26th Annuaul YWCA Awards Honor Community Leaders

In its 26th year of celebrating phenomenal central Illinois women, the YWCA of Peoria hosted the annual Leader Luncheon Awards May 5 at the Hotel Pere Marquette. The awards honor seven women who’ve made outstanding contributions to the Peoria area community in a variety of ways. Keynote speaker for the event was Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out and Odd Girl Speaks Out.

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

Lynn Barnett is a third grade teacher at Hines Primary School, where she’s taught for 19 of her 24 years in the profession. In her classroom, Barnett modifies her lessons to meet the individual needs of children, offering enrichment activities for gifted children, putting in place interventions for low-achieving children, arranging cooperative learning groups, creating ongoing learning centers, and adding materials to enhance the basic curriculum.

The results of her efforts are evident. On the Illinois State Assessment Tests two years ago, 100 percent of Barnett’s students met state goals in reading, and 95 percent met state goals in the area of math. She said hard work and her fellow third grade teachers help make those results possible. "We work very hard from the beginning of the year. Our curriculum is state standards-based, and we make sure we’re covering all of those standards to prepare for the state tests."

She’s written and received three grants that coordinated with activities in her classroom. One grant allowed her students to visit 13 points of interest while studying Peoria history; a second grant engaged students in the pioneer period, and the children were able to spend the day in a log cabin at a local park; and a third grant encouraged students to connect reading to the fine arts, culminating with an overnight at school, where children experienced arts, crafts, and storytelling. "I think a teacher has to be more than two dimensional; there’s more outside the two covers of a textbook and the four walls of a classroom. Peoria history is one of my favorite topics, and when we can, I enjoy visiting some of the historic spots around Peoria," she said.

Barnett received an Outstanding Teacher Award in 2001 from a former student, honoring the great impact she had on the student’s life. She also received the Peoria Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Award in 2003, the Peoria Public Schools’ Creative Classroom Award, the Most Influential Teacher Award in 2000, and was included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 1998 and 2002.

As to how the classroom keeps drawing her back year after year, she said, "I just really enjoy children, and I enjoy watching them learn. I enjoy seeing a child grasp something. The light bulb goes on, and their eyes light up-it’s a very gratifying feeling."

Edythe A. Cohen Business and Industry Award

Raylana Anderson is director of human resources at Clark Engineers, Inc. and owner of Anderson Consulting. In her career with Clark Engineers, she offers business support to continuously improve human resource and employee benefits practices. Human resources engages her because it’s something different every day, she said. "It’s a perfect blend. You can deal with people and relationships or you can do statistical analysis if you have the brain for it. It’s a lot of different things all pulled together to make organizations work, and that’s what I like."

She also developed her own consulting service practice to offer clients HR and benefits support. The opportunity to work with diverse organizations prompted her to start her own company, she said. "It’s always different every time you walk into a company. The issues may seem a bit alike when you scratch the surface, but it’s always different. Also, a lot of what I do is work with not for profits, and it’s nice to be able to do that."

In June of 2003, she was invited to be one of six witnesses nationwide to testify before the Federal Department of Labor ERISA Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, Working Group on Healthcare Security. Based on personal expertise, she offered testimony and recommendations on behalf of small to mid-size businesses and the human resource profession.

Anderson has co-authored four publications on HR-related topics, contributed her expert knowledge to many national media sources, earned national certifications in her field, chaired the National Compensation & Benefits Committee of SHRM, and is an in-demand public speaker. She’s been honored with a 40 Leaders Under Forty award and an ATHENA award.

Among her many volunteer efforts, Anderson is active on the Central Illinois Workforce Development Board, the Central Illinois Private Industry Council, the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, Habitat for Humanity, WTVP Channel 47, and American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

Lydia Moss Bradley Communications Award

Susan Yoder is vice president of marketing for CEFCU. Under Yoder’s leadership, CEFCU has received the following awards and recognitions: four Diamond Awards of Merit from the Credit Union Association, Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award, Bradley University Corporate President’s Recognition, Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Who’s Who for Greater Peoria Leaders-Financial Institution Category-11 consecutive years.

