Sangamon Sun

Applications for the Governor's Hometown Awards are due by Aug. 1, the Serve Illinois Commission announced in a recent news release.

The award is presented to “those who contributed to their community’s quality of life through projects that have strong volunteer support, meet a need, and make a definitive impact,” the news release said. Municipalities can apply for projects that used volunteers and took place between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2016.

Previous winners of the awards include Boundless Playground in Edwardsville; Lifeboat Alliance in Mount Vernon; F.R.E.S.H. Community Teaching Garden in East St. Louis; Little Indians Youth Football Program in Mascoutah; School Fair for Camp Point in Clayton, Golden and Coatsburg; Sauk Valley Food Bank in Whiteside County; After School Coalition for Mundelein; Kid's Kingdom in McLeansboro; Women In Transition in Champaign County; Camp Callahan in Adams County; and Garden of Prayer Youth Center in Kankakee County.

The bipartisan panel contains 25 voting members and 15 nonvoting members appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner. The Illinois Department of Public Health administers the board, which is tasked with assisting communities through volunteer efforts and other aspects of service to the community.

Go to www.Serve.Illinois.gov for more details on program criteria as well as the process for applying.