When My CAREER JOBBecame My Lessons from a 30-year park and recreation professional By Jim O'Connell M y name is Jim O'Connell, and I am the director of the Vero Beach (Florida) Recreation Department. I have been working in the park and recreation field for 30 years. I was thinking about how I got here, and more specifically, when parks and recreation became my career. It wasn't on purpose - at least not completely. But what started out as a " job " became, at some point, a " career, " and I am very glad it did. 48 Parks & Recreation | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G