Geneva couple wins service award
Geneva Alderman Sam Hill and his wife, Carolyn, are good sports.
You can see that in the video playing this fall on the city's Web site and cable television Channel 10, made in an attempt to improve leaf pickup after a couple of difficult seasons.
He plays Mr. Don't, ignorantly raking leaves into the street, lazing about in a lawn chair, and disputing the leaf pickup schedule brandished by the efficient Mrs. Don't, played by Carolyn.
Their willingness to help their community - even at the expense of their dignity - are why they were named the 2009 winners of the Wood Community Service Award Tuesday night.
The award is bestowed by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce at its annual awards banquet. The Hills are the second couple in 26 years to receive the award.
"I think I've been involved in either my community or school or church since high school," said a Carolyn Hill. "I think there is a gene in me that says 'Be involved.'"
The byproduct of being involved in community, wherever they lived, was the chance it gave them to make friends, especially during the first 20 years of marriage. "We couldn't have achieved what we did without all our friends," she said.
The presenter noted Sam's tenacity in obtaining a state grant for the purchase of Peck Farm Park in the 1990s, traveling down to Springfield one February in a sleet storm to make their case. "We're going to Springfield and getting that money. We're not turning around," he said he told parks Director Stephen Persinger. Years later, the district named a baseball field at the park after him.
One of the creeds (of the Jaycees) is "service to humanity is the best work of life."
"I think this is what we have done over the past 50 years," Sam Hill said.
Sam Hill has been a 1st Ward alderman since 2001. Before that, he served on the Geneva park board. He's also done stints on the city's planning commission and the beautification committee, served with the Geneva Parks Foundation, volunteered for the Mid-Valley Neighborhood Improvement Association, and was a Jaycee.
He took it in to his own hands earlier this year to repair the information kiosk near the Kane County Courthouse, when plans to install a new one met with criticism over design. Hill got volunteers to clean and paint the 30-year-old stand, and get current info on it, for downtown shoppers.
Carolyn Hill serves on the city's Cultural Arts Commission. She organized last year's "Dancing With the Geneva Stars" fundraiser, and is chairman of the event this year.
She's been president of the Geneva PTO Council, president of the Geneva High School Music boosters, president of the Geneva Community Chest, a member of the board of the Geneva Academic Foundation, and a business member of the Chamber of Commerce (she is a Realtor; Sam is a retired salesman).
The two met while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (where Sam played varsity football), and married in 1959. They have two children, Jennifer and Jeff, and three grandchildren.
They moved to Geneva in 1977.
The award is presented each year to people who have significantly contributed in the areas of business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations, art, recreation, charity or government. The award is named in honor of Bill and Elise Wood, and Nell and Burton Wood.
Wood Community Service Award winners
The Geneva Chamber of Commerce gave the Wood Community Service Award Tuesday to Sam and Carolyn Hill. It is named for Bill and Elise Wood and Nell and Burt Wood. It is given to an "individual who has made significant community contributions in the areas of business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations, arts, recreation, charity or government."
Past winners:
William C. Wood, 1985
Robert Joshel, 1986
Gloria McCleary, 1987
Allen Mead, 1988
Arthur Nelson, 1989
J. Roger Morris, 1990
Weldon Johnson, 1991
Jamie Daniel, 1992
Mack Olson, 1993
Rae Johns Ellsworth, 1994
Robert Krell, 1995
Richard Lindholm, 1996
Dave Rogers, 1997
Bruce and Carolyn Simpson, 1998
James T. Riley, 1999
Alden L. Odt, 2000
Sharon L. Jones, 2001
Steve Lillie, 2002
John Anderson, 2003
Mary Bencini, 2004
Mary Kay Brown, 2005
Stephen Persinger, 2006
Dr. Rodney B. Nelson III, 2007
Scott Lebin, 2008