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2005 Child Advocacy Awards
Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Award
Neighborhood United Methodist Church, Maywood
Neighborhood UMC, 1817-19 W. Washington, Maywood, was recognized for its new tutorial program that has demonstrated outstanding success in working with neighborhood children. Pastor is the Rev. Jacques Conway.
 Katherine B. Greene Award
Linda Lowery
Linda Lowery, who serves as director of Lay Ministries at Cornerstone UMC, Elgin, has been active in children’s ministries for more than 25 years.
Recipients of United Voices for
Children’s 2004 child advocacy awards are, from left, Susan Griffis from Poplar
Grove UMC, and from United Church of Sandwich, Renee Reimer and Jenny Weber,
former pastor at Sandwich.
2004 Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Award
United Church of Sandwich Day Care and Preschool
Renee Reimer and Jenny Weber, former pastor of
United Church of Sandwich, accepted the Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt award presented for volunteer
advocacy on behalf of children. United Church of Sandwich’s day care was
established in 1996 and the preschool in 1998. They were founded to meet the
needs of a growing number of teenage mothers in the area.
The programs offer help financially, physically, spiritually
and offer Christian-based learning. The preschool has an enrollment of 36 with a
waiting list.
2004 Katherine B. Greene Award
Susan Griffis
Susan Griffis, member of Poplar Grove UMC, and United Church of Sandwich Day Care and PreSchool, received the 2004 Katherine Greene award for special
advocacy for children in a church. She was honored for her excellence in being a
child advocate. She has taught Sunday School for more than 15 years and also is
superintendent of Poplar Grove UMC’s Sunday School.
Besides her Sunday School work, Griffis teaches kindergarten.
Her classroom is decorated with bright colored posters, an art gallery for
students’ special works and a birthday well listing each child’s special day.
2003 Special Recognition
Mason Scholl
The Rev. Margaret Ann Williams and Laura
Dean Frederich presented a special award to the Rev. Mason Scholl for his years
of service as the president of United Voices for Children. They presented to
award to Scholl during the UVC Northern Illinois Annual Conference breakfast at
Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles in June.
Dorothy Yeoman (center) of United Voices for Children is shown giving the
Katherine B. Greene and Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt awards to Kay Lukancic and Craig
Stettner during the UVC Northern Illinois Annual Conference breakfast at
Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles in June.
2003 Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Award
Craig Stettner
Winner of the Jesse DeWitt Award for volunteer advocacy on
behalf of children is Craig Stettner of the First UMC of Des Plaines. He is a
dedicated teacher of the High School Sunday School class and prepares breakfast
for them each Sunday. He also takes these young people on mission trips, and is
their friend in various emergencies.
2003 Katherine B. Greene Award
Kay Lukancic
Winner of the Katherine Greene Award for special advocacy
for children in a church was Kay Lukancic of the First UMC of Lockport. She has
headed the church’s program of “Circle of Love” that provides diapers and other
needed articles for women and their babies. An average of 90 people have been
served, and they receive not only needed products, but also hope, caring and
love.
2002 Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Award
Verna Schubert
 Verna Schubert (left in the photo) is Director of the Saturday Kids’ Club at Centennial Multicultural United Methodist Church in Rockford. She has served five years: several months as a volunteer and then as Director. She does an outstanding job of providing activities for low-income children of the community. The scope of these activities ranges from a nutritious meal to opportunities for artistic expression, to lessons about conflict management and resolution. She is excellent in her own relationships with the children and inspires and motivates a large number of volunteers who work in the program.
Verna, states her pastor, “is one whom god has chosen and called to ministry — very special ministry with those children whose needs are great.”
(Lynne Vass, vice president/development at Rosecrance Health Network, presented
the award to Verna at UVC's breakfast during Northern Illinois Annual Conference in June.)
2002 Katherine B. Greene Award
Heidi Soderberg
 Heidi Soderberg (left in the photo) volunteered in 1998 to be the Director of the Logos youth program in DeKalb. This is a 23-week program, based on theology and practice in a disciplined, four-part context for children in the first grade through high school. Logos includes family time, worship, skills, Bible study and recreation time. Heidi has diligently directed this program in addition to a full time job as a first/second grade teacher.
Heidi spends endless hours coordinating the many people needed to run this program and is in attendance for every minute of very session. If a volunteer is absent, she automatically substitutes — whether teacher, cook, dishwasher, mentor or record keeper.
Her pastor states: “Where the youth are, Heidi is, participating right along with them, encouraging them and praising them.”
(The Rev. Margaret Ann Williams, associate executive director, Marcy-Newberry Association, presented
the award to Heidi at UVC's breakfast during Northern Illinois Annual Conference in June.)
2001 Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Awards
Jacqueline Thompson
 Jacqueline
Thompson (far left), a member of Hartzell Memorial United Methodist
Church, devotes her time to reaching and helping children who
reside in public housing. Since July 1981, her home has been
a virtual "kids station." Jacqueline ministers to more
than 50 children weekly through the use of arts and crafts, dramatic
presentations, trips and outings.
Jacqueline also established an on-going Saturday
Children's ministry at her church. This program offers creative
arts, drama, values orientation, music and most important: an
alternative to the despair, frustration and negative environment
of public housing.
(Dorothy Yeoman, UVC board member, presented
the award to Jacqueline at UVC's breakfast during Northern Illinois
Annual Conference in June.)
June and Larry Slick
 June
and Larry Slick, members of Milledgeville United Methodist Church,
have a unique ministry. Since 1994, June and Larry have provided
Disaster Child Care to families across the nation. While parents
are filling out the necessary FEMA forms, the Slicks take care
of their children and help them through the grieving process.
Whenever there is a need for their special
services, the Slicks will travel to offer assistance. They provided
child-care services in Louisiana, Florida, Minnesota and North
Carolina after floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. Their ministry
supports children and parents during a traumatic, often vulnerable,
time in their lives.
(Dorothy Yeoman, UVC board member, presented
the award to Jacqueline at UVC's breakfast during Northern Illinois
Annual Conference in June.)
2001 Katherine B. Greene Award
Irma Clark
Irma Clark (far right in the photo), member of Fellowship United Methodist
Church in Chicago, has faithfully assisted children for more
than 15 years, both nationally and internationally. For two weeks
in September 2000, she visited Russia and worked with children
in an orphanage. Irma also has visited Senegal in 1999 to work
with children with AIDS. In addition, Irma devotes a portion
of her summer each year to work with youths at the Pembroke Institute.
Irma is a voice for children who are often
ignored or unheard: the abused and neglected. As a court-appointed
special advocate (CASA), Irma volunteers her time to attend court
procedures and to speak on behalf of children. Irma also mentored
young teen mothers and helped them access health-care services.
She believes that health care is a right for all children —
it is not a privilege. Irma is a member of the Bishops' Initiative
for Children in Poverty, Methodist Youth Services Board of Directors
and United Methodist Women.
(Louise Lowe, UVC board member, presented
the award to Irma at UVC's breakfast during Northern Illinois
Annual Conference in June.)
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