State title for volunteerism

It’s the time of the year to dream of state titles.

While local high school sports teams look to capture hardware in the postseason, a state title of another sort has just been brought home to the Sauk Valley.

The Governor’s Cup is presented to the best Governor’s Home Town Award community volunteer project in the state.

The winner this year?

Sauk Valley Food Bank of Whiteside County.

Based in Sterling, Sauk Valley Food Bank prevailed over 45 other Governor’s Home Town Award winners in the final competition to see whose project was considered most representative of the spirit of Illinois volunteerism.

All we can say is, Wow!

Best in the state!

What a tremendous honor and accomplishment.

The Sauk Valley Food Bank is no flash in the pan. It was started by community volunteers in 2001 after Northwestern Steel and Wire Co. shut down, which left 1,400 workers out of a job.

The food bank, operating on donations, acquires food at bargain prices from a regional food bank and then passes the savings on to local food pantries. During its existence, the organization has distributed food to more than 100 pantries and organizations, and to thousands of needy individuals.

We can see why the Governor’s Home Town Award volunteer judges chose the Sauk Valley Food Bank to receive the special honor from Gov. Pat Quinn. Based on the criteria of local need, volunteer participation, project continuity and results, the food bank has more than proved its worth in the past 8 years.

When high school teams bring home a state title, the community gets to show its pride by putting up highway signs at city entrances.

The same goes for the Governor’s Cup winner.

Unique road signs proclaiming the food bank’s status as overall winner will be forthcoming, as will a traveling trophy.

Our region has seen its share of Governor’s Home Town Award winners during the 28-year history of the program. Last year, the Twin Cities Public Action to Deliver Shelter captured one of them. Previous Home Town awards went to Rock Falls for its new library, a food pantry and clothing closet, and a free health services clinic; Milledgeville High School’s all-weather track; Fulton’s Dutch windmill; a Mount Morris park project; Walnut’s Veterans Memorial project; and the Whiteside County United Way’s Let’s Feed Our Children summer lunch program.