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Altrusa Club names Betsy Couture as Woman of the Year

The Altrusa International Club of Elgin recently honored Betsy Couture of Elgin as its 67th annual Woman of the Year recipient.

She has been actively involved in a variety of Elgin organizations, including the Elgin Community Network, Northeast Neighbors Association and the Elgin Historic Preservation Commission. She has been an active member of Admirers of Beautiful Old Dwelling in Elgin, a docent with the Gifford Park Association's Historic House Tour, and a volunteer with the Downtown Neighborhood Association, Elgin Fourth of July Parade, Elgin Fox Trot and the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. She also is a recipient of a Women of Grace and Dignity recognition honoring "Women in the Workplace."

Former Altrusa Woman of the Year recipients who attended the dinner included: Phyllis Blizzard (1986), Carol Harwood Graeff (1978), Betty Brown (1975), Mary Camacho (1984), Murna Hansemann (1996), Nancy Schueneman (2002), Marge Haefliger (2004), Karen Fox (2005), Dr. Christine Mueller (2014) and Barbara Ferguson (2015).

The Altrusa Woman of the Year acknowledges women in the local community who embody the Altrusa keys of: Amity, Loyalty, Reciprocity, Unity, Service and Achievement. The first Altrusa Woman of the Year was the late Harriet Armstrong of Elgin in 1950.

The Elgin club was founded in October 1946 by a group of business and professional women. In 2015, the club received an award from the Elgin Heritage Commission for its 50-plus years of service as a civic organization promoting literacy, community health, and education in the community.

Altrusa welcomes new members, To learn more, follow Altrusa International Club of Elgin on Facebook. For information, contact Nancy Gerner at (847) 289-0797.

Altrusa International of Elgin, Illinois Inc. is an international service organization comprised of executive and professional women. In its history, it continues to sponsor a variety of projects in the community through volunteerism and monetary support. Members reside throughout the Northern Fox Valley area, including Elgin, South Elgin, Bartlett, East and West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Carpentersville, Algonquin, Hampshire, Huntley and Pingree Grove.

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