Awards and Recognition
Wisconsin Park and Recreation Annual Conference and Trade Show - 2026
Several members of our WAWM RCS Department team had the opportunity to attend the WPRA Annual Conference & Trade Show in the Wisconsin Dells. This conference was designed to spark new ideas, open new doors, and help our staff build the connections that will fuel their success.
On top of that, we came home with some hardware that helped us celebrate a great 2025 while looking forward to an impactful in 2026! First up, our Silver Star Award for Youth Programming for the first-ever Kindermarket! This award is submitted by individual departments to highlight a program or event that was exemplary of success and deserving of recognition. The event was nominated as it had 24 child vendors along with 100 attendees in its first year. Program Manager Maggie Obst presented about the success of the Kindermarket at the Conference this past weekend, sharing insights and outcomes of this event. We are so proud of all the kid entrepreneurs and their creativity that has helped this event flourish. We are looking forward to the 3rd Annual Kindermarket which will take place in the winter of 2026. Congrats Maggie on your Silver Star Award!
Next up, we celebrate Greg Zeman, of the Zeman Family Foundation, who was nominated by our department and awarded the Fellowship Award. This award honors individuals whose commitment and generosity have created lasting, transformative impacts on communities. This is the highest award bestowed by the Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association to recognize individuals that are not members of WPRA and have made outstanding achievements or contributions. Few embody the spirit of this award more fully than Greg Zeman, whose decades of service and philanthropy have profoundly enriched the lives of children and families in the West Allis and West Milwaukee communities at the Annual Target Shopping Event. Greg's commitment exemplifies the true spirit of the Fellowship Award. Through compassion, humility and unwavering dedication, he has transformed generosity into opportunity, hope and lasting community impact. Well-deserved, Greg!
Wrapping up our recap of the 2026 WPRA Annual Conference & Trade Show, we are highlighting Director of Recreation, Shelly Strasser! The WPRA has named Director of Recreation Shelly Strasser the recipient of the Professional Award of Merit. This is the highest professional honor the Association bestows on a current or retired active member that recognizes individuals with at least 15 years of continuous active membership to WPRA and the park and recreation profession, whose service and accomplishments have significantly advanced the field. Through Shelly's leadership, vision and tireless commitment to both West Allis and West Milwaukee and the broader community, she exemplifies the standards and spirits of the WPRA Professional Award of Merit. Her contributions have strengthened communities, inspired colleagues and left a lasting legacy in the field of park and recreation. Congratulations Shelly!
Read more here!