The 2009 Wood Community Service Award

I think maybe we got lucky this year with a two for the price of one deal.  While the Wood Award usually goes to an individual, occasionally it does go to a couple.  What makes this year’s couple a little different is that either end of this husband and wife team was a worthy recipient in their own right.

The Wood Community Service award, its official name, is presented yearly to an individual or a couple who has made significant community contributions. The award is named in honor of Bill & Elise Wood and Nell & Burton Wood who contributed to the growth and health
of Geneva.

Sam and Carolyn Hill, the 2009 recipients, learned of this honor at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Awards Night. Each year family members are asked to secretly ensure that the winner attends. This year it appeared that the couple would miss the event because they were babysitting their grandchildren. It was necessary for the chamber to tell Carolyn that Sam was receiving the award to guarantee both attended. The Hills were equally surprised when it was announced they both had won.

Sam and Carolyn met at the University of Illinois, and this past August they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Sam received his BS and MS degrees in municipal parks and recreation. His first job was Superintendent of Recreation in Lincoln, Illinois, where he ran a center for teenagers. The Hills moved to Geneva in 1977 with their two children, Jennifer and Jeff, who
went to school in Geneva. Sam and Carolyn were great supporters of the school system, and both of them enjoyed watching their children participate in sports.

Sam is an Alderman and was on the Park District Board, the Geneva Planning Commission, the Beautification Committee, the Park District Foundation, Mid Valley Neighborhood Improvement

System and the Geneva Jaycees. He is the liaison between the city and the Chamber of Commerce. Sam is proud of the work he did to help get the acquisition of Peck Farm for the Park District. He drove in freezing rain to Springfield to present the idea to the state committee
in charge of parks and recreation. Because of his efforts a Peck Farm baseball field was named after him.

Carolyn began working in real estate in the 70s. Carolyn has served as a commissioner on the Cultural Arts Commission; and as a board member, she was the head of the successful Dancing With the Geneva Stars fund-raiser.  Carolyn presented the awards to the emerging artists at
the annual Geneva Arts Fair in July and serves on several church committees. She is a former president of the Geneva PTO Council, a past president of the high school music boosters, president of the Community Chest, past board member of the Geneva Academic Foundation
and member of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.  Professionally she is a member of the Fox Valley Board of Realtors, Illinois Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Carolyn has achieved the G.R.I., Graduate of Realtor Institute, designation.

Sam and Carolyn were taught to give back to the community, and they reared their children with the same values. Their son Jeff said, “They have a passion for the town of Geneva, they have a passion for the arts and for their church.”

I’ve been friends with both Sam and Carolyn for a number of years, and it would be tough to choose between the two for this recognition. I think it’s appropriate and well deserved that they received it as a couple.

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Dancing with the Geneva Stars Returns

February 6, 2010

7:00 pm

A year ago I said that Dancing with the Geneva Stars was the most entertaining and innovative event I’ve ever attended in Geneva. And I believe my comments didn’t do it justice. Besides my resounding “WOW”, the 2009 fund-raiser received rave reviews from those attending the sold-out event. Fabulous, amazing and impressive were only a few of the adjectives used to
describe the evening where 12 brave performers, dressed in costumes appropriate for their dance,
entertained the over 360 enthusiastic people attending the standing-room-only contest.

Now here’s your chance to decide for yourself. This successful event, modeled after the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars”, returns on Saturday, February 6, 2010, with a new cast of dancers. These local celebrity teams are already in rehearsal preparing their dances in hopes of
generating enough votes to become the 2010 Dancing with the Geneva Stars champion.

The 2010 line-up includes David and Shawn Ginsberg doing the Cha-Cha, Weldon Johnson and Joanne Buckley doing the Quickstep, Matt and Kimberly Lennert doing the Tango, Tim and Barb Moran doing the Waltz, Harry and Marcia Smith doing the Swing and Jim and Susan VanderVeen doing the Salsa. If you know any of these soon to be amazing dancers, lend them your support.

Ticket reservations and voting for the event (every dollar contributed is equal to one vote), which benefits the Geneva Academic Foundation and Geneva Cultural Arts, will begin on January 4,
2010. The committee anticipates another sold-out event.

More info on Dancing with the Geneva Stars. You absolutely, positively do
not want to miss it!

This article first appeared in the January 2010 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Flavor Fare

Eeach month eGeneva Magazine reviews a different Geneva restaurant and touts their wares. Last month with the Flavor Fare right across the street from our offices, we couldn’t help but be reminded what a truly diverse menu of restaurants we have.

The four of us here at the magazine had no problem making the personal sacrifice to attend each day to sample these favorites on your behalf. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it!

The Flavor Fare featured appetizers, entrées and desserts from 18 of the area’s restaurants. Chianti’s
had their garlic crab pasta available for all to indulge, Moveable Feast had Oprah’s Favorite Brownies,
Atwater’s at The Herrington Inn offered their sautéed forest mushrooms in a puff pastry and Urban Grille shared their banana cream pie. And that’s just to name a few. Yes, I know we could have done it in one day; but we felt we owed it to you to try everything on the menu at least once. Okay, maybe twice.

