Accomplishments

The New York State Recreation and Park Society awarded "Get Moving, CNY" their Exceptional Program Award at the April 1, 2008 conference in Saratoga. Kudos to the Onondaga County Health Department and Syracuse City Parks, who collaborated to create the program along with County Parks.

The Central New York Recreation and Park Society announced that Onondaga County Parks had won the following 2007 Awards at their annual meeting on February 28, 2008:

Exceptional Special Event - Get Moving, CNY
Publication Award - Promotional Brochure - Fall Program Guide
Publication Award - Marketing - Beaver Tales, Beaver Lake Nature Center

Bruce Stebbins, Director of Beaver Lake Nature Center, was elected to the position of Treasurer of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). Stebbins will begin serving a two-year term on the Executive Committee January 1, 2007. He has served on the Board of Directors and chaired the Nature Center Directors and Administrators section of NAI for the past four years. NAI is a 5,000 member international organization of federal, state, municipal and private park and tourism professionals providing interpretive services.

Judy Talbot, Oneida Shores Park Superintendent, was elected President-Elect of the American Camp Association Upstate New York for 2007. She will serve in that position for one year and then as Section President for the ensuing three years.

Congratulations (and thanks!) to the following long-time County Parks employees:

30+ Years:
Don Bassett, Onondaga Lake Park
Richard Billings, Beaver Lake Nature Center
Don Burbidge, Pratt's Falls
Bob Ellis, Onondaga Lake Park
Bill Gabruk, Jamesville Beach Park
John Shostack, Alliance Bank Stadium
Greg Smith, Beaver Lake Nature Center
Ron Smith, Veterans Cemetery
Bruce Stebbins, Beaver Lake Nature Center
Ron Young, Beaver Lake Nature Center

20+ Years:
Ron Abbott, Veterans Cemetery
Don Arquette, Oneida Shores
Joseph Brown, Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Scott Burbidge, Highland Forest
Shirley Chapman, Onondaga Lake Park
Jon Cooley, Main Office
John DiRisio, Highland Forest
Chuck Doyle, Rosamond Gifford Zoo
John Eallonardo, Main Office
Bob Geraci, Main Office
Gary Radford, Main Office
Debbie Ziegler Stebbins, Main Office
Diane Towlson, Main Office
Adrienne Whiteley, Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Walt Zelie, Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery