Sandy Gbur, executive director of the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA), announced she will retire June 2021 after 43+ years of dedicated leadership in the special recreation community.
Her passion and commitment to participants and families has been at the forefront of a long and illustrious career. As a staunch advocate for the special recreation field, she has been steadfast in promoting the benefits individuals with disabilities can reap when special recreation is a fundamental part of their everyday life.
Her career in therapeutic recreation includes 28 years of service to the West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA), 6 years at the South Suburban Special Recreation Association (SSSRA) and the last 10 years at the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA). She has been an integral part of the growth of all three organizations.
Involved in legislative advocacy since 2001, Sandy played a critical role in the passing of Senate Bill 1881 which removed the Tax for Handicapped out of the tax cap and allowed park districts and municipalities throughout the state full access to the levy to support joint programming and accessibility. Throughout her career, Sandy has actively worked to build relationships with legislators and support legislative action on behalf of special recreation associations statewide.
In 2019, Sandy was honored for her commitment and excellent service to parks and recreation in Illinois by being named the Illinois Park and Recreation Association Professional of the Year. This honor was presented for her major contributions to the profession and for consistently going above and beyond to serve her colleagues and the hundreds of families touched by her dedication to quality services.
Through Sandy’s leadership and vision, she has made a long-lasting impact in the communities she has served and in the parks and recreation profession. Her passion is evident in everything she does.
The new Executive Director will be announced shortly by the Board of Directors. The next leader of WDSRA will continue to forward the mission of developing individuals through recreation and vision of opening a world of untapped potential and a lifetimes of possibilities.
