2024 OP Summer Newsletter

COMMUNITY PRIDE

COMMUNITY PRIDE

-- Mayor Keith Pekau, Special Recreation participants and the Natural Resources and Facilities team came together in honor of Arbor Day to plant more beautiful trees at Stellwagen Farm. The Village of Orland Park has been recognized as a Tree City USA for 35 years by the National Arbor Day foundation for its commitment to community forest management.

-- National Champions! The Orland Park Viking 16U team was honored at the May 6 board meeting for their successful season, which culminated in the team winning the USA Hockey National Championships in Dallas, Texas. This was not only the first National Championship for the Orland Park Vikings Hockey Club but the first ever National Championship for an Illinois 16U team. Way to go Vikings!

-- At the February 19 Village Board Meeting, the Orland Park Police Department held its bi-annual awards ceremony. Among the awards were the Unit Citation (pictured above) awarded to the active participants of an operating unit for a cited action involving a highly unusual accomplishment through the teamwork of all involved in the cited action. The Grand Cordon (bottom left) awarded to police officers and employees of the Department for their dedication and determination in the arrest of person(s) responsible for numerous criminal acts throughout the area. Receiving the award is: Officer Nathan O’Connor, Officer David Hansen and Officer Tyler Lorek. The Exceptional Service Award (bottom right) is presented to officers and employees of the Department for a highly credible accomplishment bringing public acclaim to themselves, the Department or to the police profession, as a result of training, devotion to duty or service to the public. Receiving the award is Inv. Ronald Ahrendt.

-- U.S. Army Air Force 2nd Lt. Robert L. E. Porter made his long-awaited return home from WWII on June 7, over 80 years after his passing. Porter was a navigator for a B-24J “Liberator” that was shot down over Germany in 1944. He was buried with full military honors at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.

-- Special Recreation Athletes competed at the 2024 Illinois Special Olympics Summer Games in Bloomington-Normal. 50 Athletes competed in Soccer, Bocce Ball, Track and Field, Swimming and Powerlifting, taking home 23 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 17 bronze medals.

| Summer 2024 | orlandpark.org

orlandpark.org | Summer 2024 |

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