And our reason for sharing with you our three-day food binge? To remind you of the varied and unique culinary experiences that exist in your own backyard. Next time you celebrate a special occasion or just want to try a new restaurant, you won’t have to travel far to find how our restaurants are another reason Geneva is unique.

This article first appeared in the October 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Season’s Change

Of all the services the City offers, the lazy man in me loves leaf pickup the most.  (Well, second to Christmas decorations.) After years of bagging every last leaf in my yard and hauling them to the parkway, the Leaf Pickup Program is a service I look forward to.

The City of Geneva is going all out to let us know the where and when so none of us are left behind: flyers in utility bills, signs posted and there’s even a leaf collection commercial on Comcast Channel 10.

If there’s early snow (what else is new?), leaf collection trucks are being used for snow removal; and I have a tree that out of total disrespect refuses to drop its leaves on schedule. So what do I do then? The City has it covered with the Bag Collection Program beginning November 30. I’m back to putting leaves in yard bags again; but at least I don’t have to put stickers on. It’s a free service.

Will this take care of our leaf problems for 2009? Of course, not. As always, Mother Nature has a way of doing what she wants when she wants.

This article first appeared in the October 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Wood Award Winner: Scott Lebin

The Wood Community Service award is presented each year to an individual who has made significant community contributions in the areas of business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations, art, recreation, charity or government. The award is named in honor of Bill & Elise Wood and Nell & Burton Wood—four individuals who have all contributed to the growth and health of the City of Geneva.

A surprised Scott Lebin was named the 2008 recipient of the Wood Community Service Award during the Geneva Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Awards Night, Tuesday, November 11, at Eagle Brook Country Club.

Lebin, as Chairman of the Geneva Chamber Board of Directors, who normally would have presented the award, was completely caught off guard when former Chamber Chairman Gordon Hard surprised him with the coveted award in front of Chamber members, friends and guests attending the Annual Dinner. To keep him in the dark, the nominating committee convinced him another was to receive the award. As Lebin approached the podium to present the award, Hard informed him of the deception.

Lebin, the twenty-fifth recipient of Geneva’s most prestigious award, is deserving for his personal contributions and community involvement. He has touched the lives of those in our business district, school system, Lions Club, theater and, of course, the Geneva Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership the Chamber has grown to 566 members and has expanded its promotion of tourism activities that brings thousands of visitors to our town each year. He has also worked tirelessly as a catalyst for educational, cultural and entrepreneurial growth in the community.

A former teacher at Elk Grove High School, Lebin received his MA from Northwestern University. Currently he is president and CEO of Lebin Financial Planning, Chairman of the Geneva Chamber Board of Directors, a motivational speaker and photographer (his photos have graced the cover of eGeneva Magazine). Scott and his wife Bobbi have been married for forty-three years, have two children, Adam and Leslie, and three grandchildren Benjamin, Sophie and Rachael.

Scott’s hard work and many contributions have made him a valuable asset to our community, a community that continues to benefit from his dedication and determination to make the City of Geneva what it is today.

This article first appeared in the January 2009 issue of eGeneva Magazine.

Restaurant Review: Citizen Kane

Meet me Under the Marquee! It used to mean you were meeting someone for a special movie. Now it means you’re meeting for an extraordinary dining experience.

Walk into Geneva restaurant Citizen Kane, and you’re immediately drawn to its fresh open look with a handful of high top tables mixed in with booths and low tops. In the background the bar is in plain site. The space is inviting with a friendly neighborhood atmosphere where you’ll feel at home by yourself, with a date or as a family.

But just when you think you have an understanding of what Citizen Kane is, you look at its unique menu created by Chef Richard Fields. Definitely not pub grub!

Start with an appetizer of Crab Cakes, Seared Ahi Tuna or Steamed Mussels. How about a salad? Does a Roasted Beet or a Quinoa Salad sound good? Adding soup? Try their signature Jalapeno Avocado Bisque.

Citizen Kane’s entrées are just as diverse as their starters, ranging from Creole Meatloaf with Andouille Sausage to Pan Roasted Tilapia. Don’t worry. For the less adventurous, there are plenty of selections like the Citizen Kane Burger, pasta or vegetable entrées. You might want to save room for dessert! Chef Richard offers Key Lime Pie (a recipe he created while living in the Florida Keys), Roasted Banana Cheesecake, Bread & Butter Pudding and Chocolate Knockout Tart.

Flavorful and friendly definitely describes Citizen Kane! If you want to make a night of it, dine Thursday or Saturday evening when they have late night entertainment.

Citizen Kane, 630-208-0500, is open for lunch and dinner and is located Under the Marquee at 319 West State Street.

“Flavorful and friendly definitely describes Citizen Kane!”

This article first appeared in the September 2008 issue of eGeneva Magazine.