In determining where CEFCU’s philanthropic dollars go, Yoder said a number of factors are considered. "One of the key issues is the number of members the gift would benefit. If it’s for the tri-county area, that type of gift would benefit maybe 60 percent of our members. We look at something that’s regional-like the Children’s Hospital-and that serves probably 95 percent of our members. That’s an important thing to us-that we’re giving back to organizations that serve our membership."

Yoder is also very involved in the community. She’s a member of the Easter Seals Board of Directors, chairs the marketing and communications committee, co-chairs the telethon VIP campaign, and is a past chair of Wines on the Waterfront. She’s a board member and treasurer of the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, a member of the executive and community relations committee, and a VIP for the Children’s Miracle Network. Yoder is president of the ICC Board of Trustees, as well as past vice chair of the Educational Foundation Board. Other community involvements include the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, and the American Red Cross.

Many of the organizations for which she volunteers are CEFCU corporate charities, but they’re also close to her heart. "The Children’s Hospital of Illinois, for example, has been a corporate charity for a very long time. I serve in a capacity for CEFCU but also because of personal interest. I’m also on the ICC Board of Trustees. As a company, we support community college and continuing education because it’s such a life-changing opportunity for people."

As co-chair of the 2004 Easter Seals Telethon VIP Campaign, the 2004 Campaign surpassed its goal of $450,000, raising a record-breaking $490,000. As chair of the marketing and communications committee, she led the committee as it implemented a high-impact, mission-based public awareness plan throughout central Illinois supporting the 2004 Telethon VIP Campaign-the most comprehensive public awareness plan Easter Seals has ever experienced.

Eliza Pindell Community Service Award

Lois Carver is a long-time volunteer at the YWCA of Peoria, as well as many other community agencies. As a YWCA member for more than 65 years, she’s served on the board of directors for 20-plus years, including two terms as president. She’s served for many years on the finance committee and is still an active member of both that committee and the Past Presidents Club. "It’s the women at the YWCA that keep me coming back," she said. "Plus, there’s a always a challenge, and we’re always trying to do something bigger and better."

She was a leading force in planning and fundraising for the Lakeview Activities Building, and, along with husband Gus Carver, was instrumental in procuring furniture for the YWCA Transitional Housing at the YWCA Village. About that important time in YWCA history, she said, "We needed to move out into the community more. We surveyed the people who lived out there-Lake Street was "out" then. We interviewed the people in that neighborhood, and they were all for the building, so that’s what we did."

Other community activities include membership in the Junior League of Peoria, where she was named "Volunteer of the Year"; troop leader for Girl Scouts of America for many years, also serving as vice president of the Girl Scout Council and leader of the Mariner’s Troop for nine years; and a member of the Children’s Home Association of Illinois Board of Directors and president of the board for four years. "It’s good to be connected to the people in the community," she explained of her volunteerism, "and I enjoy the people I work with. It’s just a wonderful thing, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing everything I’ve done. Hopefully it’s been as good for them as it’s been for me."

Valeska S. Hinton Human Rights Award

Jacqueline Petty works at the Valeska Hinton Family Health Center, where she’s served for the past 20 years-beginning before the center opened. "I used to play golf with Valeska Hinton, and I had always admired her. To think that I could come away with this award is just amazing because she was a great lady," Petty said.

At Valeska Hinton, their philosophy of educating the whole child promotes the integration of health care and education together in the school. Petty supports the children, parents, building staff, and health care staff at the center, teaching people to become partners in their own health care and encouraging others to prevent health problems. "My most important role is helping the children who come into the health center," she said.

She accepted the position at Valeska Hinton upon her retirement from Ameritech after 31 years of employment. Her progress up the ladder in her career demonstrates her professional accomplishments: from clerk to service representative to business office supervisor to employment recruiter to group manager are just a few of the jumps she made.

