Carol Stream honors its Citizens of the Year

The Carol Stream Citizen of the Year awards, which honor deserving volunteers, was a significant occasion.

It started with a robust 35 nominees for the three award categories. Several individuals were nominated by more than one organization.

“It was a great mix of organizations that nominated people," said Carol Stream Trustee Mary Frusolone, a former winner, in her 15th year on the Citizen of the Year Committee. "We had some organizations that had never nominated people in the past. So it was great to see other organizations look within their volunteer base and nominate them."

Held March 8 at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club, the Carol Stream Citizen of the Year awards honored men and women in three different categories:

• Citizen of the Year for village residents who volunteered for one or more Carol Stream organizations in 2024;

• Special Citizen of the Year salutes residents who have volunteered for five years;

• Judges Recognition Award recognizes volunteers who live outside Carol Stream.

Jennifer Anselmo, who worked with the Carol Stream Woman’s Club and the Bags-for-Life Committee and was nominated by both, earned female Citizen of the Year. The male Citizen of the Year was Don Sutenbach of Girl Scout Troop 56610 and Benjamin School District 25 PTA.

Jenny Foxe was chosen as the female Special Citizen of the Year for her work for Violet’s Kitchen. The male recipient was Eric Ehn of the Carol Stream Police Department.

Seven people received the Judges Recognition Award: Bob McNees, John Pappanduros, Jim Rylek, Michelle Vollman, Jim Falkiewicz, Mary Joyce and Tony Valene.

“They’ve all done exemplary work within the community. I know all of them and am proud to live in a community that takes volunteering so seriously,” said committee member and past recipient Rick Gieser, a former village trustee serving his first term as a DuPage County Forest Preserve District commissioner.

Nomination forms are available at citizenoftheyear.com.

Gieser said the exceptional showing for 2024 “just proves what a wonderful community Carol Stream is, and a giving community — that residents are willing to give time to volunteer to the many organizations throughout the community.”