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Seasonal Staff Named Everyday Values Champions

marcus cheeks and jan arnold pose with the everyday values champion certificate

The Park District of Oak Park is committed to fostering a work environment where our values aren’t just words on a wall – they are actively demonstrated in our day-to-day work. The Everyday Values Champions program was designed to recognize and celebrate employees who truly embody these values.

Park District employees nominate their peers for this award, citing specific examples of how they carry out one, or several, of our values. From the pool of nominees, one seasonal staff member was named the Everyday Values Champion per value.

The Park District of Oak Park’s values are: community engagement, responsible leadership, integrity, innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Please join us in congratulating the 2025 Seasonal Staff Everyday Values Champions.

Integrity
Sophie Tilotson: For quick and responsible action when a camper got hurt.

Community Engagement
Marcus Cheeks: For energetic effort to engage with every lifeguard.

Innovation
Marion Moyar: For creative use of resources to ensure campers felt cared for.

Responsible Leadership
Salome Henry: For prioritizing safety and setting an excellent example for others.

Inclusivity
Sophia Jozefczyk: For stepping up to lead multilingual participants.

Sustainability
Samara Rabin: For prioritizing sustainability in every work task.

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Ongoing Collaboration with WSSRA

two youth swing at rehm park

A Comprehensive and Strategic Master Plan Goal Highlight

At the Park District of Oak Park (PDOP), our mission is to enrich lives by providing meaningful experiences in partnership with the community, with a special emphasis on inclusivity. One of the most meaningful ways we fulfill that mission is through our long-standing partnership with the West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA).

WSSRA provides recreation opportunities for children through adults with disabilities. Their operating model is unique to Illinois, made possible by special legislation added to park district code in the late 1960s. To access the benefits laid out in this legislation, special recreation associations had to have a collaborative with at least two park districts. That’s where the Park District of Oak Park and the Village of River Forest stepped up in 1976, laying the groundwork for what has grown into a 13-member partnership across the western suburbs of Chicago.

Today, each partner district supports WSSRA through a dedicated tax levy.

PDOP and WSSRA collaborate in three primary ways:

WSSRA Programs at PDOP Facilities

WSSRA hosts dozens of adaptive programs at PDOP parks and facilities. In 2024, 46 programs were held in our parks and facilities. Programs ranged from Boxability, a confidence-building boxing class, to gymnastics, swim team, and ice skating.

Sensory-Friendly PDOP Programs with WSSRA Support

PDOP also partners with WSSRA to host in-house, sensory-friendly community events like Treats with the Bunny, Boo Bash, and Cookies with Santa. WSSRA provides support at these events, including staffing and activities.

Inclusion Training for PDOP Staff

To ensure every participant is met with support and dignity, WSSRA provides comprehensive inclusion training to all PDOP staff. This training empowers our team with the tools, strategies, and understanding needed to deliver successful, equitable, and ultimately fun experiences for everyone.

We’re proud of this decades-long partnership and what it means for residents of all abilities.

Want to learn more? Visit pdop.org/wssra or wssra.net.

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Voltpost Deploys First Lamppost Electric Vehicle Charger

ribbon cutting at ridgeland common for new voltpost charger

The lamppost EV charger, deployed in Oak Park, Illinois, will expand access to convenient, affordable charging for the local community.

Oak Park, IL (May 27, 2025)—Voltpost, the lamppost electric vehicle (EV) charging company, today announced the company’s first-ever public deployment of the Voltpost lamppost EV charging platform, located in Oak Park, Illinois. The company partnered with the Park District of Oak Park and ComEd, the region’s utility company, to complete the deployment. The Voltpost charger, located in the Park District of Oak Park, will empower residents with convenient, affordable charging access.

“The deployment of a Voltpost charger in Oak Park will expand EV charging access for the local community and help catalyze the transition to sustainable transportation,” said Voltpost CEO and Co-Founder, Jeffrey Prosserman. “This deployment builds upon our ongoing projects in New York and Michigan, and marks a step forward in our mission to scale the Voltpost platform nationwide. We are grateful to our partners at the Park District of Oak Park and ComEd for collaborating with us to make equitable EV charging infrastructure available for the residents of Oak Park.”

“Ensuring the residents of Oak Park benefit from affordable access to EV charging infrastructure is vital to fulfilling our commitment to serving the needs of our community,” said Kassie Porreca, President of the Park District Board of Commissioners. “We are happy to collaborate with Voltpost and ComEd to provide convenient curbside charging infrastructure that will improve village life.”

Voltpost scales sustainable EV charging by retrofitting lampposts with a modular EV charging platform. The company rapidly and cost-effectively provides curbside and parking lot charging capabilities for public and private customers, including government, real estate developers, universities, parking lot operators, and more.

