Judson seeks nominations for annual Community Prayer Breakfast awards

Judson University in Elgin is seeking nominations for the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award and the Bea Wilson Youth Service Award, which are presented each year at the Community Prayer Breakfast.

Both awards recognize candidates who have contributed to the greater good in the Fox Valley community by voluntarily serving others' physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual needs.

The recognitions are given annually during the Community Prayer Breakfast, which will be held Wednesday, May 8.

Last year's D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award recipient was Keith Brill, a controller for Clad-Rex Steel in Elgin. Brill volunteered for the Community Crisis Center in Elgin for 28 years, also serving on the 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 that serves others' physically, emotionally, intellectually or spiritually. The Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award winner also will receive a $3,000 scholarship annually to attend Judson University.

Last year, Judson awarded the Bea Wilson Youth Award to Haley Wahl of Elgin, Ill., 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 were named in honor of D. Ray Wilson, a former Judson trustee and publisher of the Courier News, and his wife, Bea Wilson, who was a community champion of hope, service and hospitality.

All nominations must be submitted by the deadline, Friday, April 5.

Nominations for the awards can be submitted at these links:

• D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award - JudsonU.edu/communityaward

• Bea Wilson Youth Volunteer Service Award- JudsonU.edu/youthaward

Any questions about the Community Prayer Breakfast, award nominations or sponsorship can be emailed to julie.schmidt@judsonu.edu.

All nominators and nominees are invited to attend the prayer breakfast. Nominees receive a complimentary ticket to the breakfast.

General admission tickets are $30.

Table sponsorships are $500 for a table of eight guests.

Tickets will be available beginning Friday, March 1.

Find out more information at JudsonU.edu/prayerbreakfast