Lake County Forest Preserves garners 4 awards

LIBERTYVILLE – Two Illinois organizations committed to advancing parks and recreation recognized the outstanding contributions of the Lake County Forest Preserves with four awards for excellence in public communications and design.

The Illinois Park and Recreation Association and the Illinois Association of Park Districts announced the honors at the recent Soaring to New Heights Conference, the largest state park and recreation conference in the nation.

The Lake County Forest Preserves received second place in the Overall Agency Showcase category. The acknowledgment encompassed the entire spectrum of print, digital and social media materials submitted.

Lake County Forest Preserves also earned:

• First place in the Brochure category for Horizons quarterly magazine

• Second place in the Marketing Campaign category for the 25th anniversary of Hike Lake County

• Third place in Social Media Campaign for the promotion of the Beer Garden at Independence Grove in Libertyville.

IAPD and IPRA are dedicated to advancing parks and recreation in Illinois and fostering exceptional standards for professionals in the field, according to the news release.

Competition was intense with more than 45 agencies vying for recognition across 13 categories.

The judges remarked the Lake County Forest Preserves’ overall submission stood out as “beautiful, balanced, creative, recognizable and memorable.” Entries were judged on creativity, design, organization, message and cohesiveness.

“We are elated to be honored with these prestigious accolades,” Angelo Kyle, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves, said in the release. “The recognition emphasizes our team’s passion and dedication to strengthening connections with the public, a commitment that ranks high among our priorities.”

In bestowing Horizons with the top award, judges said, “the magazine is exceptional in its design and organization and beautifully branded.”

The free quarterly magazine features articles and news about conservation, wildlife, trails, recreation, nature and history education.

“Our team’s talent and expertise are evident in every issue,” said Jeanna Martinucci, communications and design manager and Horizons editor and designer. “It’s deeply rewarding to receive this recognition.”

To receive the magazine, visit lcfpd.org/horizons.

The second-place award was for an extensive marketing campaign to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hike Lake County. The annual fall program is a way to encourage individuals to enjoy time outdoors and reconnect with nature while exploring trails.

The third-place finish for social media campaign centered on the Beer Garden at Independence Grove. The campaign reached more than 403,000 people, which resulted in almost double the website traffic over the previous year.