Decatur, IL –The Decatur Legacy group of area nonprofit organizations presented five Do Something Great Awards September 22 at the group’s annual Legacy Luncheon for Professionals today.
The winners:
John S. Cobb, nominated by Richland Community College Foundation, for many years
has espoused the goals of Decatur Legacy. He is a partner in the Samuels Miller
law firm in Decatur. Many charities have and will benefit from John’s willingness
to raise people’s consciousness to “Do Something Great” by remembering local
charities in their wills. Recently, Richland Community College Foundation learned
that they were named beneficiary of a trust created with John’s counsel.
In addition, John gives of his time and expertise in teaching about non-profit
governance and the roles of non-profit boards of directors.
Mrs. Nancy Eichenauer and Mr. Bill Eichenauer, posthumously, were nominated by Millikin University for the “Do Something Great” award for philanthropists in the Decatur area. Nancy and her late husband Bill Eichenauer embody what the Do Something Great award is meant to recognize. At Millikin University they have generously given to the annual campaign and every building project on the campus in the last 50 years. Nancy was co-chair of the campaign that built Perkinson Music Center. Bill chaired Millikin’s annual campaign for many years. They have touched with their generosity virtually every aspect of campus life at Millikin. In addition, their generosity has helped Richland Community College, the Millikin Decatur Symphony, and has benefited overall life in Decatur.
Jim Romano, was nominated by Decatur Area Arts Council in recognition of his many contributions to arts in the community. It was Jim’s vision, insight, and persuasive ability that caused the Decatur Area Arts Council to expand the scope of its renovation project, allowing for 1st floor retail space that today houses the nation’s only arts-business learning laboratory, Millikin’s Blue Connection. Under Jim’s direction, the Romano Company provided the manpower and talent to turn an obsolete downtown building into a vigorous, new downtown asset…the Madden Arts Center. Upon completion of the project, Jim waived a huge portion of the final invoice as an additional contribution to the project. Jim’s commitment to the Madden Arts Center is ongoing. During a recent fundraising event, he was personally responsible for producing the most profitable arts raffle in the history of the arts council.
Carol Craig, was nominated by Millikin University. She is Senior Vice President and Trust Officer with Busey Wealth Management. As a trust officer with Busey Wealth Management, Carol has the confidence of her clients that she will ensure that their heritage in Decatur will live on through their estate planning. She is a wonderful liaison between the charitable organization and the donor, helping both to accomplish their goals. Carol also serves as the bank’s liaison with several permanent trusts held at Busey. In this role she is the complete professional as she helps to ensure that those who serve on the advisory committees are good fiduciaries of the legacy they have been asked to preserve.
The Walter and Alice Scherer Trust were nominated by Richland Community College Foundation for the Do Something Great Award. Walter and Alice Scherer established a scholarship at Richland Community College in 1991 with a substantial endowment gift. After Walter’s death in 1992, Alice continued to support the scholarship. When she died in 2008, Richland Community College Foundation became the beneficiary of the Scherer Trust. The assets of the trust were more than $6.8 million and will be used to continue the scholarship as it was originally established. The Scherers’ gift to Richland’s Foundation represents thoughtful and careful estate planning, and their legacy will help students for generations to come. Recognizing Walter and Alice, even after they are gone, for their generosity and their legacy gift may inspire others to “Do Something Great” for the people of this community.
Decatur Legacy is a group of 54 local nonprofit groups and eighteen professional firms working together to encourage local philanthropy and charitable bequests.