D. Ray Wilson Volunteer
Service Award
Deadline: Wednesday, April 20, 2020 - Revised date
Nomination Guidelines
Judson University is seeking nominations for the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award, which is presented annually to the candidate who has contributed to the greater good within the greater Elgin community by voluntarily serving others’ physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual needs. This year marks the 17th Anniversary of the establishment of the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award.
Who Was D. Ray Wilson?
Seeing a need for a prayer breakfast in the Fox Valley area, D. Ray Wilson (1926 – 2003) established one at Judson University in 1989. Since Wilson was well known in the community for his tireless hours of volunteering, the D. Ray Wilson Service Award was begun in his honor after his death in 2003. He spent much of his professional life in some area of journalism, serving as editor and publisher of The Courier News for 21 years.
"When my grandfather died in 2003, I spent some time helping clean out his office. He had accumulated a lot of plaques and awards for contributing to causes, many of which I had never even heard about. At one point we had to clean out his desk. In the top drawer there were the usual things you would expect to find in an office but there was also a short hastily scrawled note on a scrap of paper that said, ‘You are not the hand that holds the chisel. You are not the stone onto which the chisel carves. You are the chisel.’ I believe this phrase sums up my grandfather’s attitude toward volunteerism and charitable work." — Nick Salzmann, ’08 Judson Alumnus
Recognition
The D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award would normally be given during Judson University’s Community Prayer Breakfast. The event, which was planned for Monday, May 4, 2020, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at Herrick Chapel on Judson's campus, has been cancelled due to community gathering restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This award will still be selected and the winner recognized at future Judson event in the fall.
Submission Guidelines:
The candidate must: (1) be an individual, not organization; (2) live and volunteer within the greater Elgin community (Elgin, West Dundee, East Dundee, Carpentersville, Sleepy Hollow, South Elgin, Schaumburg, St. Charles, Bartlett, Hoffman Estates, Barrington, Wayne, Streamwood, Hanover Park, Plato Center, Gilberts); (3) be nominated by a co-worker, relative or friend through the nomination form; and (4) be able to attend the future Judson event.
Nomination Deadline:
Nominations must be received by Monday, April 20, 2020 - Revised date.
- Please submit your nomination using the form below or a print form received in the mail.
- Past award recipients are not eligible to receive the award. Previous nominees may be re-nominated; however, a current 2020 nomination must be submitted for consideration.
- Electronic submission of the nomination is highly encouraged.
- To submit your nomination via mail, mail to:
Judson University, ATTN: Julie Schmidt, 1151 N. State St., Elgin, IL 60123
Nomination Form
To submit a nomination for the D. Ray Wilson Volunteer Service Award, please provide the following information by Monday, April 20, 2020 - Revised date.