|
 Annually,
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation awards two Philanthropist
awards – one for Bloomington-Normal residents and another for those
outside the Twin Cities (other parts of McLean County, plus DeWitt,
Logan and Livingston counties).
The criteria for the award are: outstanding civic responsibility
through philanthropic efforts; serving in leadership roles,
providing vision and the ability to involve others in philanthropic
activity; and voluntary commitment of time and contributions of
financial resources. Current IPCF board members and staff are not
eligible to be nominated.
Marsha Fernandes
Marsha Fernandes of Lincoln exemplifies the spirit of
philanthropy through her leadership and efforts to give back to her
hometown’s residents. She will receive the 2024 IPCF Philanthropist
of the Year – Outside the Twin Cities award.
Fernandes began her career in 1979, working in the manufacturing
business sector as a customer service representative, eventually
rising to the position of president of the company before it was
purchased. Although Marsha has always been active in volunteerism
within the community, her retirement in 2016 allowed her to devote
additional time to organizations she feels passionate about.
Fernandes is very involved with her church, Eminence
Christian Church in Lincoln. She hosts a Veteran’s Day Breakfast at
the church, where local veterans receive a homemade meal and a small
gift to thank them for their service to our county. She has been
active in the “Walk for Life” to raise funds for the Pregnancy
Resource Center. Additionally, Fernandes serves as the Treasurer for
the Ladies Aide group at the church, raising money for the Atlanta
Ministerial Fund food pantry, purchasing Bibles and serving funeral
dinners.
Through connections at the church, Fernandes began volunteering at
Logan Correctional Facility in 2022, teaching classes and life
skills to incarcerated women so they can be ready for the workforce
upon their release.
Fernandes also serves veterans permanently housed at a local nursing
home with the Marine Corps League Detachment 1336. Every Tuesday,
she offers the veterans homemade treats, coffee and conversation.
Fernandes has assisted the local detachment by raising funds for
Lincoln food pantries through the Stuff the Truck event, and local
scholarships. As a result, the Marine Corps League named her an
Associate Member.
In 2018, Fernandes served as a Guardian for two Vietnam veterans on
the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, which flies veterans to
Washington, D.C. for the day. She also escorted two additional
Vietnam veterans in 2022. Fernandes has hosted several fundraisers
for the LLHF organization in the past, including Hoops for Heroes, a
basketball tournament where first responders compete against local
athletes.
Fernandes’ biggest accomplishment has been her
ongoing efforts to raise funds for at-risk and homeless veterans
through the Central Illinois Veterans Commission (CIVC). The
organization has been responsible for the construction of seven tiny
homes for veterans. She is involved in the entire process, including
arranging transportation and delivery of building materials, serving
as a laborer during the construction process, decorating to meet
each veteran’s personality, and stocking the new homes with
groceries. To accomplish the CIVC mission, Fernandes has hosted
several fundraisers including a 9.11K race and commemorative service
to acknowledge 20 years since the World Trade Center tragedy, a CIVC
Halloween Spooktacular, and an annual CIVC golf outing that involves
more than 180 golfers and over 70 local sponsors.
With the help of her church, Fernandes has organized a luncheon for
Concerns of Police Officers (COPS), which raises awareness and
financial support for fallen officers. The group stops in Lincoln as
they cycle from the Alton area to Chicago. This year, more than 135
riders and their support group stopped at the Lincoln Rural Fire
Department rest and a meal.
In 2015, Fernandes opened her home to the public for a Christmas
Tour of Homes with all profits benefitting world hunger through the
Lincoln Christian Church Harvest of Talents organization. In 2022,
she Grand Marshal of the Christmas Parade in Lincoln.
Fernandes has three daughters and eight grandchildren.
Michael (Mike) Matejka and Karin (Kari) Sandhaas
Mike Matejka and Kari Sandhaas of Normal exemplify the spirt of
philanthropy through understanding of the importance of community,
philanthropy and service focusing on education in the community.
They will receive the 2024 IPCF Philanthropists of the Year –
Bloomington-Normal award.
“This husband and wife team have used their ‘super powers’ to
benefit and uplift others,” said the person who nominated them.
“They deliver a ‘one-two punch’ to make an impact not only in our
community, but throughout our world!”
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Matejka is a community activist,
retired union representative, author and historian. He served as
the Governmental Affairs Director for the Great Plains Laborers
District Council, edited the Grand Prairie Union News for 40
years and was also elected for 18 years to the Bloomington City
Council representing the Second Ward. As an Illinois Labor
History Society Vice-President, Matejka is knowledgeable on
Illinois’ nationally significant labor history.
