2001 Governor's Home Town Awards

2001 Governor's Cup Winner
The Ballard Nature Center was established on a 210-acre site near Altamont which was donated by Ernie Ballard. The center includes trails and wetlands, as well as a visitors center. The visitors center was built with funds raised by a volunteer board of directors and numerous organizations that donated money and equipment. The building was landscaped with the help of 4-H members, local garden club members, and other volunteers from the community. A banquet was organized by the volunteers to raise funds for development of a children's activity area. The Ballard Nature Center was designed to provide quality environmental education to students, educators, organizations and individuals. It is fast becoming a favorite destination for field trips teaching young people about the environment through the use of educational displays, natural community restoration and management.

Ballard Nature Center
Exterior 

Ballard Nature Center
Interior 

Ballard Nature Center Surroundings

Ballard Nature Center Inscribed Stone
 

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2001 Governor's Home Town Awards Winners - Category I - VIII

Category I

• General Award
  • Milledgeville — 1st place
    Fire Station addition — volunteers raised funds and helped build an addition to the fire station that will accommodate four trucks.
  • Hutsonville — 2nd place
    Community Center Building — More than 43 organizations and businesses united to raise funds and build a community center.
  • Goreville — 3rd place
    Village Park Improvements — Volunteers helped build a batting cage and concession stand, and assisted with maintenance at the village park.
• Youth Involvement
  • Bradford — 1st place
    Youth Center — Among their activities, young people from the Youth Center volunteered at a homeless shelter and placed flags in town on holidays.
  • Deer Creek — 2nd place
    Pancake & Sausage Supper — The 49th annual Pancake & Sausage Supper, staged by volunteers, raises funds for Dee-Mack Middle School.
  • Towanda — 3rd place
    Boy Scout Pancake & Sausage Supper — Scouts raise funds by volunteering at the pancake & Sausage Supper, which served 1,300 diners in 2000.

Category II

• General Award
  • Round Lake Park — 1st place (tie)
    Mano a Mano Family Resource Center — With volunteer help, a storefront became a center offering services for the Latino community.
  • Georgetown — 1st place (tie)
    Sponsor a Flag — Volunteers raised funds and gave of their time and talents to build Patriot Park, a flag monument, and buy flags for display.
  • Spring Grove — 2nd place
    Elementary School Food Drive — fifth-graders at Spring Grove Elementary collected nearly 2,000 food items during a five-day food drive.
• Youth Involvement
  • Yorkville — 1st place (tie)
    Skate Park — Acting on a survey of their fellow youths, students helped solicit contributions of land, materials and labor to build a Skate Park.
  • Manhattan — 1st place (tie)
    Youth Athletic Association — Youth Athletic Association volunteers managed Irish Fest, raising $38,000 for recreational services and causes.
  • Savanna — 2nd place
    Chestnut Park School Playground — Volunteers raised funds and helped build a community playground, providing a safe place where kids can play.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Willow Springs — 1st place
    CCC Garden — Senior citizens helped raise funds for a statue and worked to construct a garden honoring the Civilian Conservation Corps.
  • Long Grove — 2nd place
    Ice Cream Social — Volunteers organized an ice cream social and concert during the Heritage Festival to honor citizens age 80 and above.
  • Pembroke Township — 3rd place
    Intergeneration Program/Oral History — Seniors reminisced and youths transcribed their stories to compile a historical storybook.
• Economic Development
  • Fulton — 1st place
    Dutch Windmill — Volunteers helped raise funds to build an authentic Dutch Windmill, and continue to serve as hosts at this community landmark.
  • Pana — 2nd place
    Community Council for the Arts — Run by volunteers, the Council sponsors visual and performing arts in Pana, including wall murals that attract tourists.
  • Mt Zion — 3rd place
    Our Town — A committee of volunteer leaders developed a plan to beautify the community and prevent problems associated with uncontrolled growth.

