2018-2019 Award Nomination Information The Awards program is a benefit of your mparks Membership and it is designed to highlight the great work of our members to the profession, to elected officials and to local communities. Deadline: October 5, 2018
General Information The Michigan Recreation and Park Association honors exemplary park and recreation professionals and citizen advocates through the Association s annual awards. Award winners serve as an inspiration to our membership and embody the core values of the profession, demonstrating the highest level of performance in their job duties, as well as a tremendous commitment to mparks and its membership. There are five award categories - details about each category and related awards are provided within this brochure. Eligibility Agency and individual professional members of the Michigan Recreation and Park Association are eligible to submit award nominations. mparks vendor members are encouraged to collaborate with agency or individual members on design nominations, but may not nominate a project independently. Upcoming Dates October 5, 2018 January 29 - February 1, 2019 Annual Award Nominations due to mparks Annual Awards presented at mparks Conference & Trade Show Local Presentation of Awards Local award presentations are encouraged; please consider presenting awards earned by your agency, employees or community advocates at City Council, local Park and Recreation Commission meetings and more. For assistance presenting an award locally, contact Dan Sullivan at dansullivan@oxparkrec.org January 9, 2019 March 15, 2019 April 17, 2019 Community Service Award Nomination Form Distributed to Members Community Service Award Nominations Due Community Service Award Ceremony Annual Awards All successful nominators and their award winners will receive formal notification prior to November 7, 2018. Nominations for all individual awards will be considered for an additional year from the date submitted. Photos courtesy of Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation, Huron Clinton Metroparks, Ingham County Parks, Lansing Parks & Recreation, Midland Parks & Recreation, Miracle Midwest, Oakland County Parks, Genesee County Parks and Riverside Kayak Connection.
DESIGN AWARDS Design awards are presented to mparks agency members in honor of outstanding landscape design, facility or architectural design and park design. Entries must be submitted by mparks agency members. Vendor members are encouraged to collaborate with agency members on Design Award nominations, but may not nominate a project independently. Design Award Categories Landscape Design projects include gardens, landscape art, earth sculptures, interpretive pathways and gardens, reclamation projects and conservation projects. Facility Design projects include community centers, indoor pools, gymnasiums, indoor sports complexes, welcome / information centers, nature centers, restrooms, picnic shelters, and park support amenities such as parking lots, lighting, water and sewer systems and more. Park Design projects contain landscape and facility components; examples include splash pads, outdoor aquatic facilities, sports fields, playgrounds, and trails and linear parks. Design Award Nomination Format All nominating mparks agency members must submit two copies of a three-ring binder containing: Two to three pages of typewritten narrative A maximum of 10 images with captions Three plan views of the project The narrative should include the community size and description, the project purpose and local significance, as well as the project budget. The role of the parks and recreation professional and any unique problems or techniques used should also be described. All binders must be submitted to mparks. Design Award Eligibility A project may be submitted annually until it wins an award, at which time it becomes ineligible for further submission. Plans or incomplete designs are ineligible; the first phase of a project must be completed to be considered for an award. The design awards will be judged on the following criteria: Degree of Innovation Aesthetic quality Functionality Construction viability ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS The following Organizational Awards are presented annually to mparks Agency Members. Recognize your creative programs... you have a few! What program are you nominating today?! Innovative Park Resources The Innovative Park Resources Award honors an innovative maintenance program, equipment design or revenue producer. Please submit a narrative and two photos. Innovative Recreation Programming The Innovative Recreation Programming Award honors creative recreation programs, fund-raising activities, promotional tools and/ or management practices. Please submit a narrative and one photo. * Program must be new or an old program with a new twist making it innovative.
