Members of the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District DEI Committee pose with their 2025 Champions for Change award. (Provided photo)
Local News

Park district wins Champions of Change Award for diversity, inclusion efforts

The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District received the Champions for Change Award for its unique and exemplary practices of increasing access and fostering diversity and inclusion within the park district and the H-F community.

The award was presented at the association’s annual Illinois Park and Recreation Association/Illinois Association of Park Districts conference Jan. 24 in Chicago.

“At the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — or DEI — are not just initiatives; they are part of who we are,” said Oralethea Davenport, the Irwin Center manager and chair of the park district’s DEI Committee. “By embedding DEI as a core value and aligning it with our mission, we’ve worked to create a legacy of equity, accessibility, and positive change within our agency and our community.”

Advertisement
Members of the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District DEI Committee pose with their 2025 Champions for Change award. (Provided photo)
Members of the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District DEI Committee pose with their 2025 Champions for Change award. (Provided photo)

The board of commissioners approved DEI goals. Davenport said the initiatives have led to numerous impactful actions over the past two years, including annual DEI training, program and event reviews, and the creation of the the park district’s DEI logo displayed at facility entrances and on staff apparel.

Other efforts include:

  • A scholarship fund that gave families facing financial challenges the opportunity to participate in recreational programs.
  • Collaboration with the South Suburban Special Recreation Association that enhances programming accessibility for individuals with special needs.
  • PRIDE Fest at Irwin Park in June to help promote equity and strengthen community bonds in the H-F community.

“I am so proud to see our staff recognized for the hard work they do daily to make our park district welcoming and inclusive,” said Doug Boehm, the park district’s executive director. “We strive to make everyone in our tight-knit community feel like they are a part of something special.”

The park district has 29 parks and 12 facilities, including the H-F Racquet & Fitness Center, the Ice Arena, the Irwin Center and The Clubhouse at Dolphin Lake.

This Champions for Change Award is the latest honor for H-F Park District. It has received the National Recreation and Park Association’s National Gold Medal Award for excellence in park and recreation management three times — 1991, 2006 and 2018. The award recognized H-F Park District’s administration, outstanding facilities, programs and staff.

First decade feedback

Popular stories < 7 days

Events

More events