Deerfield Park District Board of Commissioners Accepts Local Recognition from the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration and Musco Lighting as a Finalist for the National Gold Medal Awards

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), representative Greg Petry attended the Deerfield Park District Board Meeting to provide local recognition to the park district as finalists for the 2021 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The National Gold Medal Award is administered in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

The National Gold Medal Award is the most coveted award in the park and recreation profession honoring agencies and communities throughout the United States that exceed industry standards and establish a higher standard for delivering Public Park and recreation services.  Gold Medal Finalist winners measure the impact and benefit of their services while addressing the community needs through the involvement of citizens, staff and elected officials into all planning processes.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the governing organization for the National Gold Medal Award, consists of 125 distinguished practitioners and scholars in the field who are committed to the advancement of the park and recreation field. Rooted in the desire to advance knowledge, encourage scholarly efforts and provide services to advance the profession, the Academy embraces the opportunities to “raise the bar” and enhance the quality of park and recreation services to the local community through the National Gold Medal Awards Program.

Since the awards inception in 1965 there has only been a little over 275 agencies named a Gold Medal Finalist. Deerfield Park District is now in the upper echelon of 8000 plus park & recreation agencies across the nation!

Deerfield Park District was a finalist in the Class V for those with a population of 30,000 or less category. Our application described the unique and fulfilling projects, partnerships and pride stewarded by the staff at Deerfield Park District making Deerfield an exemplary community. All of the families and friends of the district, while enjoying the Deerfield Golf Club, Deerspring or Mitchell Pool, Sachs Recreation Center, Patty Turner Center, Jewett Park Community Center and our numerous parks, fields and playgrounds, are who make Deerfield a wonderful place to live and recreate.

As a finalist, we showcased the Deerfield Park District community in a 5 minute video highlighting our district’s programs and services to give the judges an overview of our agency and a visual depiction of what was articulated in our application. In this video we highlighted unique partnerships with our Patty Turner Senior Center Council Members, Kenny Rudin Playground supporters, WNBA Champions Chicago Sky and Northshore Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Deerfield Park District thanks the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, Musco Lighting and the National Recreation and Park Association for this coveted recognition.

For more information on the National Gold Medal Award Program, visit www.aapra.org.