Best of Dixon Gala celebrates volunteerism, community leadership

DIXON — It was a night of celebration Friday as Discover Dixon’s Best of Dixon Gala awards honored Dixon’s Citizen of the Year and six people for their contributions to the community, and announced the Business of the Year recipient.

Dr. Joe Welty was named Citizen of the Year during a presentation by David Hellmich and David Schreiner, both of whom are former Citizens of the Year honorees. Welty has been an Illinois Rural Physician of the Year, on the faculty of the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a KSB board member.

Known as a positive role model both professionally and personally, Welty is very active in volunteering in educational settings and at his place of worship, and is a teacher and lifelong learner who has impacted children through his coaching and development of best practices on the athletic fields, according to the presenters. He also is a respected professional mentor for people, ranging from early careerists to those in the twilight of their careers.

Prior to announcing award recipients, Discover Dixon Executive Director Amanda Wike spoke about 2023′s accomplishments, such as the continued momentum in the Gateway Development with the opening of Chipotle, construction of the Tru by Hilton, and groundbreaking for the new YMCA daycare.

“Our local economy continued to grow with multi-generational businesses expanding into the Industrial Park, including the opening of the new Raynor Garage Doors facility and the groundbreaking for an expansion of Bonnell Industries,” she said. “Our outdoor recreation continues to improve as we are watching the [Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program] trail system come to fruition. I am incredibly proud of the hard work that Discover Dixon has put in over the past year.”

She said that between business services and public events, Discover Dixon hosted 64 separate events in 2023, playing a key role in the community’s quality of life.

“We launched two new events showcasing different areas of town from our typical events,” she said. They include Rock River Madness, which brought tourists and community members together for trail and road cycling along with tent camping at Lowell Park for the first time, and the Dement Town Music Fest. That festival featured three bands, fantastic food and new partnerships, she said.

“We can’t wait to be back for that event this year and are thrilled to announce the fan favorite, Hello Weekend, will be back to perform again,” Wike said.

Award winners included:

Discover Dixon Award – Samantha Schmitt

Samantha Schmitt was honored with the Discover Dixon Award for her passion, commitment and tireless efforts that have had an impact on Discover Dixon and the community. She is known for stepping up whenever the organization needs a volunteer, helps recruit others to volunteer, and attends ribbon-cuttings and Ambassador meetings.

Community Pride Award – Jennifer Lang

Jennifer Lang was the recipient of the Community Pride Award, which recognizes a citizen who has gone above and beyond for the community in terms of giving back and volunteerism. Lang is a University of Illinois Extension Advisory Board member and has been a YWCA board member, United Way board member, Penguin project board chair, Honor Flight escort, and Court-Appointed Special Advocate. She also takes care of social media for Goodfellows, is involved with the food pantry, Buddy bags and Birdies for Boobies, hosts her own event for Special Olympics in her backyard every year and has transformed the Dixon City Market and the events of that organization.

4 Under 40 Awards – Britni Dvorak, Dr. Jenn Hintzsche, Jeremy Englund, Heather Grobe

Britni Dvorak is a business owner and a volunteer. In 2023, she helped volunteer with United Way of Lee County as a campaigner for the fundraising campaign. She focused on working with other small businesses in Dixon to engage them in giving and talking to them about what United Way does for the community. She also helps serve on the United Way Events Committee and played a vital role in helping plan the Girlfriend Gala event. She runs Pam’s Hallmark and also opened Fresh Finds Boutique this year.

“[She] understands that a small business and their owners are the backbone of any community, and she works tirelessly to improve, bolster and support the citizens and other small business of Dixon,” Telegraph Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman said when announcing the award.

She donates auction baskets to support numerous local organizations’ fundraisers, such as the Dixon Municipal Band, and also donates to charity fundraisers for those in the community that are suffering from a serious illness or have suffered from a tragedy, such as a fire. She supports and encourages future entrepreneurs in the Whiteside Area Career Center’s CEO Entrepreneurial Education Program by speaking about her successes and challenges as a small business owner. She recently became a member of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce to further her support and love of the Dixon community.

Jenn Hintzsche, Ph.D, led her company, PherDal Fertility Science, to make history for women’s health in 2023. Her invention that conceived her daughter, the PherDal kit, was awarded FDA-clearance as the first and only sterile at-home fertility treatment now available to anyone in the U.S. without a prescription. In 2023 she was a finalist in SXSW’s Pitch competition, named an Emerging Innovator, and was named one of the top FemTech Companies in the U.S. recognized with a Femovate scholarship by Guidea. Her work is expanding healthcare access for rural areas like Dixon and the Sauk Valley by offering the first sterile over-the-counter fertility treatment people can try before more invasive and expensive treatments. She also served on the committee for the Birdies for Boobies’ inaugural charity golf outing, a fundraiser for Home of Hope.

Jeremy Englund has spent most of his adult life giving back to and serving his community. He has served on boards for Dixon Main Street, Discover Dixon, The Dixon: Historic Theatre, Reagan Mass Transit District, Lee County Industrial Development Association and the Dixon City Planning Commission. At 34 years old, he was selected to serve as the executive director of Discover Dixon.

“Jeremy knew the importance of creating a great team, uniting the team through common vision and purpose, and empowering them to action,” Heintzelman said. “During his four years as the Discover Dixon director, Jeremy and his incredible team transformed their services and events. One great example of this is our gala here tonight.”

Englund became an integral part of the city’s economic development team and has played a major role in downtown development and the newly developed Gateway Development Project, while also building his own businesses as an entrepreneur. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Englund and his team worked hand in hand with the city to create small business grants and worked to ensure that all local businesses had access to the resources necessary to not only survive COVID, but come out the other side thriving. As a board member, he has played a pivotal role in the rebirth of The Dixon: Historic Theatre. He played a major role in attaining multiple grants for the theater, including the $1.5 million federal grant and continues to play a significant role in its execution. In December 2023, he accepted a position as the Lee County administrator.

Heather Grobe organizes a “kids helping kids” food drive each year to provide families with food over the winter break when they aren’t able to get meals at school. The program has continued to expand its impact each year. In 2023, the program provided meals for 64 families. Grobe runs this program through her workplace at the YMCA. She is also involved in the Kiwanis Club of Dixon as a member and board member and was named 2023 Kiwanian of the Year. She hosts a food drive each year before the holidays, which allows the community to help serve 50-plus families a year.

“Heather’s dedication, passion and innovative approach have significantly impacted the lives of children, families and in our community,” Heintzelman said. “As the director of the Lovett Child Development Center at the YMCA, Heather has demonstrated unwavering commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education and care.”

Business of the Year - Bonnell Industries

Bonnell Industries was honored with this award, which celebrates the success and dedication of the community’s businesses. Bonnell Industries has been a mainstay of the Dixon economy for decades. From its founding in 1960 as J.L. Bonnell’s Welding Service, and their incorporation as Bonnell Industries in 1979, the story of Bonnell is one of generational growth, improvement and expansion. On their third generation of leadership, Bonnell Industries is a large local employer, donor and sponsor to many organizations. In 2023, Bonnell announced plans for another expansion that will provide even more jobs in the community with their new facility, now under construction in the Industrial Park.