The YWCA of Peoria celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Leader Luncheon Awards May 7 at the Hotel Pere Marquette. The awards honor seven women who have made outstanding contributions to the central Illinois community in a variety of ways. Keynote speaker for the event was former Texas Governor Ann Richards.
Awards include:
- Julia Proctor White Arts and Education Award—given to a woman who displays leadership in education or the arts.
- Edythe A. Cohen Business and Industry Award—given to a woman who exhibits leadership in a local business, not-for-profit organization, or governmental body.
- Lydia Moss Bradley Communications Award—given to a woman who’s a leader in communications fields such as journalism, marketing, or public relations.
- Eliza Pindell Community Service Award—given to a woman who displays leadership in civic, charitable, religious, and other community activities.
- Valeska S. Hinton Human Rights Award—given to a woman who helps improve the quality of life in our community by advocating equal rights for all people.
- Mother M. Frances Krasse Professions Award—given to a woman who excels as a lawyer, doctor, nurse, or other professional.
- YWCA Young Woman’s Community Service Award—given to a high school-aged woman who excels in the areas of leadership and community service.
Julia Proctor White Arts and Education Award
Aurthur Mae Perkins is principal of District 150’s Harrison School, a position she’s held for the past 10 years. She’s on the District 150 Strategic Planning Committee and the committee to find a new research-based reading curriculum for the district. Perkins is a presenter for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Illinois Central College’s “Growing Together” program. She’s also spoken at the Tri-County Urban League on parenting skills. Among many awards, in 2001 Perkins received the Illinois Women Administrators Award for Community Service.
She’s worked tirelessly to keep nine health centers at District 150 schools from closing, and as a volunteer on the Peoria Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, she works to keep public housing safe for area children and their families.
Under Perkins’ leadership, Harrison received an Award of Merit as a Learning Organization, and the Harrison Reading Initiative resulted in Harrison School students achieving some of the highest reading, writing, and math scores among all Peoria Title I schools. The achievements impressed President Bush, who, upon his visit to the school, said of Perkins, “You are a woman of great enthusiasm—a woman of passion and focus. Even if they had a voucher system in Peoria, it wouldn’t affect Harrison School because the parents of Harrison School see the benefits of the principal, the teachers, the curriculum, and they see no need to leave. Harrison has it right.”
Of her many responsibilities, Perkins said her primary concern is student instruction. “It’s making sure the children are successful,” she said.
As for other women who, like her, are considering careers later in life, her advice is to “work hard, think you can do it, and keep going. The dream can be achieved, but it takes hard work—and a support group behind you. You can do it, but you have to believe you can do it. That’s the first thing.”
Edythe A. Cohen Business and Industry Award
Susan Rees is a general agent in the Central Illinois Agency of the Mass Mutual Financial Group, becoming one of only three female general agents at her appointment four years ago—and one of the first women in the nation to become a general agent with a major financial group.
Innovative in her efforts to lead women to financial security, she established the first Women’s Advisory Board of Mass Mutual Financial Group. The 24-member board works to empower women and girls to make informed financial decisions. “My goal was to enhance women’s financial literacy. It’s very important to me to see girls and women have the opportunity to make informed financial decisions and the opportunity to provide financial security for themselves and their families,” she said.
She’s been a General Agent Manager Association International Gold Level recipient every year since 1999, received a national sales achievement award for seven straight years, and received a 20/20 Award for Women of Vision, among many other honors. She taught money management for women at ICC for eight years; was an educator in Streator and Champaign for six years; and was a founding member of the Mass Mutual Women’s Focus Mastermind, to develop tools and strategies for recruiting and retaining female financial professionals.
She said women who are ready to take control of their financial lives should first get good advice. “Find a mentor or someone you trust to share your goals with. Eventually a plan will be designed—stick to your plan. Once you’ve got it, don’t break from it.”
