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YWCA Elgin celebrates 2016 Leader Luncheon Awards recipients

More than 400 community members attended the 33rd annual YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon Awards at The Seville in Streamwood on Thursday, May 12.

Guests were welcomed by Julia McClendon, chief executive officer of YWCA Elgin, who expressed her appreciation to all in attendance, including sponsors, for their support.

The Leader Luncheon committee members Murna Hansemann and Lena Scheflow announced the recipients of the 2016 Leader Luncheon Awards in the following categories:

• Margaret Hillis Award for the Arts: Erin Rehberg, Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin;

• Beatrice Dorsey Award for Business and Professions: Katherine Hurt, Plano Molding Company in Plano;

• Marguerite Henry Award for Communication/Technology: Molly Center, City of Elgin;

• Harriet Gifford Award for Education: Rebecca Jurs, Lily Lake Grade School;

• Myrtle Spiegler Gerberding Award for Public Service: Miriam Anderson Lytle, Gail Borden Public Library;

• Marie Grolich Award for Social Service: Karen Oswald, The Literacy Connection;

• Marjorie Leonard Award for Volunteer & Community Service: Catherine Olson;

• Betty Brown Racial Justice Award: Dr. Angelene Naw, Judson University;

A custom individual professional portrait of each recipient will be taken by Cathy Neuhalfen, owner of Interesting Developments in Algonquin. She and her mother, the late Molly Konitzer, have taken portraits of every recipient since the YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon was founded in 1984. This year, more than 250 portraits were on display, depicting the community leader recipient in each category.

The annual Corporate Award was presented to Kathy Matthews, executive director of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra, by Susan Featherstone, YWCA Elgin board chairwoman. An artistic rendering will be presented to Matthews at the 2017 Leader Luncheon awards.

The keynote speaker, Linda Deering, CEO of Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, encouraged women to move out of their comfort zone by taking responsibility for leadership, training, and customer service satisfaction.

The YWCA Elgin is proud to honor women leaders in the community who strive toward its mission of empowering women and promoting racial justice in Elgin. Visit ywcaelgin.org.

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