For the past six-plus years, I have had the great privilege of being a member of the Forest Park Recreation Board. During my tenure, we’ve done some exciting things – we helped celebrate several Arbor Days, organized village-wide cleanups in the spring and fall, hosted dog costume contests at the Casket Races, helped the public library build a little dog library at the Dog Park, and gleefully smashed leftover pumpkins.
Being a member of the Recreation Board means working with village officials and other citizens to promote green spaces in the village. It means having a place to brainstorm ideas to help the village maintain and improve our shared spaces. One of the best things about living in a village the size of Forest Park, is that you can have real, direct impact on what happens in your hometown.
After six years, I am stepping down from being chair of the Recreation Board because I think community boards benefit from new ideas and fresh energy. I have loved my time on the board and will continue to volunteer for all of the activities, but I want to make sure other Forest Parkers get the chance to lead and contribute.
Which brings me to my pitch – apply to be on the Recreation Board! It’s not a big time commitment but it has a big payoff. This is an incredibly fun way to give back to your community. There is nothing better than driving through the village after a cleanup and seeing how tidy the town looks, or driving by a tree you helped plant, or seeing a dumpster full of pumpkin guts that are going to compost instead of landfill and knowing you helped make that happen. The best part? You’ll be joining a great group of folks who are a blast to work with. It’s easy to apply: just complete the form at https://www.forestpark.net/dfp/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Commission-Board-Application-7-18-2011-1-1.pdf
Get your application in now while there are still openings. You won’t regret it!
Amy Binns-Calvey
Forest Park
