The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL), in partnership with the Rockford Register Star and the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE), is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 Excalibur and Excelsior Awards.

The Excalibur Award, created and launched by the Rockford Register Star in 1971, honors an individual who exemplifies excellence in community service. It was joined by the Excelsior Award, which honors an organization of the same merit, in 1979. After a hiatus in 2022, the awards returned in 2023 with an enhanced emphasis on recognizing excellence throughout Northern Illinois.

2024 EXCALIBUR AWARD FINALISTS:

• Elaine Breck: Retired Executive Director of The Hunger Connection. Former Executive Director of the MOMS Health Consortium and Director of the Oncology Center of Excellence at SwedishAmerican Hospital. Served as Volunteer Executive Director and Board Chair of Rockford Promise for five years, followed by four years as a volunteer with their scholarship program and advisory member of their Fund Development Committee. Has served on the boards of Byron Public Library, Katie’s Cup, and Rockford Rotary, as well as many leadership and advisory roles with church and other nonprofit fundraisers and events, mentorship to nonprofit and community leaders as well as current, past, and future Rockford Promise scholars.
• Antonio Ramirez, Jr.: Community Education and Outreach Coordinator at Alignment Rockford. Graduate of Rockford East High School and Rock Valley College. Former roles with YouthBuild, YMCA of Rock River Valley, founder of United at Peace, board service with Comprehensive Community Solutions, and extensive volunteer service and leadership of community programs such as director of Rockford Park District’s Domingos en el Parque and leading RPD’s Dia de los Muertos activities, volunteer coordination and other leadership for South Main Mercado, a member of the Rockford Public Schools Master Facilities Plan Steering Committee, leadership with CulturaFest, La Voz Latina, Arts/Culture/Entertainment (ACE) Team, and lead of the Coalition of Latino Leaders Education Committee. Antonio was a 2008 Rockford Chamber of Commerce “40 under 40” recipient and a 2023 recipient as Director of Domingos en el Parque of the Rockford Area Arts Council “Placemaking & Spacemaking” art award.
• Kelli Ritschel Boehle: Executive Director and Founder of Nik’s Wish (aka Nicholas Ritschel Foundation) and VP of Customer Experience for R.S. Hughes. Following the death of her son, Nik, to Synovial Sarcoma, Kelli founded Nik’s Wish to ensure that young adults diagnosed after age 18 would have the same opportunity to receive a “wish” as Nik had after his diagnosis of at age 17. Since 2012 they have fulfilled over 360 wishes in 38 states, primarily in the Northern Illinois and Chicagoland area. Kelli’s role with Nik’s Wish is unpaid; her passion for their mission and bringing hope and joy to young adults facing cancer through the transformative impact of a wish has grown this volunteer-led organization into a nationally-recognized and still growing powerhouse of an organization. Kelli was the 2021 Grand Marshall of Rockford’s 4th of July parade, was named a “CNN Hero” in 2023, and is a long-standing member of Holy Family Catholic Church.

2024 EXCELSIOR AWARD FINALISTS:

• Discovery Center Museum (Lana Paris, Executive Director): Exists to inspire all children to dream, explore, and create without limits. Established in 1981 by a group of local parents, educators, and the Junior League of Rockford, who recognized the need for interactive science education in the region. Initially a small, community-driven effort housed in a modest space, the museum quickly grew in popularity and in 1991 moved into its current location in Riverfront Museum park, providing more space for interactive exhibits and outdoor features. New and innovative exhibits are consistently developed including the addition of Discovery Park, the 10,000 sq. ft. outdoor playscape in 2010, and Makerspace, an interactive, creative space dedicated to hands-on making and tinkering, in 2023. The museum serves a key role in afterschool programming and homeschool education, as well as serving as an approved provider of Professional Development Credits for Illinois teachers. Today, Discovery Center is regarded as one of the top children’s museums in the country and serves not only as a tourist destination but also a hub of STEM education, joy, and wonder for children and families of our region.
• The Superhero Center for Autism (Kira Carte, Board President): The Superhero Center empowers remarkable individuals with autism and their families by offering opportunities and resources that inspire growth, resilience, and boundless possibilities. Founded in 2015 by Jamie Dornink, the parent of a child with Autism, the center was envisioned as a sensory-friendly play space and resource center for families and children with autism. In 2019 that vision came to life with the opening of the community center and sensory gym. Today, the center serves over 550 registered “superheroes” and their families from across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, providing a safe, welcoming space for people with Autism and extensive programming for them and their families including parent education and support, sibling events, special activities for teens, resources fairs, and other community events throughout the year. All services are free, and the center is fully volunteer-led and programmed.
• University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford (Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, Regional Dean): Established by the University of Illinois in Rockford in 1971 with the mission of educating more physicians and improving the health of northern Illinois. The college has graduated more than 2,300 physicians including 440 family medicine residents since that time, many of whom continue to work and teach in Northern Illinois. The campus added a college of Nursing in 1991, college of Pharmacy in 2010, and established what is now one of the largest Rural Medical Education Programs in the nation in 1992. Medical research conducted on campus has contributed significantly to advancements in vaccines, resulted in groundbreaking publications and innovations in diagnosing and treating diseases such as cancer, diabetes, paraplegia, and more. Students, faculty, and staff alike provide exceptional services to our community, including the recent response to COVID-19 which included hosting the National Guard on campus and establishing a testing center that tested over 65,000 residents and processed over 435,000 specimens. UICOMR provides vital pipelines of students, residents, and physicians to the Rockford region’s health systems and other community-facing organizations and initiatives that improve health and well-being for thousands of people across our region, and beyond.

In addition to the Excalibur and Excelsior Awards four new awards honoring “Community Champions” from each of the four counties of our region (Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago) will be presented. All six recipients will receive a cash prize which individuals may donate to the charity of their choice and organizations may use to further their mission and support their work.

Finalists will be honored, and the 2024 recipients will be announced, at the 2024 Excalibur and Excelsior Award Ceremony on Thursday, December 12, 2024. The event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required: visit https://excaliburexcelsior.com/event to save your seat!

Find full details about the history of the awards, the nomination and selection process, and the 2024 Award Ceremony at the new website dedicated to these awards: https://excaliburexcelsior.com