V E R M O N T

The Vermont Recreation and Parks Association recognizes the importance of honoring certain of its recreation and park professional and volunteer members who have rendered outstanding service to this association and the profession, and established the following awards to do this. The nomination deadline is typically in early March and the awards are presented each year at the VRPA Annual Meeting in May.

The Young Professional Award
The Young Professional Award was introduced in 2005, to recognize professionals who have been working in the field in Vermont for a period of at least two years and no more than ten years. All nominees must be current members of VRPA.

The Facility of Merit Award
The Facility of Merit Award was introduced in 2007 for the first time, to recognize an outstanding and/or creative renovation or development of a recreation facility or amenity. The director of the agency must be a current VRPA member.

The Unsung Hero Award
The Unsung Hero Award was introduced in 2008 and recognizes lay persons or professionals who have demonstrated consistent or outstanding service in their community and whose commitment has been in furthering the field of parks, recreation, and/or cultural and community services through excellence, service, and execution of their talents and skills. The nominee must be affiliated with a VRPA member in good standing; the nominator must be a current VRPA member.

The Theresa S. Brungardt Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Vermont Recreation and Parks Association. This award was established in 1975 to recognize recreation pioneer, Theresa S. Brungardt. Mrs. Brungardt was Vermont's first state Director of Recreation and she traveled tirelessly throughout Vermont to help communities with their recreation programs. Mrs. Brungardt was nationally recognized for her expertise and in 1952 was elected the first female president of the American Recreation Society. In 1977 was inducted into the NRPA Hall of Fame.

Cindi Wight, with the help of the staff at the Rutland PEG TV Community Access Channel, completed three great videos about recreation pioneer, Theresa Brungardt.

• "Snapshot of Theresa Brungardt" (8 minutes, featured below)
• "A Perspective by Those Who Knew Her" (39 minutes)
• "Historical View" (59 minutes, with VT Historian, Muriel More)

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Nominations are accepted each summer for Theresa S. Brungardt Awards in three categories: professional, friend, and organization/agency. Eligibility and criteria vary by category. Nominations are accepted during the summer.  Nominations are reviewed by an Awards Committee consisting of the past professional Brungardt Award recipients who are still working in the field full-time. The awards are presented at the Annual Vermont Governor's Conference on Recreation. The deadline for submitting a nomination for this year's Brungardt Awards is Friday, August 23, 2013.