Her community involvement includes serving on the board of directors for the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois; caring for a teenaged Haitian girl as part of her involvement in the Friends of the Children of Haiti program; and participating in various events for Easter Seals, the American Heart Association, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Lydia Moss Bradley Communications Award
Cookie Bannon is a community representative for the Children’s Hospital of Illinois at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, where she’s best known for sharing her music with the young patients and offering to talk or cry with their families. In addition to her musical duties, Bannon is an often-requested speaker. Inspired by experiences in her personal and professional life, Bannon has written many songs over the years and has recorded some of the favorite songs of her patients.
She recently expanded her creativity by writing stories about her life, her work, and her songs. The stories are being compiled into a book that will be a companion piece to her seventh recording. She said her son, who was in a serious car accident in 2000, was the main reason behind her decision to create the book. “For 18 years I was singing at the bedside of kids and families whose children were dying or were being born with disabilities. Then in 2000 I took my guitar to the bedside of my own child and sang to him. This community helped us—actually put us into a wheelchair-accessible home. There was an accessible house that had been on the market for two years, and Peoria and the surrounding community helped us get it so we had a place to live. The book is a thank-you to this community for what they’ve given me and my child. All that we give comes back to us so much more than tenfold,” she said.
Heightened emotional states and stress are a daily part of her work life, and Bannon said prayer and exercise help her maintain the focus and dedication it takes to continue with her life’s work. “There’s always someone who has bigger problems than you do—you just have to open your eyes. God gave me this gift, and it’s my choice to use it.”
Bannon volunteers her time to raise money for the Children’s Hospital and The Salvation Army, as well as serving on the Children’s Hospital Community Relations Committee and the OSF Saint Francis Mission Integration Committee. She’s received The Salvation Army Distinguished “Others” Award, the Children’s Hospital of Illinois “Champions for Children” Advocacy Award, the Toastmasters Communication Award, and the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center’s “Heritage Hall of Fame” Award.
Eliza Pindell Community Service Award
Pamela Hall Geiss is the owner of Custom Communications and a committed community volunteer, lending her support to diverse causes in the arts, health care, and social service.
During her three years on the Opera Illinois Board of Directors, Geiss designed and wrote several seasons’ brochures, postcards, and fundraising letters. She currently serves as a member of the Opera Illinois League. Since 1999 Geiss has volunteered for the Peoria Art Guild, serving two years as vice president, where she wrote and designed many of its fundraising campaign materials, exhibit postcards, special event materials, and produced a number of membership campaigns. She’s also a board member of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
Geiss is a Family House board member, having served two terms each as president and vice president, and during her time has redesigned the format of its newsletter and authored it quarterly. She’s also written the annual fundraising appeal for the past five years.
Other commitments include the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Foundation Council, where she served as co-chair of its 125th Anniversary Angel Ball, which raised $1.8 million; Haitian Hearts Advisory Committee; Heartland Community Health Clinic; St. Augustine Home; Glen Oak Neighborhood Association; Habitat for Humanity; WCBU; and the Illinois American Heart Association.
It’s hard to believe one person could be active with so many groups, but Geiss said deciding which organizations to support is relatively easy. “I work with lots of wonderful people, and when they call, I try to help,” she said.
Geiss uses the resources of her business to support her charitable endeavors, and she encouraged other women to do the same. “Actually, more than encourage. I think if you’ve been given a skill or talent, you’re obliged to use it.”
Valeska S. Hinton Human Rights Award
Carole Hoke is an intensive case manager for the Heart of Illinois HIV/AIDS Center at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, where she works with homeless HIV-positive clientele and strives to stabilize them in housing and show the direct connection between shelter and good overall health and wellbeing.
Hoke serves on the board of directors of Rainbow Youth Outreach, an organization committed to safety for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth. She also serves on the board of the Acorn Equality Fund, which provides academic financial support for these youth, and through her involvement has helped raise $9,000 in scholarships for deserving students across the state.
