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Carol Stream releases Citizen of the Year nominees; banquet set for March 8
Summary
The Village of Carol Stream announced nominees in multiple Citizen of the Year categories and confirmed banquet logistics, prompting congratulations and instructions for nominees to gather for photos before the March 8 event.
The Village of Carol Stream unveiled nominees for its annual Citizens of the Year awards and confirmed banquet logistics for the event scheduled for March 8, 2025.
Trustee Frusillone (committee chair for the awards) read the list of nominees across categories including Judges Recognition (community members who may live outside Carol Stream), Female Citizen of the Year, Male Citizen of the Year and Special Citizen of the Year (volunteers with more than five years of service). The Judges Recognition list included Bob McNeese (nominated by the Rotary Club), Jim Reilich (nominated by the Carol Stream Police Department), Michelle Volman (nominated by the Bags for Life Committee), Jim Falkowitz (nominated by Britney's Trees), Mary Joyce (Britney's Trees), Tony Valine (Britney's Trees), and John Papenduris (nominated by Lutheran Church of the Master).
Female nominees for 2024 volunteer work included Robin Nielsen (nominated by the Park District), Katie Kennedy (nominated by the Carol Stream Police Department), Sherry Bridal (Parade Committee), Jennifer Anselmo (Women’s Club), Roberta Guthrie (Britney's Trees), Robin Olsen (Britney's Trees), Ruth Grow (Britney's Trees), Kim Byrd (Britney's Trees), Linda Burkhart (Britney's Trees) and Heather Reyes (Park District). Male nominees included Norman Paradis (nominator not specified in the transcript), Phil Anne (nominator not specified), John Fry (Carol Stream Police Department), Don Studenbach (District 25 PTA and a Girl Scouts troop), Bob Peroni (Carol Stream Police Department), Andre Adams (Rotary Club), Jim Guthrie (Britney's Trees), Tom Boessler (Britney's Trees), Ferd Gustafson (Britney's Trees), Dan Byrd (Britney's Trees), Mark Burkhart (Britney's Trees) and Dave Groh (Britney's Trees).
Special Citizen of the Year female nominees included Jenny Fox (Violet’s Kitchen), Christine Tiajenko (St. Luke’s Catholic Church), Denise Simone (Carol Stream Police Department Social Services Unit), Pam Sullivan (Violet’s Kitchen) and Leonor Vary (nominator spelling in transcript uncertain). Male special-citizen nominees listed included Eric Eane (Carol Stream Police Department), Joshua Payton (nominated by Catherine Payton) and Jeff Bates (Carol Stream Park District).
Trustee Frusillone told nominees to gather for a pre-banquet photograph at the dais; she reminded attendees the dinner would begin at 6 p.m. at Saint Andrews Golf Club and that final seating and head counts were required to meet the venue's deadline. “This is by far the most that we've ever had,” Frusillone said of the number of nominations, and she urged nominees and their nominators to attend.
The clerk later confirmed the board approved a raffle license and waiver of the fee and manager’s fidelity bond for the Citizens of the Year event at the March 8 date as part of the consent agenda.
The board and multiple trustees offered congratulations to nominees from the dais during trustee reports; Trustee Frusillone and others described the list as “heartwarming” and noted the growth in nominations compared with prior years.
