Judson names nominees for volunteer service awards
Judson University in Elgin this week announced nominees for its adult and youth volunteer service awards to be presented Wednesday, May 9, at its Community Prayer Breakfast.
This year marks the prayer breakfast's 30th year and the 15th year of the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award, given to someone who has contributed to the greater good within Fox Valley communities by serving others' physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual needs.
To commemorate those anniversaries, Judson created a new award and scholarship recognizing community service work by high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors in the Fox Valley.
The Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award is named in honor of the wife of former Judson trustee D. Ray Wilson. Beatrice Wilson died in March 2017. The award winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship annually to attend Judson.
D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award nominees are:
•Denise Arnold of Bartlett - volunteer attorney for Administer Justice. She helped launch the Saturday St. Charles legal clinic at Christ Community Church in 2014 and has served there since. She ensures the clinic runs smoothly, meets with clients regularly, and volunteers in the Elgin office to help draft pleadings for clients.
•Keith Brill of Elgin - controller for Clad-Rex Steel in Franklin Park and volunteer for the Elgin Community Crisis Center for 28 years, serving on its board as president, treasurer and now as vice president. He has served on many of the center's committees, run the Resale Shop, and helped with the annual benefit auction.
•John Ellison of Elgin - helped with outreach efforts and events sponsored by First National Bank of Elgin and NBD Bank, including the Elgin Valley Fox Trot, the Jayne Shover Easter Seal Annual Telethon, and the Literacy Connection's annual trivia bee. He also served on Elgin's Kairos Counseling Center board since 1993, was its president from 1997 to 2012 and is the current president.
•Olivia Wegener of Bartlett - Willow Creek Community Church volunteer working in the Care Center as a seed packer during the church's annual Celebration of Hope, and as a group leader for its youth ministry. She has packed meals for Feed My Starving Children, assisted at Victory Center nursing home, and helped at annual fundraising events.
Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award nominees are:
•Mariah Hoffing of Elgin - a youth leader in the High Five day camp at Harvest Bible Chapel Elgin for students in preschool through fifth grade.
•Luis Nava of Elgin - participates in Elgin Police Department's Explorer Program, Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl and is a member of Hamilton Wings' SCORE! program.
•Haley Wahl of Elgin - volunteered at Centro de Informacion's annual gala, Nightmare on Chicago Street, organized a local food drive and baked cookies for the homeless.
The prayer breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Lindner Fitness Center on Judson's campus, 1151 N. State St., Elgin. Singer and author Michele Pillar is the keynote speaker.
Ticket prices are $30 per person, $350 for nonprofit/individual table sponsorship, and $500 for business table sponsorship. To purchase tickets, visit judsonu.edu/prayerbreakfast/.