At an awards banquet Wednesday down in Springfield, Glendale Heights received a second place Governor's Home Town Award for its Christmas Sharing Program.
Addison, Bloomingdale, Wayne Township and Will County also earned accolades from the governor.
The Home Town Awards, administered by Illinois' Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, honor outstanding community-service projects in municipalities throughout the state.
This year was the first Glendale Heights has applied for a Governor's Home Town Award though the Christmas Sharing Program has been serving the village's needy for 11 years.
Public relations coordinator Gina Thorson started the program while she was the secretary of the parks and recreation department.
The Christmas Sharing Program collects and distributes donations of money, clothing and toys to needy families in Glendale Heights.
"We think it's a wonderful program because we feel that there's no child in Glendale Heights that will have a bad Christmas," said Village Clerk JoAnn Borysiewicz, who chairs the program.
The first year, volunteers delivered food and presents to 50 people, Thorson said. This year the program served 93 families. Instead of food items, needy families now receive gift certificates for local food stores.
In addition, mitten trees are set up in village hall and the Sports Hub where tags on the tree show a child's age, gender and wish list.
"If you would read some of them they would break your heart," Thorson said, remembering one eighth-grade boy who only wanted underwear. The resident who picked up his tag bought not only new underwear, but shirts, pants and a Chicago Bears jacket.
"We were literally in tears," Thorson said.
"I will never forget that."
Bloomingdale won a first-place award in the senior
citizen category for its Street Smart Seniors program in which senior citizens
participate in community policing efforts. It is the second year Bloomingdale
has won for its program. "Winning the Governor's Home Town Award for our Street Smart Seniors program is truly a credit to Bloomingdale's seniors," Bloomingdale Police Chief Gary Schira said. "They designed and participated very energetically in the program and made it work."
The Seniors Helping Seniors program, based at the Wayne Township Senior Center, earned third place in the senior citizen involvement category for communities with a population of 50,000 to 99,999. It is a financial assistance program.
Will County received nods in two categories, sharing a first place with Frankfort Township in the general category for Fort Frankfort, a community playground; and sharing a second place youth involvement award with Grundy County for the "Career Path" program in the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.
Addison picked up a third-place award in the youth service category for its after-school program, the Student Participation Center.
"To even be recognized is a pretty big honor," said Kelly Arens, on-site coordinator for the program. "We're looking to expand our program and serve more youths."
Arens said she hopes the award will help in all aspects of the program, from funding to volunteers.
In Glendale Heights, Christmas Sharing Program committee members are hoping the program grows because of the award.
"The publicity is going to make more people aware of (the program) and possibly get us more volunteers," she said. "That's basically what the Home Town Award is about - the thousands of volunteers."
GRAPHIC: The winners are:
Gov. George Ryan honored several area communities with Governor's Home Town Awards.
Glendale Heights: Second, general award in the 18,000-28,999 population category for its Christmas Sharing Program, which provides a holiday for those in need.
Bloomingdale: First senior citizen involvement award in the 18,000-28,999 population category for Street Smart Seniors, a forum for senior citizens to interact with police and other village departments.
Addison: Third youth involvement award in the 29,000-49,999 population category for its Student Participation Center, where students and community members work together to prevent gang activity.
Will County: First general award in the over 100,000 population category for Fort Frankfort, a community playground in Frankfort Township; second youth involvement for a "Career Path" program through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy counties.
Wayne Township: Third senior citizen involvement award in the 50,000 to 99,999 population category, for "Seniors Helping Seniors," a financial assistance program.
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