Kishwaukee United Way's Annual Meeting
2010 Leo Olson Award Winners
The Leo Olson Award was established in 1989 to honor Leo Olson for his many contributions to, what was then, the DeKalb United Way. Leo's commitment to the organization started in the early 70's when he was recruited to co-chair our annual campaign. Following that, he served as Campaign Chair and President, and remained actively involved in local United Way efforts until his death in 1989. The award named for Leo recognizes each new nominee's commitment to United Way and an unflagging spirit of volunteerism and service.
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Schnucks
A local business that has been an active supporter of Kishwaukee United Way for the last several years as well as provided ongoing support through sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteer support. Their employee and corporate campaign is among our top producers among the local business community. Their company also supports numerous other local non-profit, business and civic organizations. Their business is known nationwide for the friendliness of their associates. The friendly atmosphere of their stores so delights customers that they frequently write enthusiastic letters and share genuine compliments about associates with managers. Their core values are Customer Focus, Friendliness, Integrity, Passion, Dedication, and Community Involvement. Their work with United Way reflects these values in their interactions with us. We were honored to have Ammar Mahmood, their co-Manager, as a dedicated Board member for several years and are grateful for his work and for the store associates' support of our efforts. We are proud to be among their partners in support of one of their organizational tenets, "As the neighborhoods we serve grow, we grow with them."
Matt Duffy
Matt has served in a variety of formal and informal roles with Kishwaukee United Way and did so with a willing heart and spirit. He made contributions in many areas, mostly notably in long-term service on our Marketing Committee. He lent us not only his vision and knowledge of local community resources and contacts, but shared with us his vision for how we can spread our message, better communicate our brand, and share with our community the positive work we are engaged in. His leadership roles have taken him through numerous annual allocations processes and in serving on our Executive Committee in leadership roles, including Vice President and President. Including his years of service on the committee side, he has been an active participant in annual Day of Caring projects, recruiting volunteers each year and assisting with meetings and events. He was present and invested in discussions at Board retreats, meetings and agency site visits. Perhaps the most notable aspect of his service to Kishwaukee United Way has been his consistent level of professionalism and willingness to serve others. His humble, dedicated, hardworking perspective has benefitted our organization and the agencies with which we work. He embodies the principles upon which this award was founded by practicing servant leadership with a balance of energy, engagement and the very highest of standards.
Previous Award Recipients:
-Linden Linden (2009)
-MorningStar Media (2009)
-American National Bank of DeKalb County (2008)
-Tom Matya (2008)
2010 Spirit of Caring Winners
This annual award was created to recognize human services agency staff and community volunteers for their dedication and service. It was our pleasure to present this award for the seventh year.
Gary Chapman
Matt Duffy & Heather Fritsch, KUW Outgoing Board President
"His heart and soul are connected to the people who come through the doors of Hope Haven in need of shelter and support. He works tirelessly as their advocate. I cannot think of anyone I know who has spent as many countless hours embodying the United Way mission of improving lives (by sharing) community resources more than Gary." -Nominator & Hope Haven Board Member Dan Kenny
Barbara Samulowitz
Barbara & Dawn Littlefield, KUW Executive Director
"Due to the tireless efforts of Barbara Samulowitz, the DeKalb County Domestic Violence CourtWatch is currently the most successful court watch model in the State of Illinois and is known throughout the state. You could not find anyone who has worked so hard to help one of the most vulnerable populations in the county-victims of domestic violence. It has been my honor to work with her and call her my friend." -Nominator Cynthia Folgate
Dean RIchardson
Dean & Michelle Emmett, American Red Cross Executive Director
"Dean knows what it takes to build a true team and he did just that. Dean’s leadership inspires people to perform at higher levels." and "Dean has the gift of being able to motivate others to serve and embrace the true meaning of volunteerism in our community. " -Nominator & Executive Director for the American Red Cross-DeKalb Chapter, Michelle Emmett
Previous Award Recipients:
- Karen Hamingson (2009)
-Ron Mullen (2008)
