June 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 15

programs is vital. Through NRPA's
Parks as Nutrition Hubs grant program,
Chicago Park District expanded
education, food access, farmers
markets and Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program eligibility.
The agency offers nutrition education
year-round to staff and patrons
through its OST initiative, including
after-school, camp and sports programs,
to fuel up for fun. Chicago
Park District is an active member
of the City of Chicago Food Equity
Council and CDPH Partnership for
Healthy Chicago, and these memberships
align with our efforts to increase
food equity and access.
Parks as Growing Spaces
Chicago Park District
significant
commits
green space to supporting
fertile grounds, including
more than 90 community gardens,
three urban farms and an organic
greenhouse. The Outdoor Environmental
Education team offers an
organic gardening and stewardship
program, including the Harvest
Garden program. Youth learn diverse
aspects of organic vegetable
gardening using
approach of planting, tending, harvesting
and preparing food.
Community gardens promote and
expand the greening efforts in the
city while building social capital by
providing valuable outdoor spaces
where communities garden together
and connect through the natural environment.
They provide space for increased
local food access and provide
the additional benefit of job training
Remembering Michelle Park
By Chris Brummett
T
he NRPA community sadly lost a great fighter and advocate for parks
and recreation, Michelle Arlene Park, on March 22. She is survived
by her soulmates Jody Stowers and Sandy; sisters Vicki Lewis and
Dana Manning; brothers Wayne Holzlohner, Robert Park and Allan
Park; and uncles, aunts, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
After graduating with a Bachelor
of Science degree from the University
of Florida, Park attained a
Master of Science degree from the
University of Southern Mississippi.
She dedicated her entire professional
career of 40 years to the
park and recreation field. Among
other roles, Park served as executive
director of the Maryland Parks
and Recreation Association, executive
director of the Ohio Parks
and Recreation Association and
director of professional services at
NRPA. While working at NRPA,
she contributed articles to Parks &
Recreation magazine and occasionally
served as a guest editor.
After her time at NRPA, Park
stayed engaged with the association
and shared a presentation, titled
" Show Me the Proof! Effective
Partnerships for Reducing Juvenile
Crime, " at the 2012 NRPA Annual
Conference. She ended her career as
the assistant director of the City of
Gainesville (Florida) Parks, Recreation
and Cultural Affairs (PRCA)
department, where she made a significant
impact. To celebrate her
work, the City of Gainesville PRCA
established two long-term honors in
a seed-to-plate
and educational programs for area
youth to support future careers in the
field. For instance, the park district's
urban agriculture partner, Urban Collective
Growers, provides 30 grower
apprentices, 32 herbalism apprentices
and 20 teen youth corps members
with more than 300 volunteers.
Chicago Park District is committed
to centering parks as public health
hubs by enhancing physical activity
spaces, food equity, culturally relevant
health education and nature immersion.
This takes never-ending organizational
and community collaboration
with health-focused stakeholders
that
offer
participatory input,
countability and commitment.
Colleen Lammel-Harmon, MPH, R.D., CPRP, CPT, is Senior
Project Manager, Health and Wellness at Chicago Park District
(colleen.lammel@chicagoparkdistrict.com).
acher
name: " The Michelle Park Family
Recreation Scholarship " and the
Michelle Park " Spirit Award. "
Park leaves behind a legacy of
mentoring, expanding parks, guiding
agencies to achieve agency
accreditation, and being kind and
caring above all.
Chris Brummett is Production Coordinator for Parks &
Recreation magazine (cbrummett@nrpa.org).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | JUNE 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
15
PHOTO COURTESY OF JODY STOWERS
June 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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