Category III

• General Award
  • Island Lake — 1st place
    Big Island restoration — Volunteers spearheaded efforts to beautify Big Island with planters and turn it into an impressive, unique park.
  • Forest Park — 2nd place
    Neighborhood Watch — With more than 200 members, Neighborhood Watch patrols neighborhoods and assists with crowd control.
  • New Lenox — 3rd place
    Schmuhl School Project — Volunteers raised funds to move a historic school building and undertake renovations to convert it into a museum.
  • Youth Involvement
    Orland Hills — 1st place
    Police Cadets — Police Cadets build trust between youths and police by promoting community policing and encouraging youths to help others.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Hickory Hills — 1st place
    Jubilee Quilt — Volunteers designed and sewed a quilt to commemorate the community's Jubilee. It is now on display at the community center.
  • Bartonville — 2nd place
    Senior Watch/Safety of Seniors Program — Volunteer seniors organize an annual program to educate seniors on safety and security issues.
• Economic Development
  • Forest Park — 1st place
    Madison Street Construction Task Force/Design Committee — Forest Park has revitalized its business district with renovations guided by volunteers.
  • Richton Park — 2nd place
    A volunteer committee helped restore a donated former neighborhood pool, thereby creating a community pool accessible to all residents.
  • Clarendon Hills — 3rd place
    Economic Development committee — Volunteer committee members planned a summer concert series to bring people back downtown.

Category IV

• General Award
  • Union County — 1st place
    Shawnee Crisis Pregnancy Center — Using a grant and contributed supplies, volunteers built and staff a satellite office serving Union County.
  • Lake Zurich — 2nd place (tie)
    Haunted House — volunteers annually stage a Halloween Haunted House to raise funds for recreational programming in Lake Zurich.
  • Fairview Heights — 2nd place (tie)
    Illinois Center for Autism — Volunteers removed worn playground equipment and installed new equipment at the Center's playground.
• Youth Involvement
  • Ottawa — 1st place
    Youth Advisory Committee — The Committee gives youths a voice in planning positive programs, policies and activities for youths in the Ottawa area.
  • Lincoln — 2nd place
    Plant-a-Tree — School children, local businesses and organizations united to landscape a parking lot and plant trees at the local fairgrounds.
  • Jacksonville — 3rd place
    Fine Arts Camp — Volunteers helped plan and stage a weeklong Arts Camp, giving youths a chance to celebrate music, theater and art.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Palos Hills — 1st place
    Senior Pen Pals — Seniors exchange letters with sixth-graders from Conrady Jr. High School, creating friendships and improving kids writing skills.
  • Sterling — 2nd place
    Moose Mingle — Moose members and Women of the Moose, with help from businesses, underwrite monthly dances for local middle school students.
• Economic Development
  • Godfrey — 1st place
    Great Godfrey Maze — Volunteers helped solicit contributions and supervise this seven-acre maze which became a popular tourist destination.
  • Ottawa — 2nd place
    United Way Labor of Love — This annual one-day blitz organizes volunteers to rehabilitate homes of low-income, senior or disabled citizens.

Category V

• General Award
  • Effingham County — 1st place and Governor's Cup
    Ballard Nature Center - Volunteers helped raise funds to build a visitors center and children's activity area.
  • Freeport — 2nd place
    Friends Forever — Volunteers provided labor, materials and money to renovate an auction house into a state-of-the-art shelter for homeless pets.
  • Ela Township — 3rd place
    Ela Festival of the Arts — Volunteers organized the Ela Festival of the Arts fostering cooperation between communities to promote the arts.
• Youth Involvement
  • Westmont — 1st place
    Operation Prom Night — Volunteers stage a mock fatal accident to expose teens to the horror caused by drinking and driving.
  • Mundelein — 1st place
    Youth Committee Project — More than 500 volunteers are involved in the committee, encouraging healthy interaction between youths and adults.
  • Glendale Heights — 2nd place
    Safety Town — Built by volunteers, Safety Town educates children about safety and gives them a chance to put their lessons to work.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Mundelein — 1st place
    A-MAY-Zing Mundelein — In 2000, more than 450 volunteers participated in this annual day of caring, helping clean up the Diamond Lake area.
• Economic Development
  • Westmont — 1st place
    Taste of Westmont — Planned and managed by volunteers, Taste of Westmont was a three-day downtown event that attracted more the 25,000.
  • St. Charles — 2nd place
    Focus on St. Charles — More than 80 focus groups with approximately 500 people participating give St. Charles citizens a voice in government.
  • Belvidere/Boone County — 3rd place
    Economic Development Alliance — Volunteers work with the Alliance to implement a strategic action plan for growth and development.