“As a liaison for 2c2i, an initiative that invests in startups tackling climate change and advancing equity, I’m excited to support Voltpost’s mission to bring sustainable, street-level charging solutions to communities,” said Najwa Abouhassan, Senior Manager Operational Planning, ComEd. “This collaboration represents a meaningful step toward cleaner, more accessible energy infrastructure, and I’m proud to help connect innovation with impact.”

“We’re proud to partner with Voltpost and ComEd to bring Oak Park its first lamppost EV charger,” said Chris Lindgren, Deputy Director of Properties and Planning, Park District of Oak Park. “This deployment supports our sustainability goals while providing residents with easier, more affordable access to clean transportation. It’s an exciting step toward building a healthier, more connected community.”

About Voltpost

Voltpost is the lamppost electric vehicle (EV) charging company decarbonizing mobility by democratizing charging access. The company retrofits lampposts into a modular and upgradable Level 2 EV charging platform powered by a mobile app. This first-of-a-kind platform in the U.S. provides people convenient and affordable charging while reducing the cost, timing and footprint of chargers. Voltpost’s charger design can be installed in minutes, right on an existing public or privately owned lamppost, providing communities with a scalable, equitable solution. To learn more, please visit: https://www.voltpost.com/.

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Park District of Oak Park Named 2025 National Gold Medal Award Finalist

2025 national gold medal award finalist

2025 Finalists Announced for the National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management

Lacey, WA. (April 30, 2025) – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2025 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC continues its 20+ years as the proud sponsor of the National Gold Medal Awards program.

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class, awarded on odd numbered years, for state park systems.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials. Finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.

In announcing the 2025 National Gold Medal Finalists, AAPRA Executive Director Jane H. Adams shared, “Each agency is commended for submitting an application for the prestigious National Gold Medal Award. The Academy congratulates the 20 local park and recreation agencies, the four armed forces installations, and the three state park systems on receiving the Finalist award. We look forward to presenting these awards at the Gold Medal Gala Reception in Orlando, Florida, as part of the National Recreation and Park Association’s annual conference.”

The 2025 Gold Medal finalists are:

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, San Antonio, TX
  • Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, KS
  • Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, Leesburg, VA
  • The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, MD

Class II (population 150,001 – 400,000)

  • Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, Arlington, VA
  • City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, Henderson, NV
  • Gilbert Parks and Recreation, Gilbert, AZ
  • Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department, Roseville, CA

Class III (population 75,001 – 150,000)

  • Lewisville Parks and Recreation Department, Lewisville, TX
  • Mansfield Parks and Recreation, Mansfield, TX
  • The Woodlands Township, The Woodlands, TX
  • Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, IL

Class IV (population 30,001 – 75,000)

  • Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Bristol, CT
  • City of Rockville, Department of Recreation and Parks, Rockville, MD
  • Glenview Park District, Glenview, IL
  • Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, IL

Class V (population less than 30,000)

  • Glencoe Park District, Glencoe, IL
  • Incorporated County of Los Alamos, Los Alamos, NM
  • Oak Brook Park District, Oak Brook, IL
  • Valley City Parks and Recreation, Valley City, ND

State Parks

  • Florida State Parks, Tallahassee, FL
  • Ohio State Parks and Watercraft, Columbus, OH
  • Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, Cheyenne, WY

Armed Forces Recreation (Worldwide)

  • Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, FL
  • USAG, Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg, NC
  • USAG, Fort Knox, Fort Knox, KY

A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation both locally and nationally.

This year’s Finalists awardees will compete for Grand Plaque Award honor, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced at the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, September 17.

For information on the National Gold Medal Awards, visit AAPRA or NRPA.

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The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a non-profit organization
founded to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators that would enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and, to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For information, visit www.aapra.org.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, environmental resilience, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.

Musco Lighting, LLC is a company that has specialized in lighting systems for sports and large areas for more than 30 years. Musco has pioneered dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and affordable ways to control wasted spill light and glare. Permanent and temporary lighting services range from neighborhood fields to NASCAR super speedways. For more information, visit www.musco.com.

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David Lucas-Kamm Named NWHL Coach of the Year

mite navy team poses with first place banner

The Northwest Hockey League (NWHL) named the Ice Bear’s very own David Lucas-Kamm the Coach of the Year. Congrats, Coach David!

David Lucas-Kamm served as the Head Coach of the Ice Bears Mite Navy team this season. His 8U players underwent amazing growth throughout the season, and took home first place for the second year in a row at the Cheddar Cheese Classic.

“David’s knowledge of the game and skillset he brings to the ice is nothing short of amazing,” Hockey Coordinator Dan Seltzer said. “He teaches his players a true love of the game and makes it evident that success means growing as an individual and as a teammate.”

David exemplifies leadership, consistency, and preparedness. But most of all, win or lose, he instills a love of hockey in his players.

As Hockey Coordinator Emily Franciszkowicz put it, “his passion and dedication for coaching are clear each time he steps on the ice.”

We are grateful for David’s commitment to the Ice Bears!