Park District Specialty Plate Q&A
Now You Have License to Support Illinois Youth!

Lynn McClure IAPD Public Relations Director If just a fraction of Illinois vehicles had a Park District Youth Plate, we would have a grant fund for youth programming that would continue for many years.

By purchasing the Park District specialty plate, you can help keep Illinois children safe, healthy and productive. That's because $25.00 of the purchase price and the annual renewal of each plate helps fund the activities of weekend and after-school programming provided by Illinois park and recreation agencies.

"Programming like this is critical," says Tim Carpenter, director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, "because 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. are the peak hours for juveniles to commit — or be the victim of - crimes." According to an Invest in Kids Illinois' report, these are also the hours when the risk of smoking, drinking or using drugs doubles for unsupervised eighth graders.

Park districts, forest preserves and recreation agencies have long been part of the solution to these problems. Across the state, recreation centers offer athletics, visual arts, dance, gymnastics, music and academic activities that allow youth to put their time and energy to positive use. And it works. Studies show that quality after-school programs protect children and adults from crime, cut teen pregnancy and decrease rates of tobacco, alcohol and other drug use.

But we haven't reached everybody. Seven in 10 Illinois children are in a home where both or the only parent works, but only a small fraction of school-age kids are being served by after-school programs. Your support of the Park District Youth Plate will benefit Illinois children by helping to fund these programming opportunities at parks, recreation agencies or forest preserves.

But you know all that. What you might not realize is that this is a landmark initiative achieved on behalf of parks and recreation in Illinois. If just a fraction of Illinois vehicles had a Park District Youth Plate, we would have a grant fund for youth programming that would continue for many years.

These grants will be made available to IAPD member agencies as soon as there is a sufficient number of plates sold. In the meantime, we need your help. Many IAPD members have placed license plate brochures in their facilities and stuffed brochures into employee paychecks. Carry a few extra in your vehicle. If people compliment your Park District Plate, give them a form! Help us promote the license plate in your newsletter and on your web site. The return to you and the youth in your community could be tremendous.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Park District Youth Plate.

Q. How do I get a park district youth license plate?

12 ¦ Illinois Parks and Recreation

NOW YOU HAVE LICENSE TO SUPPORT ILLINOIS YOUTH!

A. Go to www.cyberdriveillinois.com, the Secretary of State's web site. Just fill in the youth license plate form on the site and your order will be processed. Or call the Illinois Association of Park Districts at 1-877-523-4558 and IAPD will send you a form to fill out. Send it back to us with payment and the IAPD will get your plate ordered.

Q. How much does it cost?
A. If your plates expire within 90 days, the cost for the plate is $132. That includes $78 for your renewal, and a one-time fee of $40 that the Secretary of State charges for specialty plates and a $14 plate transfer fee.

If your plate does not expire within 90 days, the cost is $54. That includes the one-time charge of $40 and the $14 plate transfer fee charged by the Secretary of State.

Every year thereafter the plates will cost $103. That includes $78 for your renewal and $25, which goes directly into a fund to support park district youth programming.

Q. Can I put the plate on my truck?
A. Yes. The Park District Youth Plate will go on any vehicle under 8,000 pounds. This includes pick-ups and SUVs.

Q. Can I get special numbers or letters on my plate?
A. There are some numbers under 200 still available that we can assign to you. The Secretary of State does not, however, allow letters on new specialty plates. And any number above 200 cannot be specifically requested.

Q. Can I get this plate at any Secretary of State's driver's license facility?
A. Many of the driver's license facilities are not aware of the plate because there are a number of specialty plates to keep track of. The Park District Youth Plate is only available through the Secretary of State's Springfield office at this time. If someone walks into a driver's license facility and wants one, it will have to be ordered.

Q. Is the plate available as an "M" plate?
A. No, it is not, although several IAPD member agencies have converted their M plates to Park District Youth Plates.

Q. Is there someone at the Secretary of State I can call for more information?
A. Yes, you can call 217-785-5215 and request the Park District Youth License Plate. Or call 1-800-252-8980, press 7, then ask to speak to someone about the plates.

Q. What does the $25.00 Park District plate fee help fund?
A. The Secretary of State will send $25.00 from the sale and renewal of each plate to a special grant fund managed by the Illinois Association of Park Districts. As soon as the funds are available, the IAPD will make program grants available to IAPD member agencies to help fund after school programming. •

December/January 2004 ¦ 13