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Hanover Township honored at state conference

Hanover Township was presented with four awards at the November annual Township Officials of Illinois educational conference in Springfield.

Township Clerk Katy Dolan Baumer was presented with the William Z. Ahrends Award, the highest recognition for township clerks. The award is bestowed upon a township clerk that has attained and personified a high level of professionalism as township clerk, and devoted time and energy to the community they service in a meaningful way.

Dolan Baumer has served as the Hanover Township clerk since 2009, and previously served as a township trustee for four years.

Township Trustee Steve Caramelli was presented with the Elected Official of the Year Award from the Illinois Township Association of Senior Citizens Services Committees for his leadership and dedication as a liaison to the township's Senior Committee.

The committee, comprised of eight senior citizens, meets the second Monday of each month to discuss issues affecting Hanover Township's older adults. Caramelli ensures that the committee is informed on activities of the township board, even to the extent of participating in meetings remotely through web camera when he is not able to attend in person.

ITASCSC also presented the Township of the Year Award to Hanover Township for its expansion of the township's congregate meal program and the new home-delivered meal program. Earlier this year, the township received $89,707 in grant funding from Age Options to fund the Stars N Stripes cafe that provides fresh, nutritional meals to seniors at the township senior center.

The funding also allowed for the township to offer home delivered meals from the cafe to qualifying, homebound residents. Last year, township volunteers delivered more than 10,000 meals.

The Association of Illinois Township Committees on Youth presented the township with Organization of the Year Award, which recognized the Department of Youth & Family Services for its programs, such as Open Gym, that provided after-school programming for more than 13,000 participants, and the Township's Alternatives Program, which re-connects youth who are at-risk of school failure/drop out.

The Alternatives Program success is demonstrated by its 76 percent student/school connection rate, 100 percent graduation rate, and an overall satisfaction rate from participants, parents and school administrators of 93 percent.

ITASCSC is a division of TOI that promotes cooperation and the sharing of program and resource information among township senior service providers.

AITCOY is also a division of TOI statewide resource for community-based human service agencies with the purpose to promote improved services for youth and families. Its overall mission is to enhance the quality of life for youth and families in townships throughout Illinois.

The TOI Educational Conference occurs annually in Springfield, where more than 650 township officials and staff gather to attend educational seminars and trainings.

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Hanover Township Supervisor Brian P. McGuire accepting the award for Township of the Year from the Illinois Township Association of Senior Citizens Services Committees. Courtesy of Hanover Township
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