Will County Gazette

The Village of Park Forest’s Recreation, Parks & Community Health Department has introduced its first official mascot, Reecy the Raccoon. The new character was selected after a community voting process held during July as part of Parks and Recreation Month.

Residents participated in the selection by choosing among three finalists: Reecy, Fitzy, and Oakley. Voting took place from July 15 to July 28 and received more than 100 submissions both online and through coloring pages. Reecy won with 52 votes, followed by Fitzy with 36 votes and Oakley with 18.

“We wanted a mascot that would be fun, approachable, and truly represent the essence of our department,” said Margarita Guzman, administrative assistant for Recreation, Parks & Community Health. “Reecy the Raccoon stood out as a character capable of connecting with people of all ages, especially children and families.”

Guzman explained that developing a mascot had been under consideration for some time as a way to improve community engagement and raise awareness about department programs.

“Having Reecy around makes it easier to bring excitement to our events, whether through social media or in person,” Guzman said. “We’ve already seen how much people enjoy the concept, and Reecy is quickly becoming a part of our team.”

Reecy will make appearances at public events throughout the year starting with Fall Fest in September.

“If everything goes as planned, Reecy will be dancing, waving, and celebrating alongside the community,” Guzman added. “So don’t be surprised if you see a raccoon popping up at your favorite Park Forest event soon!”