Dr. Ted Flickinger
IAPD Executive Director

The good board member will know when ifs time to step aside.

Terms of Office
Sometimes the decision to continue to serve on the board of a park district, forest preserve district or recreation agency is made by someone else: the voter. In Illinois, voters decide whether these board members are re-elected. In other states, the mayor or county board member chooses whether to reappoint a board member.

Although the trend has been toward shorter terms, it's not unusual to have a park board member who serves 10 to 15 years. Perhaps a record, a Kane County Forest Preserve board member served that agency for 51 years.

People have mixed reactions to the question "Should there be a limit to the number of years or times a citizen serves on a park, recreation or conservation board?" My advice to those who call is that the individual board member must make the decision by asking himself these rather simple but searching questions:
• Do I continue to enjoy working with the public?
• Do I really enjoy serving on a park and recreation board or is it time to serve some other public interest?
• Am I maintaining a strong interest in the park, recreation or conservation agency and its services?
• Am I providing effective support and assistance to the park, recreation or conservation agency?

" Do I attend meetings regularly and contribute ideas that are fair to all?
• Do I continue to be a team player and support board decisions?
• Have I maintained confidence in the effectiveness of the board and staff?
• Do I get along with my fellow board members?
• Am I continuing to look at the progress of the agency without having "an ax to grind" or special interest that affects my decisions?
• Will my continued membership strengthen and unify the board?
• Are board meetings still enjoyable?

Rotation on the board broadens the number of citizens involved in the agency and, perhaps, support for parks, recreation and conservation. A change of membership on the board introduces "new blood" and new points of view. New members eliminate nonproductive board members.

Sometimes board members who serve too long become possessive and self-perpetrating. On the other hand, a dedicated and effective board member does not just happen. It rakes time to learn about an agency and how to be an efficient and effective board member. Valuable board members are too essential and should not be replaced simply because they have served a certain period of time. A good board member is an asset and stabilizing force for the agency and the community.

Building an effective board is an ongoing process. We must recruit outstanding people, train them and continue to educate throughout their terms. The good board member will know when it's time to step aside.

Hiring a Professional
In 1964, 1 had the great fortune to meet Dr. Harold D. Meyer, professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina. The late Dr. Meyer epitomized a true professional. He served as a mentor to hundreds of park and recreation professionals and inspired us to be the best we could be. At the conclusion of many of his speeches he had a message for the park and recreation professional.

Dr. Meyer stated: "The challenge here is to earnestly plead with each of you who is devoted to this profession to become a crusader of its potentials, a creative master of this art, the inventor for the road ahead, the interpreter of its, objectives and values, the analyst of its procedures, the scientist of human relations, the researcher for its proof, the explorer of its hidden possibilities, and the ambassador of its worth."

Our field has something substantial to offer anyone willing to accept the challenge to work in it. The chal-

6 ¦ Illinois Parks and Recreation | May / June 2000

The trademark of a real professional is the spirit of service above self. He or she should heed the words of Woodrow Wilson: “You are not here merely to make a living, you are here in order to enable the world to live more amply with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget your errand.”

The true professional:

• gives more thought to the work than is merely required to earn compensation;
• constantly acquires new knowledge and develops new skills in order to perform duties;
• believes that this is a high calling, has pride in the profession and personal performance; exemplifies quality in thought, actions and appearance;
• seeks self-improvement; takes advantage of every opportunity to acquire knowledge and inspire the profession; the professional develops new ideas and shares them with colleagues to better serve the public;
• avoids rumors and hearsay; does not spread gossip about his board members or colleagues and does not credit information received through the “grapevine;”
• does not advance himself at the expense of others;
• remembers that becoming a certified park and recreation professional is the first step in being a true professional.

Many years ago, Jerry Harris of the Detroit Free Press wrote an interesting column. An individual had written to ask him: “How do you write a spirited column each day in this hot weather?” What follows is part of his answer as it relates to professionalism.

“Anyone can write when inspiration strikes them. Any composer can be jolly when conditions are favorable. Any actor can be self-possessed if he is well, and well paid. The test of professionalism lies in scaling the mountains when the head throbs and the feet hurt; when, in short, the amateurs are resting in their tents with aspirin and hot water bottles. The true test, and its curious paradox, of professionalism is that the professional often does his best when goaded by difficulties and threatened by disaster....The word professional has taken on a purely mercenary meaning in our times. It should not just mean someone who earns a living at a particular craft, but someone who professes his devotion to a calling, beyond the needs for pleasure or for profit.” - Jerry Harris

Being a professional implies the possession of an ideal, a sense of values and of service to others, and a philosophy of what parks and recreation can do to help people find the good life. 

The Park Bench Story
The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read, Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree. Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, For the world was intent on dragging me down. And if that weren’t enough to ruin my day, A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play. He stood right before me with his head tilted down, And said with great excitement, “Look what I found!” In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, With its petals all worn — not enough rain, or too little light. Wanting him to take his dead flowers and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away. But instead of retreating he sat next to my side, And placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise, “It sure smells pretty and it’s beautiful, too. That’s why I picked it; here, it’s for you.” The weed before me was dying or dead, Not vibrant of colors: orange, yellow or red. But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave, So I reached for the flower and replied, “Just what I need.” But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, He held it midair without reason or plan. It was then that I noticed for the very first time, That weed-toting boy could not see; he was blind. I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun, As I thanked him for picking the very best one. “You’re welcome,” he smiled, and then ran off to play, Unaware of the impact he’d had on my day. I sat there and wondered how he managed to see, A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree. How did he know of my self-indulged plight? Perhaps from his heart, he’d been blessed with true sight. Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see, The problem was not with the world; the problem was me. And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that’s mine. And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose, And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose. And smiled as I watched that young boy, Another weed in his hand, about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.
— source unknown

7 ¦ Illinois Parks and Recreation | May / June 2000