©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Jack Larson Gets State Award |
A Galesburg treasure has received yet another award for the work he's done with the community.
Longtime local radio personality Jack Larson is being awarded the Governor's Volunteer Service Award. Larson was nominated by the Galesburg School District for the work he's done with District-205 raising funds to provide band instruments and shoes to economically-disadvantaged students.
District Human Resources Director Diane Van Hootegem wrote the nomination, and tells WGIL nominating Jack was a no-brainer.
"I actually received information from the State (School) Superintendent's Office in Springfield in regards to...the volunteer awards that are available; we received that, probably, about four weeks ago," Van Hootegem said, "and immediately thought of Jack because it was talking about community service in the education realm. It was talking about good deeds for students. Certainly, my work with Jack has been fruitful in helping students in a number of fronts."
Van Hootegem says Larson's fundraising efforts either through his radio show or otherwise purchased 300 of shoes just this school year for District-205 students. Over the years, she says, as many as 300 students have been helped by the purchase of 50 different band instruments.
Larson will be honored during a luncheon Monday at the Governor's Mansion in Springfield. His son John and granddaughter Kelsey will accept the award on his behalf.
(Jack Larson, back, poses with children he's helped through his yearly big band shows, the proceeds of which have bought band instruments for Galesburg Students. Photo courtesy Knox College, where Larson is an alumnus.) |
|
| 04 09 10 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
