GREAT Things are Happening in Deerfield

Deerfield Park District’s Mission Statement

The Deerfield Park District strives to serve the Deerfield Community with outstanding parks, services, facilities and recreation programs that enrich lives, promote healthy living and inspire memorable experiences.

Six Strategic Plan Strategies

1. Organizational Excellence 2. Customer Engagement 3. Community Engagement 4. Going Green/Environmental Stewardship Go GREEN 5. Expand & Enhance Parks & Properties 6. Enhance Existing Facilities & Add New Ones

Look for these symbols to stay current on Deerfield Park District’s strategic plan.

Go GREEN

COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The Deerfield Park District has been working on a community needs assessment. The assessment includes a board visioning session, a staff visioning session, a Delphi Committee focus group with local stakeholders and the administration of a community survey, working with the Public Research Group. The survey will be mailed or emailed to a random sample of residents to help guide the district in program and service enhancements and future projects. The survey is a key element of how the district can best serve the community and we encourage everyone who receives the survey to complete and return it to the district. An additional component of the survey process will be to post the survey on the district’s website after the random sampling survey process is complete to add to the compilation of the community’s parks and recreation needs. Information on that posting will be provided in the upcoming months.

NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL AWARD

The Deerfield Park District is proud to have been selected as a finalist for the 2021 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). The National Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. The final step in the process now that we have been selected as one of the top four in our class was to submit a finalist video showcasing our agency and highlighting our unique programs, services and partnerships (click here to check out our video). Watch our website for an update as the winner in each class will be announced in September at the National Recreation and Park Association conference.

SWALCO CLOTHING & TEXTILE COLLECTION PROGRAM

Go GREEN

Continuing to focus on environmental stewardship, the park district has partnered with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) to provide outdoor donation collection boxes at the Deerfield Golf Club on the northeast corner of the parking lot and at the Patty Tuner Center accessible from the parking lot, on the west side of the building. This is a full-circle program where new and gently used clothing and textile donations are accepted. Almost all of the accepted materials will be reused, repurposed or recycled. Sites do generate a small amount of revenue which will be utilized for projects that enhance our going green committment.

SHADE STRUCTURE DEDICATION

On June 28, Dr. Amy Brodsky, her staff and family joined us for the dedication of the Jewett Park Preschool Shade Structures that were purchased with funds donated by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation Inc. in January of 2020. Park District Executive Director Jeff Nehila introduced Dr. Brodksy and Len Kasper, the radio play by play announcer for the Chicago White Sox, who shared their stories about the importance of sun safety with community members and summer campers in attendance.

ANDI AND PHIL ROSENTHAL’S MEMORIAL STATUE

The DYBA (Deerfield Youth Baseball and Softball Association) honored Andi and Phil Rosenthal on June 13 at the dedication of a statue that has been placed in their memory. The statue is located at Jewett Park along the pathway behind Field 2. Thank you to the friends and family of the Rosenthal’s, we are so proud to help celebrate their lives.

ATHLETES REPRESENTING TEAM USA IN TOKYO AT THE OLYMPICS

Here in Deerfield, we have a lot to cheer about this July and August as nine athletes from North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics and one athlete from the WNBA Chicago Sky will travel to Tokyo to represent Team USA in the Olympics! We are proud of these amazing athletes who call the Sachs Recreation Center not only their practice facility but their home away from home. Follow us on Facebook or check our website for schedules so you can cheer our hometown athletes to victory!

North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics

Rhythmic individual competitors

Evita Griskenas, Orland Park, Ill./NSRG Lennox Hopkins-Wilkins, Puyallup, Wash./Evergreen Rhythmics (replacement athlete) Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./NSRG

Rhythmic group competitors

Isabelle Connor, Manhattan Beach, Calif./NSRG Camilla Feeley, Wheeling, Ill./NSRG Yelyzaveta Merenzon, Buffalo Grove, Ill./NSRG Lili Mizuno, Northbrook, Ill./NSRG Gergana Petkova, Barrington, Ill./NSRG (replacement athlete) Elizaveta Pletneva, Wheeling, Ill./NSRG Nicole Sladkov, Vernon Hills, Ill./NSRG

WNBA – Chicago Sky

Women’s 3 x 3 Olympic Basketball Team