Libertyville’s Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter awards DAR Community Service Award
The Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, NSDAR awarded Natalie Hilberg the DAR Community Service Award at our annual awards dinner held at Austin’s.
The DAR Community Service Award is awarded to an individual, or organization that must have contributed to the community in an outstanding manner. This can be through voluntary heroic, civic, or benevolent service, or by organizing or participating in community activities.
Ansel Brainerd Cook’s recipient, Natalie Hilberg has been a member of the Ansel Brained Cook Chapter since Aug. 5, 2020, and currently serves as its National Defense Director.
When Hilberg retired 8 years ago, she was looking for a volunteer activity that would be meaningful. At a Lenten program she heard about Love INC, and started volunteering twice a week for a total of six hours weekly. In 2025 Hilberg volunteered 312 hours at Love INC.
Love INC was founded in 1977 to encourage churches to become more engaged with the underprivileged and to inspire a greater number of Christians to put their faith in action.
Love INC has a warehouse in Waukegan where donations of housewares, furniture and linens are received. These items are cleaned up, repaired and organized to be given to families in need. This is where Hilberg volunteers her time. She works in housewares where she organizes the donations, cleans them up if needed, polishes and make repairs. Hilberg puts together “starter kits” which includes silverware, dishes, cookware and appliances which are then distributed to families in need. She enjoys knowing that what she does helps to make life a bit easier for a family who is struggling.
The DAR is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education. Membership is open to any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who served the cause of American independence.
Libertyville's Ansel Brainerd Chapter, NSDAR, is celebrating its 49th year. The chapter was organized in September 1977 in Libertyville by 17 members. The chapter has now grown to include more than 185 members. In 2025, the ABC chapter members logged in over 6,800 volunteer hours in the communities in which they work and live.
For more information about Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, visit ildar.org/chapters/anselbrainerdcook or email ABC4DAR@gmail.com.
For more information about Love INC, visit loveinclakecounty.org.