MARKETING AWARDS Seasonal Brochure / Activity Guide This category honors outstanding seasonal brochures / activity guides published in 2018. Entries are judged on graphic design and use of photography and/or artwork, as well as creativity, sentence structure and description writing. Please submit two copies of the brochure. Website Agency websites are a information hub used to communicate with residents and non-residents alike. Functionality is key to serving a community. Judging will focus on site functionality, ease of use, design and content. Social Media Campaign A well-rounded social media strategy is essential for success in marketing. Judging in this category will be based around a social media campaign s overall effectiveness, creativity, adherence to best practices and results. Social channels can include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Google+, YouTube or a combination of platforms. Graphic Design Piece Judging in this category will evaluate a marketing piece s creativity, graphic design and overall messaging effectiveness. Digital and print submissions are both accepted. This category is open to the following: Flyers Social media graphics Special brochures Maps Banners/signs Postcards NEW Category NEW Category Integrated Marketing Campaign Integrated marketing campaigns aim to create consistency of message through a variety of media channels. The IMC Award honors the agency, professional or organization that has developed an outstanding campaign using a variety of coordinated mediums to deliver an effective message to an audience. Candidates must utilize at least three of the following media tools: Video Social media Websites or blogs Printed material Audio Public relations Other Media Advocate The Media Advocate award highlights a member of the media community who has been a vocal supporter of parks and recreation. Nominees may be a member of any media community, including television, radio, newspaper, online publication, etc. The Media Advocate award allows mparks members to thank media professionals who understand the importance of local parks, recreation programs and facilities.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS Individual Awards are the highest honor our Association presents; the awards honor the dedicated performance of a mparks member or advocate of the parks and recreation profession. Fellowship The mparks Fellowship Award is presented to a member who consistently demonstrates significant investment, support and guidance to fellow professionals. Honorees exemplify the highest level of professionalism in all aspects of our profession, in his or her own organization and within the membership. Nominees must be a member of mparks in good standing for a minimum of 20 years. Recreation Leadership The Recreation Leadership Award is presented to a member for outstanding contributions and leadership in the area of recreation programming. Nominees must be a member of mparks in good standing for a minimum of 10 years. Park Resource Leadership Park Resource Leadership Award recipients demonstrate outstanding contributions in the area of maintenance practice, equipment management, resource development and environmental stewardship. There is no minimum mparks membership requirement for this award. New Professional This award recognizes new professionals for outstanding service to their agency, their community and the Association. Nominees must be a professional member of mparks in good standing for no more than five years. Local Elected Official This award honors elected local officials who have made significant contributions towards enhancing resident quality of life through the promotion of parks and recreation. State Elected Official This award is presented to an elected official who has exhibited exceptional support of parks and recreation. Eligible nominees include, but are not limited to, state elected officials such as representatives, senators, governors, etc. Judging Criteria Winners of the Individual Awards will be determined using the following criteria. Years of mparks membership for the nominee, when applicable Educational background Association service, leadership, and regional group involvement Certifications Partnerships and collaborations Outstanding and/or innovative programs, services, and practices Speaker presentations Community affiliations and volunteer experiences Please submit a minimum of two (2) letters of support with the nomination Description of Mentorship role (if applicable) Outline significant contributions to the profession * Some awards may not be given out each year, pending nominations * Provide support information as required to give your nominee the best chance to win an award this year!
Therapeutic Recreation AWARDS The Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Awards honor outstanding professionals and programs within the field of Therapeutic Recreation. The TR Awards will be presented during the mparks Therapeutic Recreation Institute (TRI). Karen Linn Medve Outstanding Achievement This award recognizes excellence in the Therapeutic Recreation profession. The candidate must have five years of experience in the field, maintain membership in at least one professional organization, contribute significantly to the profession s advancement, and mentor other professionals. Qualified nominations should contain materials supporting the criteria listed above. Excellence in Therapeutic Programming This award acknowledges a hospital, agency, or department for innovation and breadth of service in TR program development. The award recognizes accomplishments and consistently high standards in the clinical or community setting. Submit a brief narrative description focusing on one facet or the overall program. Please include background on the following areas as they apply: number of people served, program goals and mission statements, sample documentation (initial evaluation, program evaluation, etc.), program results (participant satisfaction, analysis, ideas for improvement), and flyers, brochures, competencies, or types of programs offered. Community Service AWARDS The mparks Community Service Awards recognize individuals and organizations throughout Michigan who demonstrate outstanding support to public recreation and park programs. The Community Service Awards are an excellent way to recognize volunteers, supporters and advocates in your community; awards include Community Service, Senior of the Year, Youth Sports Coach and Youth Sports Staff Member of the Year. Maximum number of nomination criteria: Individual: One Agency: Two County: Three Statewide Agency (DNR): Four Mark Your Calendar for Important CSA Dates! Community Service Nominations Available: January 9, 2019 Community Service Award Nominations Due: March 15, 2019 Community Service Awards Ceremony: April 17, 2019 (Hannah Community Center, East Lansing)