Next week at Parks Day at the Capitol, members of the Joint Editorial Committee will be meeting to set the 2008 editorial calendar for the Illinois Park and Recreation magazine. What ideas do you have for feature articles? Any pressing issues or topics that need coverage in the magazine? Are you a budding author that would like to write an article?
Help us provide you with the best park and recreation magazine possible. Leave your comments here - it might encourage others to also share their ideas…or back up your ideas. Remember, you can always assume an alias name when commenting on this blog so don’t be hesitant to share your thoughts. Thanks!
Did you know that past issues of the magazine are archived online? They can be accessed on both the IPRA and IAPD websites…or go here.
How about one on how the use of synthetic infill fields is beginning to take hold in the public sector? Soccer, football, softball & baseball facilities in Illinois are beginning to utilize this option to reduce material and labor costs, increase availability, etc.
There should be more stories written by park district people and not by advertisers. Their stories are useful but it would be nice to get a “more local” perspective from our peers. I would like to see something about new ways people are programming for the teen market. It’s so hard to reach them and it would be nice to see success stories from people in the field.
How about if we get some additional information on the License Plate Grant? It was originally proposed under bill 625 ILCS 5/3 654 - Illinois Public Broadcasting System Stations Special License Plates. This bill has been effective since the 1st of 2003, with a collection of $25 of each Park District plate purchased. The funds were being disbursed into the Power Play Grant. However, that grant locked out programs servicing elementary age children, which was a key element in the original proposal for the License Plate Grant (Power Play targeted mostly middle school kids.) Would it be possible while we have some people at the capital and social functions with our representatives and legislators, that we can find out where we are with our funds and grant this year and how it is going to be made available to our organizations? (:
With recent events, I would like to see an article on specific security plans implemented by various park districts as it relates to sign in/out procedures, tracking of registered offenders in the area, emergency evacuation or lock down procedures, etc.
As Chairperson of IPRA’s Environmental Committee, I’d like to mention that our committee is more than willing to contribute articles. Some topics of interest include:
Nature deficit disorder
New thinking about ethanol dangers
Progress of Ash Borer (Or get ready for Japanese Beetle? or …….) Should you or shouldn’t you use prophylactic measures?
Taking your home policies to your agency OR taking your agency environmental policies to your home?
Green purchasing (committee has been working on grren items to add to co-op purchase list)
Follow up to report card-how agencies went through the process
Each chapter of toolkit could serve as an article
We think an environmental issue would be great!
It may be nice to have an issue dealing with Aquatic staff and Day camp staff dealing with Anaphylactic shock, food allergies, and Adminstering Epinephirne. Who can administer and what are the risks involed. I wrote an article about the subject two years for ACA.
The ITRS Youth at Risk Committee has been doing a cooperative program for children with mental illness, which is a growing population in Illinois. We are working closely with the Illinois Department of Human Services to provide recreation programs for these kids who don’t really fit into SRA programs, and they are not being successful in Park District programs. A representative from DHS has agreed to co-write an article with me pertaining to the diverse needs of this underserved group of youth.
Many thanks to all who submitted ideas for articles. I am on the editorial committee and this is really helpful. Please write or call anytime when an idea for an article hits you. There are many of us on the committee so you should be able to find one of us pretty easily. Thanks again. Arnie
We have relevant research findings from applied research studies that would be great for IL Parks and Rec. Magazine! We would love to write them up and share with members around the state!
Also, an article on Rural Recreation Development would be good (progress we’re making in rural Illinois communities, how our larger, more well funded partners have helped and can help, etc. Would make a very interesting story.
An article on the need for more evidence based programming in the area of health, fitness and youth programming (even seniors would be timely).
How about an article on the Benefits of Parks and Recreation based upon the talk Dr. Beth orsega smith and I did at the NRPA health and livability summit.