North Cook News

For the last 35 years, the Governor’s Hometown Awards program has gone above and beyond to salute those who do exactly that for their Illinois communities.

Administered by the Serve Illinois Commission, the governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, the Governor’s Hometown Awards (GHTA) program “gives formal recognition to those who contributed to projects that improved their community’s quality of life.” Criteria call for the programs to be sponsored by local units of government, be volunteer-oriented and make a positive impact across the community and state as a whole.

Applications for the first written part of this year’s operation are due by July 25, with project presentations slated for the week of Sept. 16. The award winners will be announced roughly two months later during the Illinois General Assembly’s veto session.

Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service Commissioner Char Foss-Eggemann | illinois.gov

“This is a great opportunity to highlight the incredible and often overlooked time, energy and commitment of volunteers across Illinois,” Serve Illinois Commission Board Member Char Foss-Eggemann told North Cook News.

The LaSalle County Veterans Tribute Group walked away with last year’s Governor’s Cup based on its “Vietnam Moving Wall” exhibit, which honored veterans of that war for all that they did in those times, only to return to less than ideal times back at home.

“Many of them came back to unimaginable disrespect and needed to be shown that the community and country honors them for their sacrifices on and off the battlefield,” organizers wrote on the Governor’s Hometown Awards website. “Many of the current generations can’t fathom having 58,318 casualties in war or even what a draft was like."

The exhibit featured signs to educate the general public about those times as well as nearly 3,000 American flags to signify the losses from Illinois.

Other 2018 finalists included the Aviston “Vintage Hall Renovation,” Lemont “Haunted Central” and the Oak Lawn “Community Garden.”