The Naperville Park District had a strong showing at the 2025 Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD)/Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Soaring to New Heights Conference hosted in Chicago from Jan. 23 through Jan. 25.
Park Board VP achieves Master Board Member status
Naperville Park District Board Vice President Leslie Ruffing received the Master Board Member Award, the highest level in the IAPD’s Board Member Development Program. It denotes park district board members who “go above and beyond” in their duties and commitment to the community, according to a news release from the park district.
To earn the status, one must take part in committees, educational opportunities, and gather other distinctions at the local, state, and national level.
Rothermel Family Skate Facility named ‘outstanding facility’
The plaque for the Outstanding Facility Award for the Rothermel Family Skate Facility.
Also at the event, the park district’s Rothermel Family Skate Facility received the Outstanding Facility Award. Its bowl design and the large amount of public input that went into shaping the facility were both noted as reasons it was honored for the award which celebrates unique achievements in a facility’s design or development.
Park District’s Sales & Sponsorship Manager noted as ‘rising star’
Sales and Sponsorship Manager Stacey Fontechia with the IPRA Rising Star Award.
Naperville Park District Sales & Sponsorship Manager Stacey Fontechia also received acclaim at the conference, bringing home the Rising Star Award from IPRA’s Communications & Marketing Section.
“I am incredibly proud of the Naperville Park District’s visibility and recognition achieved at the recent IAPD/IPRA Conference,” said Executive Director Brad Wilson in the news release. “It reflects the great work and professionalism accomplished across the organization for the benefit of our community, and I’m pleased that our efforts were acknowledged in several different ways.”
The conference was a three-day event that also included presentations from multiple Naperville Park District staff members on a variety of subjects such as building community trust and safety preparations for large events.
All photos courtesy: Naperville Park District
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