Three DuPage park programs earn state honors
By Susan Dibble
Mikie Rudyk was new in her position as program supervisor in the Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department and wanted to come up with something different for family game night.
The life-size Candy Land game she created last year with the help of Dave Elliott of the parks department was one of three area programs that recently received top honors from the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association and the Illinois Association of Park Districts.
In addition to Candy Land, Naperville Park District’s Toadstools and Pollywogs Preschool program captured honors in its category, as did the Southeast Association for Special Parks and Recreation’s EAGLES program.
Awards Committee Chairman Rick Missing said divisions are based on organizations’ equalized assessed valuations. Criteria for selecting winners may include goals and objectives, publicity, budget, community involvement and originality, he said.
Candy Land
Rudyk said the life-size Candy Land, based on the classic board game, provided affordable fun for the whole family.
“It’s been around for ages. Kids, parents and grandparents can relate to Candy Land,” she said.
Rudyk traced the characters on plywood that Elliott cut out and painted in bright colors. Elliott said the 12 characters ranged in height from 2½ feet to 5 feet, 4 inches.
“The game itself took up half our gym,” he said. “It’s impressive.”
First offered last February, the recreation department added a second date to meet demand. Roughly 130 families played. The characters may be seen again at this year’s Candy Land from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, in the Iowa Community Center, 338 N. Iowa Ave., Villa Park.
Participants go through the game as a gingerbread boy or girl in groups of four.
“It really gives the younger kids the feeling they are in the game,” Rudyk said.
Before their trek through Candy Land, kids participate in theme-related activities such as making lollipops and decorating cupcakes.
Toadstools
Preschool coordinator Leann Skinner credits Naperville Park District’s early childhood program manager, Sandie Gilmer, with coming up with the idea for Toadstools and Pollywogs Preschool. Now in its second year, it was one of the first nature-based preschools in the state.
“All the ABCs and 1,2,3s are covered, but it’s a nature theme,” Skinner said. “The kids spend a lot of time outside.”
Participants attend half-day classes two, three or five days a week at the Wigwam at Knoch Knolls Park. A second nature preschool will open at Seagar Park this fall, Skinner said.
Reduce, reuse and recycle are the preschool’s mantras, she said. The children tend an indoor garden, explore outdoors, go sledding in the winter, and watch red wigglers turn organic waste into compost.
“The kids love their red wigglers. They bring compost from home,” she said.
The children also bring their own reusable plates, cups and spoons for snacks, and use both sides of a sheet of paper, when possible.
Teachers report the children lead the way in encouraging their families to take nature walks on weekends. A rack at the front door of the preschool lets parents and teachers exchange magazines instead of throwing them out.
A member of the Fighting Obesity and Reaching Healthy Weight Among Residents of DuPage coalition, the park district sees the preschool as a positive way to fight childhood obesity. Like Naperville Park District’s Sunny Days preschool, Toadstools and Pollywogs is play-based, Skinner said.
EAGLES
SEASPAR began Enhancing Adult Growth through Lifestyle Education in September 2008 in response to parents’ concerns that their young adult children with disabilities had few options open to them after high school.
The 18- to 35-year-olds gain independent living, communication and self-advocacy skills, learn about community resources and do volunteer work, and gain work experience through a variety of activities.
Coordinator Laura Christensen said participants go grocery shopping and make their own lunches in the program, take part in intergenerational activities, go on recreational outings such as movies and sporting events, and do work to gain vocational skills, such as shredding paper and washing towels.
EAGLES meets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Darien Sportsplex, 451 Plainfield Road. The program can accommodate 17 young people a day.
Because participants have the option of attending two, three or five days a week, a total of 29 young adults are enrolled in the program.
Earlier this month, SEASPAR launched a second site in Brookfield, which so far has four participants, Christiansen said.
“There is such a need for this age group,” she said.
How to enroll
How to enroll
Villa Park, Naperville and SEASPAR all have award-winning park programs. Heres how to join in:
Ÿ Villa Park Parks and Recreations Candy Land is offered from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at Iowa Community Center, 338 N. Iowa Ave., Villa Park. Registration is required. Info: (630) 834-8970 or <a href="http://www.vprd.org">vprd.org</a>.
Ÿ Naperville Park Districts Toadstools and Pollywogs Preschool and Sunny Days Preschool are accepting registration for the 2011 school year. Info: (630) 848-5000 or <a href="http://www.napervilleparks.org">napervilleparks.org</a>.
Ÿ EAGLES is open to adults ages 18-35 with disabilities who live within SEASPARs 11 member communities. Program sites are in Darien and Brookfield. Info: (630) 789-6666, ext. 115, or laura-seaspar@darienparks.com.