A lot has changed in the Portage Parks and Recreation Department over the last quarter of a century. The programs have grown and evolved, Prairie Duneland Trail has formed, Imagination Glenn Park has expanded and the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk has been added.
Through all the change, Recreation Program Coordinator Pam Passera has been a constant, serving in a variety of roles since joining the Parks Department 25 years ago.
“I would say the most exciting time is right now,” Passera said. “We have a great Superintendent, we have a great staff and everyone works well together. This group of people is really special. If you’re having a bad day, somebody comes in and someone’s going to pick you up.”
Passera’s love for the outdoors initially peaked her interest in pursuing a career in parks and recreation. The University of Tennessee graduate moved to Kansas for a three year stint as a recreational programmer right after college, before settling in Portage, which she proudly calls her home.
“I love the location,” she said. “Being so close to Chicago, being so close to the Dunes and so close to the Interstate. Portage is really becoming very progressive. It’s just a very neat place to be.”
Passera said her career allows her to be around people while they are having a good time.
“Most people go to work, and then they play,” she said. “We play at our work because we’re interacting with people that are actually enjoying themselves. It’s nice to see people get away from the stresses of everyday life.”
The members of the Portage Parks Department are moving fast early in 2013. An exciting time for the department features a new sports field turf, an upstart indoor soccer league and progress on an updated computerized registration system. Last summer, The Parks Department was able to begin taking registration money through credit cards and debit cards, which goes a long way toward enhancing convenience for community members, many of whom do not carry cash.
Upcoming Parks Department events include a new program called the Jewelry and Gem Show, which will take place in May. An annual favorite is under two weeks away in the form of the Daddy-Daughter Dance, which takes place on Feb. 8. Passera is also preparing to interview candidates for a job at the Lakefront and Riverwalk.
“That’s a little different, because the programs we do out there are all catered toward education,” she said. “Whether it is the education of the Dunes, how they came to be, the waterway, the natural habitat and plants and so forth, I need to get somebody a little bit special for that.”
Passera enjoys the fact that her job always changes with the different activities that take place during each of the four seasons.
“We’re never doing the same thing every day,” she said. “It changes constantly. That’s the best part of it, you don’t get stagnant.”
In her spare time, Passera enjoys hiking, camping, serving on the Senior Advisory Board Committee and volunteering. Last year, many volunteers chipped in on a new community garden, which collected hundreds of pounds of food for the food pantry.
“Working with volunteers is fun because generally they want to be there,” she said. “Last year, that was a highlight for me because a group of people just pulled together to get that off the ground. Without them, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Passera has a longstanding involvement in the Special Olympics, which she describes as “very satisfying and worthwhile.”
In addition to her passions for the outdoors, the city of Portage and volunteering, Passera offered her support of good news.
“There is nothing better,” she said. “It’s so nice to see that. I don’t even like turning on the news anymore because it’s just so bad. ValpoLife.com and PortageLife.com are just so positive and everyone that I’ve dealt with there has a positive attitude as well. It’s good for the community. We don’t need a bunch of negative news or propaganda anymore, we need some good stuff.”