Awards

Honor Someone From Your Agency or Your Community for Their Efforts to Support Recreation and Parks in Kansas

Are you aware of someone within your agency, a board member, a volunteer, a legislator, organization or local leader who has made a meaningful difference in helping your agency achieve success?  Please take this opportunity to pay tribute and honor individuals who are important to your success stories by nominating them to be honored at the KRPA Awards of Excellence Lunch during the annual KRPA Conference and Trade Show.

Annual Award are available below.
Branch Award are here.

Contact the KRPA Office with questions.

Award Categories

Hall of Fame
Nominations for the KRPA Hall of Fame shall come from the general membership.   Requirements:  A parks and recreation professional who committed a lengthy time of service to the field of parks and recreation in Kansas.  Must be retired from the profession at least (2) years.  Candidates must be a past member of KRPA.  Professional nominees are preferred to have had professional certification but not required. 

Hall of Fame selections are made by the KRPA Executive Committee
Hall of Fame Nomination Form

2014 Inductee - Susan Hayden, Merriam Parks and Recreation


Distinguished Fellow Award

This award recognizes a professional KRPA member who has rendered outstanding service to the organization and the profession on the local, state or national level. This award shall be limited to those persons having served a minimum of fifteen years of service as a full time employee in the recreation and park field. This award may be given posthumously.
Distinguished Fellow Nomination Form

2016 Winner - Paul Lewis, Dodge City
 

 

Distinguished Professional Award

This award recognized a professional KRPA member who has rendered outstanding service to the organization and the profession, local or state.  This award shall be limited to those persons having served a minimum of ten years as a full-time employee in the recreation and park field.
Distinguished Professional Nomination Form

2016 Winner - Randy Luebbe, Shawnee County Park and Recreation

Distinguished New Professional Award

This award recognizes a KRPA member who has rendered outstanding service to any phase of the recreation and park profession on a local or state level.  This award shall be limited to those persons having served at least three years but not more than ten years as a full-time employee in the recreation and park field.
Distinguished New Professional Nomination Form

2016 Winner - Gayle Sigurdson, Lawrence Park and Recreation

Distinguished Board or Commission Member Award

This award recognizes a member of a board or commission who oversees or advises park and recreation agencies
Distinguished Board or Commission Member Nomination Form

2016 Winner - Janet Miller, CIty of Wichita

Distinguished Volunteer Award

This award recognizes a person who volunteers time for their services to the recreation, park or conservation initiatives and who has rendered distinguished service to the organization and the recreation and park profession.
Distinguished Volunteer Nomination Form  

2016 Winners- Chad Pape, Manhattan Park and Recreation (Left Picture)
  Sid Kanter, Blue Valley Recreation Commission (Right Picture)

Distinguished Service Award
This award recognizes any full-time or part-time employee in the recreation and park field who has made a difference to the community or organization.  Recipients need not be KRPA members and it is the intent of this award to recognize dedicated employees in such areas as maintenance, clerical and programming positions.  This award shall be limited to those persons having served a minimum of two years as a full-time or part-time employee in the recreation and park field.
Distinguished Service Nomination Form

2016 - David Mootz, Johnson County Park and Recreation District
2016 - Jan Long, Wichita Park and Recreation


Distinguished Public Service Award
This award recognizes an organization, which has provided outstanding service to any recreation, park and conservation initiatives at the local or state level.  An organization is defined to include civic and fraternal groups as well as businesses, corporations, and other organizations not directly associated with the recreation and park profession.  This definition does not exclude businesses dealing in services or products, which are recreation and park oriented.
Distinguished Public Service Nomination Form

2016 - Bike Walk Wichita
2016 - Boys & Girls Club of Topeka

Distinguished Elected Official Award
This award recognizes an elected official at any government level, including local, state or federal, who has rendered service to any phase of the recreation and park initiative at a local, state and/or national level.
Distinguished Elected Official Nomination Form

2016 - Shelly Buhler, Shawnee County Board of Commissioners
2016 - Lavonta Williams, City of Wichita