The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), announced Wednesday that Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) is a finalist for the 2020 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The Gold Medal Awards program is sponsored by Musco Lighting, LLC.
Founded in 1965, the 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. Applications are separated into six classes, with five classes based on population and one class for armed forces.
Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation is a finalist in the Class III category for cities with a population of 75,001 to 150,000. This is the second time CCPR has been named a finalist for the highest honor for a parks and recreation agency, previously winning the National Gold Medal in 2014. After a mandatory sit-out period, 2020 marks the first year the organization is once again eligible to win this prestigious award. CCPR joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for grand honors this year.
Klitzing
“To be named a finalist takes the creativity, innovation, hard work and dedication of a tremendous team. What makes me most proud is that CCPR has a culture that does not settle for the status quo,” CCPR Director Michael Klitzing said. “We recognize that we can and should continually innovate and improve. Even with the many great things we do to serve our guests, whether members at the Monon Community Center, participants in Extended School Enrichment, or visitors to our parks, we strive to do better – to be the best part of each person’s day.”
Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff members and elected officials. A panel of five park and recreation professionals will review and judge the finalists. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.
This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the six Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the 2020 NRPA Conference, which will be held virtually in October.
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit nrpa.org/goldmedal or aapra.org.