Involved Citizens Make All the Difference

Citizens who volunteer as park board members are the foundation of the park and recreation movement. Their volunteerism reveals a vitality of social consciousness and community responsibility. Citizen boards and commissioners keep democracy green at the roots. Our park and recreation agencies are better operated and more accountable to the public because citizens serve without compensation on park boards.

For many park districts, volunteerism doesn't stop at the board level. Throughout the state and across the nation, park districts and recreation agencies are finding that citizen volunteers are also filling many other roles. They can serve as advisory committee members, foundation board members and as volunteers for any number of programs.

For example, the Urbana Park District Advisory Committee was formed by the board of commissioners to help increase visibility and community understanding of the park district. This 15-member body identifies, studies and evaluates citizen and district needs, concerns and problems. After each study and evaluation, they present suitable recommendations to the commissioners for their consideration.

Not only does the committee provide valuable studies at little or no cost, they also serve as additional resource people in the community to answer questions about the district and its programs. The advisory committee provides a pool of informed citizens, nearly all of whom become ardent supporters of the parks and recreation programs. These people spread their enthusiasm into their neighborhoods.

The Decatur Park District established the Decatur Parks Foundation to enhance the district's ability to solicit and garner community support. In response to district needs, the foundation developed an annual fund campaign to create and reinforce district identity while raising funds to support the district.

In a five-year period, the district and the foundation successfully raised approximately $2,000,000 in external funds. This includes designated and undesignated gifts, corporate contributions, joint programs with both public and private entities, public grants and service club contributions. Funds from this community support provided both new and redeveloped pools, bikeways, fencing, playgrounds, training programs, equestrian activity and the zoo.

In Chicago, "Friends of the Parks" is a strong and effective advocacy group for preserving, protecting and improving Chicago's park system, green spaces and the Lake Michigan shoreline. Thousands of members support their cause through educational and community efforts that help protect Chicago's natural environment. The groups goals are to make their parks safe, clean and usable, and to encourage everyone—kids, families, seniors, athletes and nature lovers—to become active park patrons.

This "Friends" group takes on many activities which contribute to the improvement of the parks and the lives of park users. In addition to fund-raising and awareness efforts, they are the innovators of creative park events and programs such as the Chicago Jazz Fest in Grant Park, Chicago's first marathon and the first cross country ski clinic in a Chicago park. "Friends" also assist with day-to-day tasks such as pitching in for weekend beach and park cleanups, watering trees, planting and other park beautification projects.

At the Quincy Park District, volunteer citizens tend to flower beds and special gardens, help coordinate events and provide behind the scenes support. They sell concessions at the annual July Boat Regatta. And, at Christmas time, volunteers portray Santa and place calls to young children about their holiday wish list.

While volunteers can never replace paid employees, they can greatly enhance the quality of an already existing program or service. Volunteers can assist park districts, forest preserves and recreation agencies in a variety of ways. Those who have given up on volunteers should take new look at the advantages of encouraging volunteerism within their agency.

Many of our park districts would be severely affected without the services of volunteers. In some agencies,

Dr. Ted Flickinger
lAPD Executive Director

6 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

INVOLVED CITIZENS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

the annual special Olympics for people with disabilities would never take place at all. Without volunteers, we would be lost.

There is no better time than now to involve more citizens in carrying the banner for parks and recreation.

Our field needs more citizens to speak out and have their voices heard about issues facing parks, recreation and conservation agencies. Abandoned railroads are being lost forever, never to be used for bicycling, walking, jogging or equestrian trails. Encroaching civilization has seriously diminished open spaces, natural areas and wetlands in Illinois. Many lakes and streams continue to be polluted and some are unfit for recreation.

Youth need guidance, direction, role models and increased recreational opportunities. The public is concerned with healthcare costs. They're concerned with alienated youth and dysfunctional families, racial problems and environmental protection.

Will they come to us for answers to those problems? Or will they go to other organizations for leadership? Are we willing to redouble our efforts and get more citizens involved in the park and recreation field?

IAPD Launches Citizens For Parks Membership Campaign

To help solve some of the problems mentioned in this issue's article, IAPD will soon launch a new statewide "Friends of the Parks" program. The program is designed to establish a core group of citizens to promote and support parks, open spaces, natural resources and recreation throughout Illinois.

Currently, IAPD is developing a plan of action to get more citizens involved in promoting our field throughout the state, especially with the Illinois General Assembly. These same citizens will be lending their support at the local level toward the passage of referendums and general public support.

At the start of the new millennium IAPD will be well into the "Friends" program to involve thousands of citizens to support our cause to address social issues and family values, crime, and substance abuse, as well as protection of wildlife habitat and natural resources.

With massive citizen involvement IAPD will address these and many other concerns. What would IAPD be like with a citizen membership of 50,000 individuals? Together we will form the scaffolding that supports park districts, our communities and the state of Illinois. We will need your help—through your local brochures, news releases and other promotional efforts.

Will you help us achieve this goal? 

November/December 1997 / 7