He is a past-president and current board member of the McLean
County Museum of History in Bloomington, where he was guest
curator for seven different exhibits, including the just opened
exhibit “Deadly Deception: Asbestos in McLean County.” Matejka
has also written for multiple publications and is currently
completing an overview book on Illinois labor history.
Matejka has worked tirelessly to fulfill the mission
of Bloomington-Normal’s Not In Our Town by hosting forums,
organizing panel discussions, marches, rallies and trainings. He
worked and collaborated with legislators at all levels – local,
state and national – and was a delegate to the Democratic National
Convention in 2008.
Other organizations that Matejka has been involved with include the
Historic Pullman Foundation in Chicago, United Way of McLean County
Board, Autism McLean, Multicultural Leadership Institute and
Operation Recycle/Ecology Action Center.
Among the awards and recognition he has received are
Town of Normal’s Citizen of the Year, McLean County League of Women
Voters’ Citizen of the Year, Multicultural Leadership Program’s
Community Service Award, Illinois Humanities Council’s Studs Terkel
Award and the Illinois AFL-CIO Robert Gibson Community Service
Award.
Both Matejka and Sandhaas have received the Illinois State
University Burton Mercier Alumni Community Service Award and the
Homan-Grabill Community Peace Award.
With a lifelong career in the fields of training and education, and
as a Certified Diversity Professional, Sandhaas strongly values
cultivating multicultural understanding and the inclusion of diverse
perspectives, integrating that belief into both her community
volunteer roles and her work at COUNTRY Financial. As a training
designer and educator, Sandhaas’ work has focused on leadership
development and multicultural education. At COUNTRY, she also
co-leads programming for the Multicultural Employee Resource Group.
Prior to COUNTRY Financial she was Creative Director for Teleologic
Learning Company and The Laurasian Institution, an Asia-focused
international education non-profit.
Sandhaas demonstrates the value of civic engagement both locally and
globally, serving on local nonprofit boards, in various citizen
committee roles, and through her work in international education and
peace delegations. She has a reputation for leading organizational
change and helping people to gain clarity, confidence and courage in
taking action to advance the mission of the organization and for the
good of the community at large.
She has served on the boards of the Ecology Action Center (EAC)
since 2006 and Autism McLean (AM) since 2007, and is also on the
Carle-BroMenn Ethics Committee.
She founded AM’s Autism Friendly Community outreach partnership,
organizing public awareness events, speaking engagements, trainings,
and the development of an autism friendly community whitepaper. She
previously founded and chaired Diversity’s Missing Piece, an
initiative promoting autism awareness among employers.
She was instrumental in leading the Multicultural Leadership Program
(MCLP) through strategic planning and organizational changes in her
previous role on the MCLP executive board.
Other organizations Sandhaas has been involved in supporting include
the Town of Normal Public Arts Committee, Not in Our Town, YWCA,
Parrett Endowment for Arts and Culture, Habitat for Humanity of
McLean County, United Farmworkers Service Center, Women for
Guatemala and Witness for Peace.
Among the awards and recognitions she has received are Heroes
Embracing Autistic Lives’ Making a Difference Award, Autism McLean’s
Gold Star Member Award, COUNTRY Financial service awards, YWCA Women
of Distinction Nominee and McLean County Chamber of Commerce’s
Athena Award finalist.
Matejka and Sandhaas are parents of a daughter on the autism
spectrum.
Philanthropy Day
The Celebrating Local Philanthropy Lunch will take place at the
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 10 Brickyard Dr., Bloomington. Cost of
the Philanthropy Lunch is $40 per person.
More information and a link to register to the event is available
visit
www.ilprairiecf.org/local-philanthropy. Registration may
be made directly at
https://ipcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/
list/ticket. Registration deadline is Nov. 5.
About Illinois Prairie Community Foundation
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, now in its 26th year,
encourages and facilitates philanthropy in McLean, DeWitt,
Livingston and Logan counties by connecting donors who care with
causes that matter to them. The Foundation manages funds including
endowments and donor advised, fiscal sponsorship and scholarship
funds. More information is available at www.ilprairiecf.org.
Community Partners for Illinois Prairie Community Foundation are:
The Drake Zimmerman Group, Brandt Group of Companies, Cox & Fulk,
Donald Heinold CPA, Fox & Hounds Salon & Spa, Heartland Bank &
Trust, Little Jewels Learning Center, Northern Trust, Renaissance
Wealth Management BN, Shirk Family Foundation, Striegel Knobloch &
Co., Tarvin Culligan, Westminster Village and WGLT.
[Michele Evans
Grants & Communications Director
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation] |
