Charlemagne Awards honoring local leaders slated for Friday
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce to postpone its prestigious Charlemagne Awards celebration in February, but chamber president and CEO Jim Di Ciaula's confidence led the organization to reschedule the event for a few months later.
That confidence paid off.
With the recent shift to Phase 5 of the "Restore Illinois" plan providing perfect timing, the chamber's 99th annual event to honor local leaders will take place at 5 p.m. Friday at Prairie Landing Golf Club in West Chicago. The highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the Charlemagne Award winner, an individual with a distinguished history of service to the community.
The LEAP Award also will be presented to a woman in the community who has shown leadership and a willingness to assist other women.
The event will be held outdoors. Tickets are limited and social distancing measures will be in place, but Di Ciaula is simply grateful for the chance to present the awards in person.
"We were unsure of what the world was going to look like when we booked it," Di Ciaula said. "We needed to make some decisions not knowing, but it looks like it'll be a great event. A lot of people are excited about getting together again."
Numerous award winners for 2020 were announced in February, including the Chairman's Award, the Member of the Year and the Rookie of the Year in addition to winners of the Community Development Award, the Community Image Award and the Civic Image Award.
The list of winners and details about the Charlemagne Awards can be found at stcharleschamber.com. The event also will celebrate business anniversaries.
Another highlight on Friday will be the drawing for the raffle of a "Rock N Roll Paradise Passport" for two at the Arcada Theatre. The prize features overnight accommodations at the new Arcadian Suites, front-row tickets at an Arcada Theatre performance, a meet-and-greet with the performers, complimentary drinks at the Barcada Bar, a meal at Rock 'N Ravioli and a late-night snack at Rock 'N Za.
"It's an amazing opportunity," Di Ciaula said. "We've already sold some tickets but we expect to sell a lot more the night of the event."