Ronald Lehman Celebrates 50 years as a Channahon Park District Commissioner
The Channahon Park District is celebrating 50 years of dedicated service by Ronald Lehman to the residents of Channahon as a Park District Commissioner.
Originally appointed to the Board on April 13, 1972, exactly eight months after the Channahon Park District was formed, Ron has been there from nearly the beginning. In 1972 the Park District managed the 12-acre I & M Canal State Park in Channahon, today the District has grown to more than 500 acres, 19 parks and four facilities, all under Ron’s watch.
Check out Ron’s interview with Scott Slocum on WJOL here
Congratulations to Ron on 50 years of selfless service to parks and recreation!
In the District’s early years Ron played a big part in starting the Park District’s recreational activities including summer events, day camp, tennis lessons, softball, and swimming at the Manor Motel.
Ron was instrumental in achieving the Park District’s long-sought plans for an aquatic facility and a golf course in 1993, with the opening of Tomahawk Aquatic Center and Heritage Bluffs Golf Club. The Bluffs has been recognized as one of the top public golf facilities in the nation and has garnered numerous awards.
In additional to his service and dedication to the Channahon Park District, locally, Ron is a retired principal of Minooka Community High School, a former Village of Channahon Trustee, charter member of the Channahon-Minooka Rotary Club, was approved by former President Bush and appointed by then Secretary of Interior Manuel Lujan Jr. to serve as a key board member on the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission, and was named the 1996 Village of Channahon Citizen of the Year.
As a state leader Ron served on the IAPD Board of Trustees for eight years, two of which he served as president. As a national leader Ron served on the National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) Board of Directors for 12 years, serving as Chairman for six of those years. In 1997 Ron was named the NRPA Great Lakes Region Citizen Board Member of the Year. Ron is also a founding member of the National Association of Park Foundations where the prestigious Lehman Award was established to recognize excellence in park foundations.
Ron was recognized for his dedication to the Park District when he was awarded the 1993 Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) Commissioner of the Year Award, IAPD’s highest honor, and the 2007 Illinois Parks & Recreation Association (IPRA) Distinguished Service to Leisure Award, IPRA’s highest honor.
Ron was apart of the Park District being named the National Gold Medal Grand Award in 1997, and since 2014, recognized as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency.
Ron was key in forming the People for Channahon Parks Foundation. Founded in 2009, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that solicits support for the Channahon Park District through volunteerism, gifts and grants. Arroyo Trails, the popular 78-acre nature park and trail, was created through a partnership with the People for Channahon Parks Foundation. The nature park development was funded by the dollars raised by the People for Channahon Parks Foundation and is managed by the Channahon Park District.
