Batavia chamber awards Green Ole Award
An early childhood program's effort to promote environmental education was recognized with the Green Ole Award by the Batavia Chamber of Commerce during its recent 2020 Inspire Awards.
In 2015 there were businesses recognized with Green awards for environmentally conscious projects. The new Green Ole Award, in conjunction with the Batavia Environmental commission, will be an annual honor.
Presenter Anna Bakker, from the Batavia Environmental Commission, said the Mill Creek Early Childhood Program "promotes all things green."
Mill Creek owner Ilana Marczak said the program is based on getting children outside. "I'm honored," she said, "but I think it's something we should be doing, so we do it."
Marczak began the business in her home in 2015 and moved to the west-side location at 510 S. Batavia Ave. last September. The teachers take advantage of the nearby Fox River and Quarry Park for some all-outdoor programing.
"It's not a traditional setting," Marczak said. "It's trees and mud and sticks. And more mud."
The "nature-based approach" includes hands-on experience in the school garden and a recent switch to the more biodegradable bamboo diapers.
Marczak said they don't have a preset curriculum. They teach children that "everything under their feet is important" while observing what interests them.
"When they're engaged, that's when the learning begins," she said.
The awards event was hosted by former Batavia alderman Scott Salvati, who recently resigned because he moved out of the city.
Salvati referred to the "best part of the night" as he introduced Nanette "Nan" Phillips as the Batavia Citizen of the Year.
Phillips is a retired educator who taught fifth grade at Louise White School in Batavia and worked in the learning resource center at Louise White and Hoover Wood School for more than 25 years. Presenter Joanne Spitz said Phillips is a tireless volunteer with an "amazing ability to get friends and strangers to work with her."
"Giving back was modeled to me by my parents," Phillips said. "How could I not serve? That's what they trained me to do."
The Spirit of Batavia honor was awarded to CHIP IN Batavia, a volunteer group started in 2013 by Spitz and Melinda Kintz, to help area students who were considered homeless. The group helps students obtain food, clothing, bedding and prom dresses.
Mayor Jeff Schielke recalled how the program began when they realized there were a number of students in Batavia schools who didn't have a home and "it was time to take drastic action."
Schielke said there are people whose lives are better because of CHIP IN.
The Ole Awards recognizing Batavia businesses for their contribution to the improvement of the city included a new construction award to Raddant Industrial Center, 1100 N. Raddant Road, and remodeling awards to Alfagomma Aurora TF, LLC, 950 Douglas Road; Bocaditos Cafe, 109 E. Wilson St.; Dance Dynamics, 79 S. Randall Road; Funway Entertainment Center, 1335 S. River St.; and Riverside Pizza & Pub, 142 W. Wilson St.
The chamber of commerce has established four Inspire Scholarships awarded to high school students in the categories of entrepreneurship, women in business, career and technical achievers and contributors to a Batavia chamber business.
A paddle raise, in which attendees were given a paddle to lift as the call went our for donations to the scholarship fund, brought in $7,300, according to Shirley Mott, chamber communications and membership coordinator.