Park District's Award is a 'Big Deal'

Big Deal Productions, the performing arts division of the , was recently selected to receive a National 2011 Dorothy Mullen Arts and Humanities, Class IV Award by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

NRPA will present the award publicly at a special reception Nov. 2 at the association’s 2011 Congress and Exposition in Atlanta.

Each year, NRPA National Awards are presented to individuals and agencies across the U.S. to honor their efforts — both professional and personal — in the field of parks and recreation. Recipients are selected from a pool of applicants by NRPA’s National Forum Awards Committee, and are chosen for excellence in a variety of topics, including professional and voluntary service, programming, leadership, research and public outreach.

Big Deal Productions offers performance opportunities to community members of all ages and backgrounds. Productions include one major community theater musical, three children's theater musical productions, a young adult nonmusical production, a 75-member community chorus, a smaller traveling chorus, and a wide range of music- and theater-related classes and private lessons.

"This is a tremendous honor for Big Deal Productions and the Buffalo Grove Park District. We are very grateful to the National Park and Recreation Association for selecting us to receive the award. This program is successful due to the efforts of so many wonderful staff, participants and volunteers. We are very lucky to have such incredible people involved in this program, and we happily accept the award in their honor," said Lindsay Grandt, Performing Arts Coordinator for the Buffalo Grove Park District.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives and conservation of natural and cultural resources.

— Submitted by the Buffalo Grove Park District