Trending...
- Hazel E Hosts Starline Tours Bus to Sonic Desert - A Launch to Coachella
- This high-quality pull tab machine adds variety for your guests
- Central Florida Luxury Real Estate Firm DANHOLM COLLECTION Partners with Luxury Presence to Expand Global Buyer Reach
~ Madison Parks Division Leadworker Reflects on 36 Years of Service
Shelley Johnson, the Parks Division Leadworker for the City of Madison, knows a thing or two about hard work. As Coach Jimmy Dugan famously said in the movie "A League of Their Own," "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it." But for Johnson, the hard work has been rewarding.
With approximately 90 parks under her supervision, Johnson has been making sure they are ready for public use in some form for an impressive 36 years. She started her career with the City right out of high school in 1982 and has been dedicated to maintaining and improving the parks ever since.
Johnson's job is a diverse one, as it changes with each season. She and her team are responsible for tasks such as removing barrels, setting up picnic tables, planting trees, taking down hockey boards and ice rinks, and preparing restrooms for public use. They also check and maintain equipment such as basketball nets, tennis nets, and volleyball nets to ensure that everything is in top condition for park visitors.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
But Johnson's journey with the City began at Olbrich Gardens from 1982-1989 before she became a full-time maintenance worker for east side parks. She then moved on to Warner Park where she was responsible for ice work, winter duties, snow plowing, shoveling and eventually was promoted to take care of softball diamonds at Sycamore Park.
One of her most memorable experiences was working alongside her coworker to maintain 14 softball diamonds a day and seven soccer fields a week. This task taught her valuable lessons about perfectionism and taking pride in her work thanks to her boss Kenny Smith who was known for his high standards.
Johnson also spent five years mowing lawns which she considers one of the best jobs in the City. She enjoyed the solitude and the opportunity to listen to music while admiring the parks after a job well done.
Throughout her time at the City, Johnson has also experienced different seasons of life, including motherhood. She had her first daughter in 1991 while working on soccer fields and softball diamonds. Her water broke at work and she was quickly rushed to the hospital by her coworkers. Five years later, she had her second daughter and continued working until her due date.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
Both of Johnson's daughters are proud of their mother's dedication to her job and appreciate the hard work she has put into maintaining the parks for nearly four decades.
As a Leadworker, Johnson now helps others grow through their own seasons of life. She values the friendships she has made with her coworkers over the years and considers them like family.
Despite the challenges that come with working in a male-dominated field, Johnson has always enjoyed what she does. She believes that everyone who works in this field must have a passion for it, otherwise they wouldn't be out there doing it.
Looking back on her 36 years with the City, Johnson can confidently say that all the hard work was worth it. She takes pride in what she has accomplished and is grateful for the friendships and memories she has made along the way.
To learn more about Shelley Johnson's journey with Madison Parks, check out the video highlight on the City's social media platforms.
Shelley Johnson, the Parks Division Leadworker for the City of Madison, knows a thing or two about hard work. As Coach Jimmy Dugan famously said in the movie "A League of Their Own," "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it." But for Johnson, the hard work has been rewarding.
With approximately 90 parks under her supervision, Johnson has been making sure they are ready for public use in some form for an impressive 36 years. She started her career with the City right out of high school in 1982 and has been dedicated to maintaining and improving the parks ever since.
Johnson's job is a diverse one, as it changes with each season. She and her team are responsible for tasks such as removing barrels, setting up picnic tables, planting trees, taking down hockey boards and ice rinks, and preparing restrooms for public use. They also check and maintain equipment such as basketball nets, tennis nets, and volleyball nets to ensure that everything is in top condition for park visitors.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
- Village People Headline "Rock The Rainbow" Phuket Pride Finale 2026
- SilverBow Strategies Launches RFPArchon™, the First Product in Its Artemis AI Solutions™ Suite
- Sawasdee Anime Launches Animenture: A Gamified SNS Connecting Global Fans to 2,000+ Anime Sites
- "LOOK UP CAFE TOKYO SKYTREE" to Open on May 22, 2026 on the 5th floor of TOKYO SKYTREE®. This Date also Marks TOKYO SKYTREE's 14th Anniversary
- "Rehabilitative Prison Program Compromised by Alleged Staff Misconduct, Whistleblower Claims"
But Johnson's journey with the City began at Olbrich Gardens from 1982-1989 before she became a full-time maintenance worker for east side parks. She then moved on to Warner Park where she was responsible for ice work, winter duties, snow plowing, shoveling and eventually was promoted to take care of softball diamonds at Sycamore Park.
