Build A Bike - 2023 Boone County Community Champion

About the Awards

Celebrating Outstanding Contributions to the Communities of Northern Illinois since 1971

Since 1971, the Excalibur Award has been given to an individual who exemplifies excellence in community service. Joined in 1979 by the Excelsior Award, which recognizes an organization of the same merit, these annual tributes to service above self have uplifted countless stories of not just greatness but goodness.

An award created and an event hosted by the Rockford Register Star for four decades, the torch has been passed to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) in collaboration with the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE). The Rockford Register Star is an ongoing partner and will continue to publish the stories of these exceptional individuals and organizations. Thanks to this new partnership, the recognition and celebration will continue!

In recognition of this new partnership, the return of the awards, and the interconnected nature of our region's communities, the Community Champion Awards were introduced in 2023. Each year one Community Champion (may be a group, individual, or organization) will be named from each Northern Illinois County: Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago. Learn more about these awards and the recipients below.

Meet the 2023 Excalibur & Excelsior Finalists & Recipients!

Click each picture to learn more about each finalist.

Excelsior

Excalibur

Past Excalibur & Excelsior Recipients

The Excalibur Award recipients are individuals who have given back to our communities in extraordinary ways. They come from many backgrounds and professional ambitions, but each has devoted a significant portion of their time and talent (and yes, sometimes their treasure as well!) to serving others. The Excelsior Award recipients are organizations or initiatives that strive to strengthen the people of our region and the places they call home. They, too, are represent a diverse range of sectors: arts and culture, health, human services, education, economic development, recreation, volunteerism, and more. Over the years, their names may have changed, but the vast majority are still working hard to create healthier, more resilient, and more vibrant Northern Illinois.

Both the Excalibur and Excelsior Awards indicate a lifetime of or extended, significant service to the people and places of Northern Illinois.

Community Champion Awards recognize the effort and impact of an individual, organization, or group/project/initiative in each of the four counties of our region (Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago). This effort may be of a more specific, localized, or time-limited manner than that recognized by the Excalibur and Excelsior Awards.

Below are the names of each recipient and the years of their awards. Recipient names are linked to the organization's website when available and applicable. View videos and photos of past recipients and award ceremonies here.