YWCA Elgin seeks 2022 Leader Luncheon Award nominees
The YWCA Elgin will host its 38th annual Leader Luncheon, supported by title sponsor, The Schrieber Group of Elgin, on Thursday, May 12, at The Seville in Streamwood.
Individuals, clubs, and organizations are invited to nominate deserving women and nonbinary individuals for this prestigious award. Women and nonbinary individuals who have been nominated in past years may be renominated.
Recipients will be awarded at the luncheon with Sharon Bush of the Grand Victoria Foundation as the keynote speaker.
The YWCA board has appointed Jennifer Rakow, IHC Construction Companies LLC's Director of Human Resources, to serve as the 2022 Leader Luncheon Honorary Chair.
The luncheon is attended by hundreds of community leaders, business representatives and volunteers.
Nominations are now open through midnight on Thursday, March 3, 2022. The community is invited to nominate and honor women and nonbinary individuals from the Elgin area who have made significant contributions in the following categories:
• Margaret Hillis Award for the Arts: Hillis was the Elgin Symphony Orchestra music director for 14 years and conducted the Chicago Symphony Chorus for 35 years.
• Beatrice Dorsey Award for Business and Professions: A successful local business woman for 45 years, Dorsey was instrumental in assisting women to succeed in business.
• Marguerite Henry Award for Communications & Technology: Author of over 50 books including children's classics, Henry held many prestigious national literacy awards.
• Harriet Gifford & Hattie Griffin Award for Education: Gifford established the first school in Elgin in 1836, initiating the foundation for local educational systems. Co-founder of the YWCA Elgin, Hattie Griffin was an educator for over 50 years.
• Myrtle Spiegler Award for Public Service: As the first woman to assume the position of Elgin City Clerk, Spiegler designed the city flag and paved the way for women to actively participate in the field of public service.
• Betty Brown Award for Racial Justice: As a community leader and activist, Betty Brown laid the ground work for the earliest racial equality movements in Elgin.
• Marie Grolich Award for Social Service: As executive director of the YWCA of Elgin for 20 years, Grolich spearheaded many innovative programs to benefit the entire community.
• Marjorie Leonard Award for Volunteer & Community Service: As a volunteer and humanitarian, Leonard donated countless hours to civic organizations and social agencies.
Do you know a woman or nonbinary individual in the Elgin area that has demonstrated qualities of leadership and commitment to excellence in any of the above categories? Now is the time to nominate them for a YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon Award and the prestige of joining a group of dynamic leaders who have received recognition.
Deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 3, at midnight.
Nomination forms are available online at ywcaelgin.ywca.org/LL. Call the YWCA Elgin at 847.742.7930 for more information, to purchase tickets to the event, or to become a sponsor.