Community involvement, community responsibility and community preservation are all hallmarks and cornerstones of any recreation agency credo. Respect for and participation in the community is, after all, how park district personnel justify their existence. It was this mechanism which was ultimately responsible for the help generated in Lemont. Looking at the recreation community in Illinois as a whole, one can view it as an independent, fully developed organism. It breathes life and vitality into all of its actions.
Members share common values, rules, traditions, ethics and language.
There is inherent in the composition, and an assumption of responsibility for the well-being of all communities. Much like any organism, basic needs and principles must be addressed and fulfilled. Common among these is the sense of compassion and desire felt by park and recreation professionals to render assistance to their neighbors. When tragedy strikes, they rally to the aid of fellow recreation agencies and the communities they serve. The first is to provide physical assistance for clean-up efforts by providing vehicles, tools and experienced maintenance staff.