gold Medal Award. Each year the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), through its subsidiary The Sports Foundation, Inc., and in conjunction with the National Recreation & Parks Association (NRPA), honors seven of the very best park and recreation agencies for outstanding programs.

Illinois dominated the 1993 National Gold Medal and Special Recreation Awards program by winning four of the seven categories: Class HI (population 50, 000 to 100, 000) — Joliet Park District; Class V (population under 20, 000) — Alsip Park District; Special Recreation Class I (population over 200.000)

— Western DuPage Special Recreation Association; Special Recreation Class 11 — Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association

Congratulations is also extended to the following finalists:
Class II— Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Peoria; Class IV — St. Charles Park District; Class V — Rolling Meadows Park District, Itasca Park District, and Norridge Park District; Special Recreation Class I — Rockford Park District Extended Services Department

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Several members of the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association were appointed or elected to leadership positions for 1993-94:

Kenneth S. Kutska, CLP, Superintendent of Parks and Planning, Wheaton Park District— President-Elect of the NRPA Board of Trustees, Executive Committee Member, Co-chair of NRPA/State Affiliate Relations Committee

Ronald Lehman, Commissioner, Channahon Park District —elected to the Board of Trustees from the Great Lakes Regional Council

Ted Flickinger, CLP, Executive Director, Illinois Association of Park Districts — Chair-Elect of the National Forum, Chair of Board of Trustees Public Awareness Committee, Chair of the Legislative Advocacy Task Force

Bonnie W. Noble, Director of Parks and Recreation, Peoria Park District — Chair of Board of Trustees Constitution and Bylaws Committee

Ralph Cianchetti, Commissioner, Park District of Highland Park— Chair of Board of Trustees Arts and Humanities Committee

Kevin T. Kendrigan, CLP, Director, Northwest Special Recreation Association—Chair of Golf Challenge Subcommittee of Board of Trustees Revenue Development Committee

Sandra Whitmore, CLP, Superintendent of Leisure Services, Northbrook Park District — Chair of 1994 NRPA Congress Program

Other NRPA Board of Trustee members from Illinois also include Donald F. Bresnan, Commissioner, Champaign Park District; Ralph Cianchetti, Commissioner, Park District of Highland Park; Robert D. Espeseth, CLP, Associate Professor, University of! llinois; Ted Flickinger, CLP, Executive Director, Illinois Association of Park Districts; and Bonnie W. Noble, Director of Parks and Recreation, Peoria Park District.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 34 November/December 1993