On May 2nd, 2024 over 150 community members came together to celebrate the YWCA of Pekin’s Annual Women’s Recognition Day. The YWCA of Pekin recognized 10 students and 8 women in the Tazewell County community. The students were nominated by their school administration as students who were outstanding contributors to their school and community.

The students recognized were:

Rankin Junior High School – Barbara Barrientos

Georgetown Middle School – Catherine Davis

St. Patrick School – Maryn Janszen

Edison Junior High School – Lily Mingus

South Pekin Grade School – Isabell Nyberg

Tremont Middle School – Lena Ropp

Dee-Mack Junior High School – Anna Schmidgall

Broadmoor Junior High School – Kira Thies

Dee-Mack High School – Meridith Glueck

Pekin Community High School – Mylee Hansen

Eight phenomenal women from the Pekin Community were selected out of the many nominations as recipients for our various award categories.

Susan Hamilton was awarded the Mission Award. The Mission Award is presented to a woman who works diligently to impact our community in a way that supports the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women. Susan believes in a more equitable future for all students, and actively works toward that goal on a daily basis.

Shannon Sandoval was selected to receive the Community Service Award. The Community Service Award recognizes women who are professionals and/or volunteers in government, public service, politics and/or community action. To know Shannon is to know that she lives for community involvement and civic engagement.

Debby Smith received the Arts Award. Nominees for the Arts award include women who make a significant contribution to the field of arts in our community, whether through their artistic talent or influencing others in their own artistic abilities. Although Debby Smith has retired from her thirty-plus years in music education, her influence in the community remains.

Kami Colvin was selected to receive the Impact Award. The Impact Award acknowledges a woman who has been impactful in several aspects of our community. Kami Colvin is the Director of Nursing at Carle Health Pekin and, in her 16 years with the hospital, has been instrumental in changing the culture and practice of nursing on that campus. Through Kami’s leadership, the nursing staff at Pekin have transformed the delivery of care, and employee turnover within the first year of hire is non-existent, which is unheard of in the healthcare industry.

Betsy Rowe was awarded the Outstanding Employee Award. This award includes women who are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves and contribute more to their organization/company. They listen, take feedback seriously, and are open-minded when presented with new ideas. With an impressive 26-year tenure at Pekin Insurance, Betsy Rowe has consistently demonstrated her commitment to excellence and leadership, and her contributions extend far beyond her years of service. She has served as a mentor and advocate for her colleagues, embodying the values of integrity, empathy, and resilience. Her impact on the organization is undeniable, particularly in her pivotal role in planning and executing significant projects such as the Parkway building, data center build, employee trail, and Century Center addition.

Jessi Schneider was the recipient of our Sports Award. The award for Sports is given to a woman who has impacted our community positively by providing exceptional leadership, mentorship, and sportsmanship in athletics. Rankin Coach Jessi Schneider coached Softball for eight years and Girls Track & Field for ten and, according to her nomination form, is the epitome of what all coaches should strive to be.

Josie Esker was a multi-nominated candidate for the Professions Award. The award for Profession each year goes to a woman working in a field that requires professional accreditation to perform work in that field. This covers an array of occupations, and we receive a multitude of nominations every year. This year we award City Engineer Josie Esker for her dedication to both her career and our community.

Melissa Eertmoed is a local business owner that was nominated by one of her clients for our Business Award. We present the award for Business to a woman in the business or non-profit sector who makes a significant contribution in their field. Infinity Salon owner and cosmetologist Melissa Eertmoed has done exactly this over the years.