City of Fontana shines at CPRS District XI awards banquet

By FONTANA HERALD NEWS

The City of Fontana Community Services Department enjoyed overwhelming successes at the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) District XI Awards and Installation banquet last month.

The evening started with a huge coup for the City of Fontana as Kyla Brown, acting community services manager, was inducted as the District XI president. Michael Wright, acting community services supervisor, was also elected to the executive committee.

The board plays a direct role in the formation of action plans and the legislative roles of the district which have a direct impact on member sites and programming. Having two city employees serve on the executive committee will allow for Fontana to have a presence in policies made for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

The night followed with more successes as city employees were recognized for the Professional Service Award (Jennifer Hunt, community services supervisor), Lifetime Achievement Award (Ken Herron, community services director), Volunteer Layman Awards (Mayor's Gala Committee and the Cruise Night Committee).

A scholarship for professional development was also awarded to Courtney Hodnick, community services coordinator at the Art Depot.

In all, the City of Fontana Community Services Department swept the evening with five awards. Rialto, with three winners, had the second largest number of award recipients for the evening. Other cities in attendance to receive awards included Rialto, Riverside, Ontario, Corona, Temecula, Hesperia, Chino, and San Bernardino. Both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties are represented by District XI.

CPRS is a statewide nonprofit that was incepted in 1946 to provide members with leadership tools to create community through parks and programming. Some of the goals of CPRS are to “provide recreational experiences to individuals, families, and communities; promote health and wellness; increase cultural unity; strengthen safety and security; and support economic development.”

The City of Fontana has been successful in living up to the goals set forth by the CPRS, officials said. A series of campaigns have brought residents out of their homes and into the parks. Residents are increasingly getting involved in the cultural arts programs, special events that include the award winning Cruise Night, Winter Festival, Fontana Days Run, and summer Variety Nights.

In the year ahead, safety and security will continue to be a central focus of the department, officials said.

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