Category VI

• General Award
  • Elk Grove Village — 1st place (tie)
    Community Spirit Award Committee — Committee volunteers recognize citizens' deeds of compassion and commitment to family values.
  • Park Ridge — 1st place (tie)
    Brickton Art Center — Volunteers serve as directors of this center, which offers art instruction to all ages and provides exhibit space to artists.
  • Alton — 2nd place
    American Legion World Series — Volunteers helped coordinate behind-the-scenes assistance provided during the American Legion World Series.
• Youth Involvement
  • Berwyn — 1st place
    Emergency Snow Assistance for Seniors — Youths from the Berwyn Police Explorer Post assist senior citizens during snow emergencies.
  • Alton — 2nd place
    Little Theater Ice Wolf Play — Volunteers worked to stage a play for middle school students, helping sow the seeds for a lifetime of loving the theater.
  • Quincy — 3rd place
    Indian Hills Mini Fair — The annual Mini Fair gives public housing residents without transportation a chance to participate in a community celebration.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Moline — 1st place
    Moline Activity Center — Volunteers were instrumental in starting computer instruction classes that allow seniors to learn and use computer skills.
  • Wayne Township — 2nd place
    Intergenerational Literacy Program — Seniors and Hispanic children exchange letters, helping the children improve their English skills.
• Economic Development
  • Crystal Lake — 1st place
    Downtown Revitalization — Historic Downtown Crystal Lake volunteers provide guidance on streetscaping and bringing events to the downtown.
  • Elk Grove Village — 2nd place
    Industrial/Commercial Revitalization Commission — Commission volunteers help with efforts to revitalize the village's business park.

Category VII

• General Award
  • Joliet — 1st place
    Taylor Pirc Video Camera Project — After a child died in a collision involving an impaired driver, volunteers raised funds to buy video cameras for police.
  • Kankakee County — 2nd place (tie)
    Community Alliance — Community Alliance volunteers raised funds to buy automatic external heart defibrillators for public areas.
  • Schaumburg — 2nd place (tie)
    WINGS Schaumburg House — Volunteers helped build a home to provide long-term housing/counseling to homeless women and kids.
• Youth Involvement
  • Cicero — 1st place (tie)
    Kidsnews — Kidsnews, produced and distributed by volunteers, provides local youths with information about fun, wholesome area activities.
  • Cicero — 1st place (tie)
    Youth Commission — The Youth Commission asks volunteers to help organize programs that involve more than 30,000 Cicero residents annually.
  • Cicero — 2nd place
    Cicero — Safety Town — Volunteers secured donations and helped develop Safety Town, where kids study to earn their safety certification.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Adams County — 1st place
    Great Rivers Arts and Games Competition — Volunteers helped stage this competition which provides seniors a way to participate in fun games.
• Economic Development
  • Palatine — 1st place
    WINGS Resale Shop — Volunteers helped create a resale shop and continue to operate the shop, raising funds to help homeless women and kids.

Category VIII

• General Award
  • Schaumburg — 1st place
    Building Township Pride — Volunteers organized activities to celebrate the township's Sesquicentennial, bringing people together.
  • Aurora — 2nd place
    Waubonsee Community College Adult Literacy Project — More than 300 volunteers helped 902 people learn reading skills in 2000.
  • Maine Township — 3rd place
    Holiday Party — Volunteers help stage the annual Holiday Party, providing a brighter holiday to needy children and their families.
• Youth Involvement
  • Schaumburg Township — 1st place
    Girl Scout Blue Bow Rally — Girls from Scout Service Unit #660 organized the rally to raise awareness and fight child abuse.
  • Kane County — 2nd place
    CASA Kane County — CASA volunteers serve as court appointed guardians to protect the rights of abused and neglected children.
  • Springfield — 3rd place
    Gardens of Hope — Youths fight crime by cleaning up neglected lots, then planting gardens, donating their harvest to local food pantries.
• Senior Citizen Involvement
  • Champaign County — 1st place
    Reassurance Callers of Family Service TeleCare — Volunteers call seniors to reassure them that someone checks on them regularly.
  • Peoria County — 2nd place
    Operation Senior Security — Nearly 200 volunteers help educate seniors how to avoid scams and also help investigate reports of exploitation.