Snow fun + Winter, Spring & Camp Programs + Awards |
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January 29, 2021
As the Skokie Park District operates in Phase 4, Tier 1 of the
Restore Illinois Plan, the following are reminders and news updates for this week.
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The Skokie Park District offers winter snow fun!
Click below for just a few:
Look for more outdoor opportunities and pop-ups this winter in our Winter Guide below and on Facebook!
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District wins state 'Champions for Change' Award
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Today, the Skokie Park District was awarded the Illinois Park & Recreation Association’s first-ever ‘Champions for Change’ Award at the association’s state conference.
“The Champions for Change Award recognizes agencies with unique and exemplary practices of increasing access, and fostering diversity and inclusion within their community or organization,” said Oralethea Davenport, IPRA’s Diversity Leadership Taskforce chair. “It is an honor to announce that the Skokie Park District was selected as the winner of this prestigious award.”
Since its inception in 1928, the Skokie Park District has become one of the most diverse communities in America. Once primarily a German farming community, as the Village of Skokie became more urban after World War II, it began welcoming new ethnicities, including a large Jewish population (now 30%). By the 1980s and ‘90s, the district was also settled by dozens of other ethnic and religious populations, including a large Asian population (now 25%). Indeed, more than 90 languages are now spoken in Skokie homes.
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The February Happenings Calendar has landed |
Check out our new roster of February special events, workshops, and activities!
Click on the calendar to view it.
For a full selection of February programs, click on the Winter Program Guide below.
Due to COVID-19, all programs and events listed are subject to change or cancellation.
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Program Guides for every season |
No matter the season, we are ready to give you a look at today and tomorrow's incredible Skokie Park District programs. Click the guides below to see it all!
Winter programs are happening now!
February 15
Spring registration for Skokie residents
February 17
Virtual Camp Open House
February 21 at noon
Skokie residents register for Summer Camp
February 22
Spring registration for non-residents
March 7 at 8:30 a.m.
Non-residents register for Summer Camp
Fee Assistance
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Royal Meet 'n Greet for the whole family |
Hear ye! Hear ye! By royal order, you are cordially invited to an enchanted afternoon. Meet Belle, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty onsite, take pictures and play non-contact games. Every family will also receive one craft bag full of stay-at-home activities.
Oakton Community Center
Saturday, February 6, 1-2 p.m.
Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
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Candy Grams – February 10, 6-7 p.m.
Spread the love to your friends, family, classmates and loved ones with a candy gram! Choose from our four pre-designed candy grams and decorate as many as you like. Each child can also make a special craft to carry their candy grams, and will receive candy to pass out to their Valentines.
Oakton Community Center
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Valentine's Day 'Heart Attack' – register by February 7 |
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Surprise your family, friends or significant other with a 'heart attack' by filing their lawn with 24 paper hearts on sticks that look like the Sweethearts Candy Conversation Hearts. The recipient will also receive a goody bag and a note posted on their door. This is a great way to share love and friendship during the pandemic. Heart Attacks will happen the week of Valentine’s Day from 2-5 p.m.
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Public Meetings set for park improvements |
Five Skokie Park District parks are scheduled for future improvements, with public hearings set for community planning discussions on February 9 and 11.
To help the district plan these park improvements, click the following links to join a Zoom meeting!
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Nano named midwest group's top park staffer |
The Midwest Institute of Park Executives recently named the Skokie Park District's Genevieve Nano as one of three Outstanding Park Employee Award winners in Greater Chicagoland. From that group, Nano was then chosen as the winner of the 2020 Ralph Voris Community and Professional Service Award, honoring the best of the best among park and grounds professionals.
"Genevieve has been instrumental in writing grants to secure funding to further our native planting initiatives," said district landscape supervisor Steve Ames. "She has designed, procured and planted one acre of native pollinator habitat and has prepared another acre of land to be planted this coming spring."
Among Nano's many responsibilities as a park specialist are:
- Planting and maintaining ornamental and native areas
- Tree planting and maintenance, including inputing field data of added and removed trees,
- Weed management in both ornamental and native areas
- Native area design, maintenance and seed collection, processing and planting
- Grant writing for native area initiatives
Nano has also served as a stewardship aide for Cook County Forest Preserve controlled burns; started up and organized an eco-restoration volunteer group to help develop, establish, maintain and propagate native landscapes; and visits local schools to promote Arbor Day and the importance of trees.
Nano is a past recipient of the Landscape, Ecological and Anthropogenic Processes Fellowship, received a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and won an Exceptional Service Award from the Skokie Park District.
"Genevieve demonstrates professionalism on a daily basis and also makes coming to work more enjoyable for her fellow co-workers," said Ames. "She is an amazing employee and even better person, and no one is more deserving of this award."
The Midwest Institute of Park Executives promotes networking amongst park and grounds professionals in the region through monthly meetings and educational events.
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