STAR Expo and Awards Ceremony
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Expo – 5:30 pm; Awards Ceremony – 7:00 pm
Hilton Garden Inn
1501 S. Neil Street, Champaign
On Thursday, April 17, 2014, the Neighborhood Services Department and the Neighborhood Services Advisory Board will host the Fifth Annual STAR (Service Together Achieves Results) Expo and Awards Ceremony.
The STAR Expo allows for an annual community education and networking opportunity. Over 37 vendors will be available to showcase the latest projects, initiatives, products, services and information that promotes civic involvement and neighborhood wellness. There will also be 3 workshops:
- Positive Youth Development and Civic Engagement
- Intelligence-Led Policing with Neighborhood Watches
- Homeowner Board Basics: Legal Requirements and Best Practices
The STAR Awards Ceremony, presented by the City of Champaign Neighborhood Services Department and the Neighborhood Services Advisory Board, is held to recognize outstanding civic activities of local citizens, nominated during the STAR Awards nomination period earlier this year, who are working to make the City of Champaign a great place to live, work and play. Dave Benton, WCIA News Channel 3 News Anchor, will again host the awards ceremony. The 2014 honorees are:
- Business-Neighborhood Partnership Award with 1 nominee (Home Depot)
- Community Partner Award with 3 nominees (Feeding Our Kids, Interfaith Alliance University of Illinois Campus and Community Student Services (CCSS) of the Office of Dean of Students)
- Difference Maker Award with 6 nominees (Azark David Cobbs, Mary Fileccia, Robert Kirby, Teresa O’Connor, Deborrah Pagel, Willie Summerville)
- Good Neighbor Award with 4 nominees (Beardsley Park Neighborhood Group, Gloria Franczak, Moisson Property Management, Eric Schwalm)
- Neighborhood Leadership Award with 4 nominees (Brenda Arnold, Mark Harms, Latricia Johnson, Amy Revilla)
- Neighborhood of the Year Award with 3 nominees (Dawn Blackman, Jim Hamilton, Jo Samuel)
- Neighborhood-Community Building Award with 3 nominees (Sawgrass Homeowner’s Association, West Ridge Homeowner Association, Wheaton Area NW)
- Rising Star Award with 3 nominees (Bristol Park Youth Participatory Action Research Team, Grace Khachaturian, Alexus Turner)
The keynote speaker for the award ceremony will be Peter L. Levin, author of the book “We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America.”
This year’s event is open to the public with free vendor giveaways and no admission charge. For more information, visit www.ci.champaign.il.us/star.