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Governor Quinn Honors Illinois Residents for Exemplary Community Service


Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards Honor Service, Leadership

SPRINGFIELD–(ENEWSPF)–April 19, 2012. On behalf of Governor Pat Quinn, the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service presented 24 Illinois residents with the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award today during a reception at the Executive Mansion. The award recognizes volunteers who have made a difference in Illinois, and highlights the importance of volunteerism and community service.

“Every day in Illinois, thousands of volunteers donate their time and talents to help others and to build stronger communities,” Governor Quinn said. “We honor these individuals who have made a difference in our state and set an example for others to follow with their initiative, creativity and energy.”

The Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards focus on five areas: economic opportunity, education, environmental conservation, disaster preparedness/response, health and veterans’ affairs. Individual awards in each of the commission’s five service regions (Northeast, Northwest, East Central, West Central and Southern Illinois) are presented in three categories: youth ages 18 and under, adult ages 19-54, and seniors ages 55 and older. Additionally, National Service Awards were presented to one Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve member in each region.

“Volunteerism is what makes life worth living, and I am proud to say that Illinois has a vast number of people that are working each day to improve all of our lives,” Scott McFarland, acting executive director of Serve Illinois, said. “Through Serve Illinois, we hope to expand volunteerism throughout rural, suburban and urban Illinois, and involve people of all backgrounds, cultures and ages.”

The Serve Illinois Commission is a 35-member, bipartisan board appointed by the Governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing traditional volunteer activities and supporting national service programs, including the Illinois AmeriCorps program. For more information, please visit Serve.Illinois.gov.

The following is a list of the 2012 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award recipients. Recipient biographies can be found on Serve Illinois’ website at Serve.Illinois.gov.

Southern Illinois Award Recipients

  • Youth: Madelyn McGlynn – Belleville, Ill.
    For service to: Belleville Area Humane Society
  • Adult: Kim Lingafelter – Albion, Ill.
    For service to: Hope Center and Southeastern Illinois
  • Senior: Elmer Ragland – Waterloo, Ill.
    For service to: Lions Club
  • AmeriCorps Member: Nathan Elwood – St. Louis, Mo.
    For service to: Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation
  • Senior Corps Member: Lee Stowers – Mt. Vernon, Ill.
    For service to: One Hope United Foster Grandparent Program

East Central Illinois Award Recipients

  • Youth: Mary Perkins – Effingham, Ill.
    For service to: University of Illinois Extension-Effingham County
  • Adult: Teresa Haley – Springfield, Ill.
    For service to: NAACP
  • Senior: Ellen Harms – Champaign, Ill.
    For service to: Daily Bread Soup Kitchen
  • AmeriCorps Member: Jamie Hadley – Bloomington, Ill.
    For service to: McLean County Health Department
  • Senior Corps Member: Jamie Storm – Springfield, Ill.
    For service to: Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center

West Central Illinois Award Recipients

  • Adult: Lane Pfeiffer – Carlinville, Ill.
    For service to: Macoupin County Center for the Developmental Disabled; Carlinville Food Pantry; Macoupin County Jail
  • Senior: Bob Wiltz – Peoria, Ill.
    For service to: American Red Cross
  • AmeriCorps Member: Karla Williams – Peoria, Ill.
    For service to: Children’s Home Association of Illinois
  • Senior Corps Member: Mike Faley – Peoria, Ill.
    For service to: OSF St. Francis Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Illinois

Northwest Illinois Award Recipients

  • Youth: Alexis Ochoa – Rockford, Ill.
    For service to: Life Church
  • Senior: Carole Perrin – Rockford, Ill.
    For service to: Carpenter’s Place
  • AmeriCorps Member: Leann Duncan – Rockton, Ill.
    For service to: Prairie State Legal Services
  • Senior Corps Member: Steve Verdick – Carbon Cliff, Ill.
    For service to: RSVP of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois

Northeast Illinois Award Recipients

  • Youth: Isha Jog – Schaumburg, Ill.
    For service to: D.A.R.E. American & Holiday Heroes
  • Adult: Luciano Rodriguez – Naperville, Ill.
    For service to: People’s Resource Center and St. Paul Lutheran Church
  • Senior: Lou Ann Johnson – Crest Hill, Ill.
    For service to: National Hook-Up of Black Women, Inc.
  • Learn and Serve Member: Howard Allen Jones, Jr. – Oak Park, Ill.
    For service to: National Alliance for Mental Illness-Greater Chicago
  • AmeriCorps Member: Monica Gonzalez – Chicago, Ill.
    For service to: Centro Sin Fronteras
  • Senior Corps Member: Linda Kielas – Inverness, Ill.
    For service to: Palatine Emergency Management Agency
Source: illinois.gov



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