Congrats to our 2022 ​VIP (Volunteers-in-Parks) Awardees

During our 2022 Parks as Democracy? Luncheon and Conference, we celebrated individuals and groups who do so much for Chicago's parks and park users. For details and photos, click the links below.

Olmsted Award
Washington Park Camera Club

VIP (Volunteers-in-Parks) Awards
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Park Advisory Council Leadership
Milton and Dorothy Chandler, Park 581

Park Advisory Council
Grant Park PAC
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Community Organization
River North Residents Association

Stewardship
Susannah Ribstein, South Shore Nature Sanctuary

Advocacy
Promontory Point Conservancy

Individual Volunteer
Gail Spreen of Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, DuSable Park PAC, Jane Addams Park PAC

Innovation
Rio de Bienvenida Project

Isolation Inspiration
Supervisor Shauneia McPhearson and staff of Franklin Park

Chicago Park District Employees of the Year
Stephen Bell, Director & Joel Zavala, Senior Program Specialist

“Smoky Sakurada” Friends of Friends of the Parks
Illinois Institute of Technology Professors Maria Villalobos and Ron Henderson and Students of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism Program