Fitness Cities

In the fall of 1997 the Geneseo and Schaumburg park districts received National Fitness City Awards from the American Park and Recreation Society (APRS), a branch of the National Recreation and Park Association. These agencies' innovative fitness programming, community involvement and responsiveness earned their communities the designation of "Fitness Cities."

"We look at how they agency builds a community fabric, what type of partnerships they have, their interest in taking a leadership role in the profession regarding fitness and wellness," said Kathy Spangler, CLP, fitness and wellness director for APRS and regional director of NRPA's Northeast Service Center.

The award is presented in five categories based on population. While Schaumburg Park District represents one of the mighty Chicago suburbs at 72,000 population and a total fitness operating budget of more than $2.2 million, Geneseo is a rural community of 10,000 with a fitness operating budget of $445,000.

"What's unique about Geneseo is that they offer a lot of fitness/wellness programs and it's a management decision to embrace health in the community," says Spangler.

"As a director, Robert Orsi has taken a small agency and shown the community that they can take a leadership role in health promotion."

Leadership from the top plays a strong role in Schaumburg also. Its director, Jerry Handlon, runs and works out every day. Handlon emphasizes community partnerships in fitness programming and facilities.

In the interviews that follow, we asked these agencies how they earned the designation "Fitness City" to motivate others to strive for the same.

Schaumburg Park District

Interview with Mary Beth Thaman, CLP Supt. of Recreation, Schaumburg Park District

Illinois Parks & Recreation magazine: Why do you think Schaumburg received a Fitness City Award?

Thaman: We offer a total package for fitness. Everything from preschool to seniors. The facilities we provide this community definitely provide the outlet for physical activity: pools, parks, three fitness centers. (Schaumburg owns two general fitness centers and leases one corporate fitness

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SPECIAL FOCUS

Schaumburg Park District offers more than 340 fitness/wellness programs and 22 annual special events promoting health and fitness.

center, Woodfield Lake Fitness Club, a 12,000-square-foot facility which is open to tenants of the building.)

IP&R: Who or what inspired Schaumburg to focus on fitness?

Thaman: Jerry (Handlon, Schaumburg's executive director) has always been a proponent of fitness. He still runs and works out every day. I do think the philosophy of the district is to offer (fitness/wellness) as a programmatic responsibility....Our facilities, all our parks, paths and open space that we provide encourage people to be physically active.

IP&R: According to NRPA, to receive the award, partnerships are key and that agencies "become a part of the community fabric." How has Schaumburg done this?

Thaman: Jerry has been on the Governor's Council for Physical Activity and Health. I've been active. Carrie Haupert (manager of the Meinicke Center) works with school districts 54 and 211 providing additional fitness programs. Dan Otto (park superintendent) works with the Schaumburg Athletic Association and volunteer groups to provide facilities, football, soccer. Athletic supervisor Mike Freitag works with high schools and leagues to either compliment or enhance what they currently offer. We provide that opportunity for physical activity. If we didn't, the number of kids involved in sports would be reduced.

IP&R: NRPA also recognizes a Fitness City's ability to overcome challenges. What has challenged the Schaumburg Park District in promoting fitness?

Thaman: People think that fitness is going into a gym and lifting weights. Fitness is providing physical activity. Anything that you do. Getting out and walking is fitness. We've kind of broadened our scope. For example, dance is a huge program that we offer. Our youth dance program has 600 kids. Dancing is difficult and should be considered fitness.

It's all going along with the Surgeon General's Report (on Physical Activity and Health, released July 11, 1996) about the perceptions of physical activity. People think that fitness is sitting on a Stairmaster for 30 minutes. That's boring! Something they don't realize is fitness, like walking, is better than sitting and doing nothing. For example, our aquatics program has blossomed, swim aerobics, and we have a huge senior program.

IP&R: Tell us more about the statewide fitness initiative called the Illinois Coalition for the Promotion of Physical Activity (ICPPA).

Thaman: ICPPA is trying to get everyone on the same page, working as a clearinghouse to assist with communicating about programs for physical activity. LINK (an organization started by Thaman and involving both the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association) is staying under their umbrella on the program side. We will go into communities and initiate a comprehensive plan for physical activity, serving as that vital "link" in the community. 

Geneseo Community Park District

Interview with Robert Orsi Director, Geneseo Community Park District

IP&R: Why do you think Geneseo received a Fitness City Award?

Orsi: I think we offer an all around fitness and wellness program to our community, not only through the agency, but also teaming up with the local hospital and various groups in our community, from seniors, youth programs, high school and adults.

IP&R: Who or what inspired Geneseo to focus on fitness?

Orsi: Basically it was back in 1983, I attended a wellness seminar in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was

24 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

FITNESS CITIES

Geneseo Community Park District's fitness offerings include 676 aerobics classes a year, as well as a multitude of programs for children, youth, adults and seniors. Among its many public education and training programs are CPR/First Aid and sell-defense.

hosted by NRPA and the President's Council on Physical Fitness, and by the local state's Governor's Council. The audience was health professionals and recreational personnel and physical educators in the school setting. It was just from that conference that everybody had the same goals in mind and it just took networking and one effort, versus being "everyone out for themselves."

IP&R: How do partnerships play a role in your fitness agenda?

Orsi: We were looking at that time to have some kind of year-round recreational facility. We basically had outdoor facilities. We were using school facilities and they were always booked up....We constructed a community recreation center, later built an indoor pool addition. From that we were able then to offer year-round recreational programming and that got everyone interested in health and fitness and the benefits of physical fitness.

We partnered with the Senior Citizens Inc. who were working to develop their own facility; they joined our cause. We also convinced the daycare preschool facility to come with us, so we house 200 kids in the preschool and they are able to use our gymnasium. The hospital was thinking of putting a wing on for their health-related rehab, so we partnered with them for use of our indoor pool.

In a small community you have to do that to meet the ends that are necessary. No one facility can do it all. You've got to have good partnerships.

IP&R: What were your major challenges?

Orsi: The main challenge of course is construction of facilities. Also, getting everybody to believe not going out on their own really makes a lot of sense. It took a while.

The senior center is run by a separate board and same with the preschool wing. We didn't squash their identities. They are just housed with us and have a good working relationship. Funding is always a big part and we were just able to go out and raise money through local donations and grants from community organizations.

IP&R: Why have you focused on fitness in Geneseo?

Orsi: I think its just the whole movement of health and fitness and preventative medicine. In order to practice preventative medicine, you have to practice healthy lifestyles and that's recreation and diet. There's so much in the newspaper today; now there's always an article on health and fitness and people are much more aware and they know how much it costs after the fact.

Students are better educated. The state of Illinois requires physical education. I think they need to change that to a certain extent. They need to change it more on the educational and health line than actually going out and just hitting the baseball.

We're working with the elementary school third grade, to get them more trained on why it's good to do these things. It's just not going out and playing basketball. You can also do it by mowing the lawn, doing the flowers, picking cherries off the tree.

I think we need to change our focus from "no pain no gain to just walking a mile." You don't have to run a mile. Ride a bicycle. Do it in a good setting.

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