Our family moved to Highland Park in 2011 from Chicago. At the time, we didn’t know much about the area, but from the moment we first visited, we fell in love with the community and the Park District. The downtown, the beaches, the parks, and, of course, the recreational opportunities all captured our hearts. Since that first day, we have been fortunate to benefit from the wide variety of programs the district offers. My boys currently participate in football, basketball, and tennis, and I enjoy our tennis, pickleball, golf, and exercise programs.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been invited to join the Parks Foundation Board, as it has given me the opportunity to give back to these wonderful, caring communities of Highland Park and Highwood. Now, as the new president, I am excited to do even more to continue my life-long commitment to helping others, caring for the natural environment, and ensuring that everyone in our diverse communities—regardless of income—has the opportunity to live happier, healthier lives.

I am immensely proud of the work our Foundation’s volunteers and the dedicated staff of the Park District do every day to ensure that people of all ages—kids, teens, adults, and families—have access to the Park District’s programs, events, and facilities. It’s a goal of the Foundation that their lives are richer, their connections are deeper, and their friendships stronger in part because of our efforts to ensure equity and inclusion are built into the fabric of our communities.

It is an honor to continue the important work of the Foundation, providing scholarships for life-saving swim lessons, sports programs, and summer camps to kids and families facing economic hardship. Through the generosity of our residents and volunteers, we are also able to fund major improvements to the Park District’s infrastructure and the facilities that are enjoyed year-round by all of our neighbors.

As you read through our successes of the past year, I hope you feel as proud as I do of the impact the Foundation has had on our community. I invite you to join us—whether as a volunteer on the board or as a contributor to our fundraising efforts. I know you will experience the same deep sense of pride that I do. You’ll also be rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing that you’re playing a part in changing lives for the better. Please, give where you live—because where we live is truly incredible.

Josie Beck
Parks Foundation of Highland Park, President

Scholarships

We believe everyone in our community should have access to Park District programs regardless of their family’s financial situation. The Foundation provides a variety of scholarship opportunities for Highland Park/Highwood residents of all ages to enjoy athletic and recreational programs.

In 2024, we provided $183,000 in recreational scholarships to over 100 families. Applications are now being accepted for 2025 SMILE (Highland Park residents) and FYI Grant-in-Aid (Highwood residents) Scholarships. Other scholarship opportunities include:

FYI Learn-to-Swim Programs

Provides free swimming lessons for qualifying Highwood families.

Michael Goldman Memorial Golf Scholarship

Provides a series of free private golf lessons and loaner clubs.

Lois & Edmond Zisook Rosewood Beach Summer Camp Scholarship

Provides scholarships for the Rosewood Beach summer camp.

Jeff Fox Field

In August 2024, hundreds of local families gathered for the ceremonial grand opening of the new Jeff Fox Field located at Larry Fink Memorial Park. The new field now serves as a regional destination with reduced maintenance requirements and improved amenities for the players and spectators. The new synthetic turf more than triples the number of usable hours of the field each year and reduces the cost of maintenance by more than 50% every year over its projected 10-year lifespan. Donated funding through the Parks Foundation of Highland Park – Athletics Boosters Fundraising Committee comprised of dedicated baseball families contributed over $500,000 to fill the funding gap and ensure the successful renovation of the state-of-the-art field.

Champions Gala

Thank you to the 200+ guests who attended the Champions Gala this past April. Over $24,000 was raised. The evening was filled with dancing, fun, and an auction. Chicago Bears legend Lance Briggs was our guest speaker with surprise appearances from Channel 2 Sports Ryan Baker and Highland Park’s Olympian Skater Jason Brown. Thank you to our event sponsors: Highland Park Bank and Trust, Autohaus, Illinois Bone & Joint, Wayfarer, Stern McQuiston, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, and Holabird & Root. Stay tuned for details on the 2025 Gala!

North Shore Pickleball Tournament

This past September, we hosted our 4th Annual North Shore Pickleball Tournament! We had 31 teams participating and raised $10,182. Thank you to our event sponsors: 1st Bank of Highland Park, Varsity Pickle, AARP, and Delos Therapy.

Highland Park Community Foundation

A huge thank you to the Highland Park Community Foundation for their $10,000 grant to support the Parks Foundation FYI Scholarship program that provides funding for Highwood families in need to ensure everyone has equal access to recreational programs.