She’s a volunteer for Friends of Persons with AIDS, is actively involved in the Central Illinois Chapter of the Interfaith Alliance, is on the board of directors for Friendship House of Christian Service, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights in 1964 with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee Chicago, and has been keynote speaker for many human rights events locally and regionally.
Hoke has no regrets about becoming involved with human rights issues when they were still considered controversial. “I got involved because I’ve always felt there are many people out there who don’t have a voice. People are kept from being whole and complete, and long ago I took a risk to hopefully try to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice. Everyone needs access to health care, employment, and housing. So if there’s anything I can do to try to level the playing field, I do it. And there’s a lot of work to be done,” she said.
Mother M. Frances Krasse Professions Award
Joy Erlichman Miller, owner and director of Joy Miller & Associates, counseling and consulting, has been a counselor for nearly three decades. She’s known internationally as a licensed psychotherapist, professional trainer, and a leading authority on relationship issues. She’s also the author of six published books; her latest, Love Carried Me Home: Women Surviving Auschwitz, raised money for the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
Miller has been a presenter at more than 150 seminars and workshops, speaking on issues ranging from the Holocaust, relationship intimacy, tolerance, mental health crisis training, addictions, and a balanced life.
She’s one of the organizers and founders of the Women’s Lifestyle Show, which celebrates the power of women, and co-founder of the Women’s Lifestyle Scholarship Fund. Miller is a board member of the American Red Cross-Peoria Chapter and Children’s Hospital of Illinois; participated on the American Red Cross Holocaust & War Victim Tracing & Info-National Advisory Board; chaired the Peoria Holocaust Memorial Button Project and the Peoria Holocaust Survivors Project; and was an interviewer for the Steven Spielberg Survivor of the Shoah Project, among may other commitments.
Her involvement with the events of the Holocaust consumes much of her energy, and she doesn’t see that commitment ending. “I’m sure I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to this. The memorial was just the beginning, and we have so much more to do as it relates to education. For me, it’s something I need to do to remember the survivors because they’ve become a part of my life in many ways.”
Miller said enjoying the things she’s chosen to undertake is the key to finding balance in her life. “I’m so fortunate because I get to do what I love, which is counseling, and then I get to do all of these other projects. And for me there’re all acts of love. So I make time for it all, and it’s a joy that I have the time and ability to dedicate to the things I love.”
YWCA Young Woman’s Community Service Award
Delaina Martin recently completed her senior year at Richwoods High School, where she’s known for her academic success and athletic participation. She’s also an active volunteer who donates 10 to 18 hours per week to the community. She’s taken advantage of many school-related volunteer projects such as being a Santa Store volunteer, participating in the Santa Claus Parade, Peanut Days for the Kiwanis, Daffodills for the American Cancer Society, holiday food drives, and collections for soldiers overseas.
Martin participates in track; Tomorrow’s Scientists, Technicians, and Managers; orchestra; string quartet; Students Against Destructive Decisions; Leadership Education and Development; and more.
Martin also volunteered for Feed My Starving Children, packaging meals that are sent to destitute areas across the world. Her work at OSF Saint Francis includes volunteering as a candy striper and transporting people around the hospital. At the Tri-County Urban League, Martin assists with the tutoring program and secretarial work.
Some of her accomplishments include earning a place on the honor roll every grading period for four years and receiving awards such as Sterling Merit, Illinois State Scholar, Prairie State Achievement Award, National Achievement Scholar, National Merit Commended Student, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, Urban League Most Academic Sophomore, Mid State 6 Athletic Academic Award, and the Drum Major Award for Academic Excellence and Community Service.
Martin will attend college at Washington University in St. Louis and plans to double major in math and business and minor in Spanish. As for her career, she said she’s considering becoming an actuary or a math teacher. Either way, she intends to make volunteerism a permanent part of her life. “I think it’s good to get out and help people who don’t have the same advantages; so many people helped me. I want to make life easier for people, which is why I want to become a teacher—so I can help kids. Twenty-five kids, six hours a day—that’s a lot of kids in one year.” TPW