Petty dedicates much of her spare time to community involvement. Among her current activities, Petty is a member of the NAACP Board of Directors and chairs its political action committee; a trustee of the Peoria Park District Park Board, a member of the Glen Oak Zoo operating committee, and chair of the recreation advisory committee; a member of the African American Leadership Alliance; a member of the Children’s Museum Committee; a member of the League of Women Voters; and a member of the Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association.

She said of her many volunteer activities, one of the most crucial has been fighting for justice. "Working with the NAACP and seeing, many times, the double standards that are out there has been important. Just being up front and fighting for equal rights for everyone has got to be the most important thing. We fought for those rights a long time ago because everyone is deserving of those rights."

Mother M. Frances Krasse Professions Award

Veronica Aberle is director of nursing for the Peoria City/County Health Department, leading 85 interdisciplinary Public Health Department workers. She’s responsible for 20 programs distributed over 11 budgeted program areas. The opportunity to work with people in their home and in the community was what drew her to public health nursing, she said. "I was always amazed at the strength of families when I visited them in their homes and the strength of communities as they responded to the needs of each other. It’s always an exciting place to be."

Aberle’s first love, however, is nursing education. She’s an adjunct faculty member of the University of Illinois College of Nursing and serves on a state advisory board for the advancement of public health nursing in Illinois. In addition to state and local involvement, Aberle has lectured nationally. Her professional affiliations include the Illinois Public Health Nurse Administrators, where she served as Regional 2 chair and was elected president for 2003. In this capacity, she serves as a liaison to state and federal agencies.

For the past three years, Aberle has served as president of the Heartland Community Heath Clinic Board of Directors, and under her leadership, the organization changed from a small, free clinic with a budget of less then $250,000 and two full-time employees to a federally designated community health clinic with a budget of $2.3 million and more than 30 leased or full-time employees. More importantly, the clinic is expected to serve more than 8,000 patients from the community. Because of the intensity of the president’s role, she agreed to serve a third year so a smooth transition could take place. During this time, three sites-including the Mother Francis Krasse Clinic, the primary health care clinic at the Human Service Center, and the Health Department’s Neighborhood House office-joined the Free Clinic to become the new Heartland Community Health Clinic.

She was attracted to the Heartland Health Clinic because she saw a real need in the community for health care for the uninsured. "Heartland’s initial vision was to serve the uninsured or the working poor, and that’s part of our mission in public health-to assure access to health care. It seemed like a really good fit," she said.

YWCA Young Woman’s Community Service Award

Tanesha Hughes is a junior at Woodruff High School, where she maintains a 3.5 grade point average while participating in a number of extra-curricular and community activities. She’s enrolled in college preparatory, honors, and advanced placement classes as well as Woodruff’s Technology Academy. Not surprisingly, her grades are what bring her the most satisfaction. "I’m able to be in all of these activities because I keep my grades up," she explained.

Hughes has accumulated 339 hours of community volunteerism throughout her three years at Woodruff, including 161 hours this year alone on projects including Key Club Summer Fundraising, Peoria Jaycee’s Haunted House, Monster Mash Carnival, Red Cross Annual Blood Drive, River-Plex Funfest, Rocking Horse Fundraiser, Special Olympics Bowl-a-Thon, Peoria Area Food Bank Can-a-Thon, Julep’s Closet, Make a Difference Day, bell ringing for The Salvation Army, Veteran’s Day Parade, Santa’s Secret Workshop, Neighbor-hood Newsletter volunteer, March Madness, and Peoria City Beautiful.

She also relinquishes her Saturdays to help senior citizens and disabled people throughout the city, cleaning their yards, conducting neighborhood spruce-ups, helping with the removal of heavy items, and other projects. Another effort she’s led is Woodruff’s Annual Canned Food Drive, conducting and organizing the canned food operations by shopping and preparing food baskets for delivery to those less fortunate.

Hughes said her philanthropic attitude was inspired by Woodruff High School Activities Director Maria Diaz, her Key Club advisor. "She’s the type of advisor who doesn’t just tell you what to do; she does it with you. She inspired me during my freshman year, and I’ve been volunteering ever since."

Although she doesn’t know which college she’ll attend yet, Hughes plans to major in computer science on her way to becoming a programmer. TPW