One of her most memorable experiences was working alongside her coworker to maintain 14 softball diamonds a day and seven soccer fields a week. This task taught her valuable lessons about perfectionism and taking pride in her work thanks to her boss Kenny Smith who was known for his high standards.
Johnson also spent five years mowing lawns which she considers one of the best jobs in the City. She enjoyed the solitude and the opportunity to listen to music while admiring the parks after a job well done.
Throughout her time at the City, Johnson has also experienced different seasons of life, including motherhood. She had her first daughter in 1991 while working on soccer fields and softball diamonds. Her water broke at work and she was quickly rushed to the hospital by her coworkers. Five years later, she had her second daughter and continued working until her due date.
More on Wisconsin Eagle
- Creator Space LA brings together industry leaders for an immersive AI showcase, demonstrations, and film hackathon
- The Hardest Part of Building an App Isn't Starting - It's Finishing
- Uxur Taxi Unveils Luxury 3,000‑Mile Private Driver Service for Nationwide Travel
- Colorfront Launches New Mac App For Creating Apple Immersive Video
- Michele Mundy's "Divinely Tailored" Gains Momentum
Both of Johnson's daughters are proud of their mother's dedication to her job and appreciate the hard work she has put into maintaining the parks for nearly four decades.
As a Leadworker, Johnson now helps others grow through their own seasons of life. She values the friendships she has made with her coworkers over the years and considers them like family.
Despite the challenges that come with working in a male-dominated field, Johnson has always enjoyed what she does. She believes that everyone who works in this field must have a passion for it, otherwise they wouldn't be out there doing it.
Looking back on her 36 years with the City, Johnson can confidently say that all the hard work was worth it. She takes pride in what she has accomplished and is grateful for the friendships and memories she has made along the way.
To learn more about Shelley Johnson's journey with Madison Parks, check out the video highlight on the City's social media platforms.
0 Comments
Latest on Wisconsin Eagle
- Revenue Optics Completes Full Commercial Buildout. A Nine-Month-Old Firm Built on 25 Years of Distribution Expertise. Five Clients From $200M to $3B
- EduCare Inc. Bridges Critical Gap in Breast Cancer Education with Spanish COPE Library Launch
- Engineering leaders from industry, academia to gather at IISE Annual Conference & Expo in Arlington, Texas
- AI-Driven Neurotechnology Expansion as FDA Path Clears and New Defense Initiative Emerges for NRx Pharmaceuticals (N A S D A Q: NRXP)
- BestDoc Launches AI Call Center for Healthcare
- Acuvance Appoints Sandeep Sabharwal to Board of Directors, Strengthening Leadership to Support Continued Platform Growth
- When the Call Hits Home Releases New Episode on First Responder Burnout Warning Signs
- Grange Insurance Association to Rebrand as Granwest Insurance on July 1, 2026
- Dr. Rosendo Icochea, MD Recognized for Contributions to Surgical Education and Medical Research
- Giftella Launches AI Gift-Finder App That Replaces Guesswork With Personalized Picks in Seconds
- Beverly.io Announces Nationwide Expansion and Poppins Payroll Partnership for Families
- New Book: The Battle for Truth and Shadows - Guardians of Light - Epic Fantasy Unveils a War Between Light and Deception
- Clash of Prompts: The World's First AI Prompt Battle Royale
- This high-quality pull tab machine adds variety for your guests
- $7.6 Billion US Crypto ATM Market by 2034; California and Texas Crypto ATM Deployments for Bitcoin Bancorp (Stock Symbol: BCBC); 1000 Kiosk Inventory
- MainConcept Announces Multiview Encoding for Apple Immersive Video
- CCHR Rejects Global Psychiatric Push to Electroshock Children
- iVAM2-ST2110 to Simplify IP Transitions and Reduce Monitoring Complexity
- Americans Leave Behind or Discard 42% of Their Belongings When Moving Out for the First Time, Talker Research Finds
- Central Florida Luxury Real Estate Firm DANHOLM COLLECTION Partners with Luxury Presence to Expand Global Buyer Reach