Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Director Chris Stice was presented the Outstanding Advocate of the Year Award at the Indiana Park & Recreation Association (IPRA) Annual Conference recently held in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The statewide association bestows awards on individuals and agencies that have contributed to the parks and recreation field in a manner worthy of recognition by the professional organization and its members. During the ceremony, IPRA leadership conveyed to their members and guests that “Chris’s passion, leadership, and tireless advocacy have truly set a standard of excellence for us all.”
Stice, who began his career with Hamilton County Parks 28 years ago, has served as the department’s director since 2020.
“I was humbled by the recognition I received from my fellow parks professionals and will continue to passionately advocate for the advancement of parks and the responsible stewardship of our county’s parklands and green spaces,” Stice said. “Of the number of projects with which I am currently involved, I am especially excited about Project AWARE Goes to the Parks, a program that provides opportunities for parks departments to receive staff training on mental health and/or create youth programming in outdoor spaces that positively impact mental health and physical activity.”
To learn more about Hamilton County Parks and the department’s mission, visit MyHamiltonCountyParks.com, follow the park department on Facebook or call (317) 770-4400. Information regarding Indiana Park & Recreation Association is available online at inpra.org. Additional Project AWARE details can be found at projectawarein.org.