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The other finalist for this year’s award was Sara-Ann Rosen.
Elizabeth Ribarsky of Springfield, associate professor of communication at UIS, was honored with the Star Staff Award.
Ribarsky has chaired the annual Illinois Humane Trivia Night and in two years, she raised an additional $25,000 for the organization with this event.
Reagan Weichold of Chatham was honored with the Youth Volunteer Award. She was nominated by the Animal Protective League.
Weichold is a mentor for the APL’s Junior Volunteer Program.
Other finalists included Tyler Lancaster and Audrey Lupton.
Twenty volunteers were also honored with the Heart of Gold Award. Individual recipients were: Dennis Ahlberg, Anne Anderson, Stacey Austin, Jim Barr, Sandy Bellatti, Sally Cadagin, Becky Gabany, Paula Harris, Dorothy Hart, William G. Holland, DeeDee McCarty, Allison Montney, Traci Moore, Kristie Parkins, Megan Philpot, Renate Selby, Teressa Shelton, Kate Ward and Laura Winkelmann.