Judson seeks nominations for volunteer service awards

Judson University in Elgin is seeking nominations of outstanding community volunteers for awards presented each year at its spring Community Prayer Breakfast.

Nominees are sought for the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award and the Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award recognizing candidates who have contributed to the greater good in the Fox Valley community by voluntarily serving others' physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual needs. The awards will be given out during the May 8 prayer breakfast.

Keith Brill, a controller for Clad-Rex Steel in Elgin, earned last year's D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award. Brill volunteered for the Community Crisis Center in Elgin for 28 years and served on its board as treasurer and president. He also co-led the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Elgin Junior Achievement.

The Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award recognizes freshmen through juniors in high school in the Fox Valley for voluntarily performing community work. The award winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship annually to attend Judson.

Last year's youth award winner was Haley Wahl of Elgin, then a sophomore in the Gifted and Talented Academy at Elgin High School. Wahl was a member of the Youth United Way of Elgin and volunteer at the Centro de Informacion Annual Gala. She also volunteered at Elgin's Nightmare on Chicago Street; helped organize a food drive; baked more than 800 cookies for people who were homeless; and volunteered for several nonprofit agency events in Elgin.

The awards are named in honor of D. Ray Wilson, a former Judson trustee and publisher of the Courier News, and his wife, Bea Wilson, a community champion of hope, service and hospitality.

Nominations must be submitted by April 5 and can be completed online at JudsonU.edu.

For questions about the Community Prayer Breakfast, award nominations or sponsorship email julie.schmidt@judsonu.edu. All nominators and nominees are invited to attend the breakfast. Nominees receive a complimentary ticket.

Ticket prices are $30 for general admission and $500 for a table of eight guests. Tickets will be available beginning March 1. For more information, visit JudsonU.edu/prayerbreakfast.