Six ECC employees set to receive NISOD Excellence Awards
Elgin Community College has selected six employees to receive the 2026 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Awards.
The awards recognize outstanding faculty, staff and administrators who work at community and technical colleges, according to a news release.
ECC award recipients are Brian Bohr, instructor, Communication Studies; Kathleen DeMars, assistant professor, Adult Basic Education; John Mravik, professor, English; Brittany Mylott, academic advisor; Justin Robertson, dean of Communications & Behavioral Sciences; and Cathy Taylor, dean of Sustainability, Business, and Career Technologies.
They have been invited to represent ECC next year at the League for Innovation in the Community College’s 29th annual Innovations Conference in Indianapolis or at the NISOD Conference: Advancing Community College Student Engagement in Austin, Texas.
Former concert promoter to speak at Gail Borden library
Former concert promoter and author Phil Brakefield will join Elgin Public Museum coordinator Sharry Blazier in sharing stories and presenting live music during a program at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.
Brakefield will share memories of working with Jimi Hendrix, Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Donovan and other music stars and he and Blazier will sing a few songs. Brakefield also will sign copies of his book, “Life, Dogs and Rock ‘N Roll,” following the program.
To register to attend, go to attend.gailborden.info/event/14630640.
A $1,823 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board will allow Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin to digitize and preserve Elgin’s dairy-related history. (Gail Borden Public Library)
State grant to fund library preservation of Elgin’s dairy history
Gail Borden Public Library has been awarded a $1,823 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board to digitize and preserve the dairy-related history of Elgin.
The project will digitally preserve The Elgin Dairy Reports and historical documents from 1892 to 1903 detailing the city’s dairy heritage, according to a news release. It’s expected to take six to 12 months to complete.
The Elgin project is part of a statewide initiative to digitize, preserve and expand access to archival materials that document Illinois’ cultural heritage, according to the release.
“There is immense historical value in preserving these original documents,” Angel Flores, the library’s director of information and digital services, said in the release.
“These volumes are extremely fragile. This grant ensures that the remarkable story of Elgin’s dairy era — a pivotal piece of Elgin’s identity — will not only be preserved, but also be freely accessible online to any student, genealogist or curious resident, no matter where they live.”
During the late 19th century, Elgin was widely known as the “Butter Capital of the World,” serving as the center of a dairy industry that included more than two hundred cheese and butter factories in the surrounding area. The Elgin Dairy Report provided market information on prices for butter, cheese and eggs as well as community announcements and local advertisements.
Anderson Humane offers food pantry for animals in need
During a time when many families may be forced to give up their pets due to financial strain, Anderson Humane in South Elgin wants residents to know it offers a pet food pantry to help people feed their animals.
“Providing programs and services like our Pet Food Pantry recognizes the importance of the human-animal bond and the well-being of both pets and their owners,” Dean Daubert, Anderson’s president/CEO, said in a news release.
The pet food pantry is open daily during operating hours at Anderson’s adoption center, 1000 S. La Fox Road, the news release said. No appointment or donation is required to receive food pantry assistance. Supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis and one visit per household per month is permitted.
Community members who want to support the program can make a financial contribution or donate pet supplies directly to Anderson Humane. For more information, go to ahconnects.org.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/elgin-ecc-library-grant-nisod-dairy-anderson-pantry/
