2025 Service Above Self Award
Please read through the nominations and cast your vote below.
From Joel Holland:
It is my pleasure to nominate Paul and Judy Jackson for the Service Above Self Award. Paul and Judy have been active in community affairs since I have known them for the past 33 years, plus many years prior to that time. They are "behind the scenes people", never seeking the limelight.
A sampling of some of their community activities:
Galena Foundation Board of Directors
Past Galena City Council and Interim Mayor
Galena Country Fair Board (they managed the food tent for many years)
Paul helped construct the large nativity scene on the levy and erected it each Christmas season for many years.
Member Greenwood Cemetery Board
Restored headstones and cleaned up rural Galena cemetery
Active in Antique Town Rod Club
Midwest Medical Center Auxiliary member
Galena Elks Lodge House Committee and fundraising acitivities.
Most recently, Paul constructed and installed the minature libraries that are located throughout town.
I'm sure I'm not including all of the community minded activities Paul and Judy have been involved with, but as you can see they embody the spirit of the Service Above Self Award. I'm proud to consider them friends and wholeheartedly recommend them for the Service Above Self Award!
From Tim Vincent:
It is with great enthusiasm that we nominate Dr. Jeff Wood for the 2025 Galena Rotary Club Service Over Self Award. A retired agriculture professor and former dean at Illinois State University, Dr. Wood has brought his lifelong passion for gardening and education to the Galena community in truly transformative ways.
As president of the Galena Community Garden, Dr. Wood has expanded the garden’s impact through partnerships that foster community inclusion, intergenerational learning, and food security. Under his leadership, the garden donates nearly a ton of produce annually to the United Churches of Galena Food Pantry. He initiated a collaboration with The Workshop, engaging adults with disabilities in hands-on gardening and agricultural classes that enrich their skills and experiences.
Dr. Wood also lends his time and talent to numerous causes, serving on the board of The Workshop, supporting fundraisers, volunteering at Terrapin Orchards, and mentoring Galena High School’s garden club, and leading the Rotary Pollinator Garden project this fall. His service spans globally as well—he travels abroad with the Farmer-to-Farmer program, providing agricultural training to farmers and educators in developing countries, including a recent mission to Nigeria.
Whether he is teaching a local student to plant potatoes or advising international farming communities, Dr. Wood exemplifies the Rotary ideal of “Service Above Self” in every sense. His humble leadership, tireless volunteerism, and unwavering generosity make him an outstanding candidate for this honor.
From Emma-Jane Mayer:
Barb Hocker is so invested in the well being and development of Galena and its inhabitants, not just within her role on the Chamber, but also in her own endeavors through her church and also other organization events.
From Lynn Gallagher:
I am honored to recommend Erin Keyser for the Rotary Service Over Self award. As the founder of Jo Daviess Local Foods (JDLF) and Executive Director of the newly formed JDLF Collective, Erin has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to community well-being, sustainability, and inclusive food access in Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Stephenson counties.
Erin’s leadership began in 2018, launching JDLF as a small online farmers’ market with only seven producers. Today, it proudly represents almost forty producers, delivering fresh local food to underserved rural areas.
In 2021, she initiated the “Farm to Food Pantry” program through JDLF Gives and the Community Foundation of Jo Daviess County. This effort directly purchases excess produce from farmers—supporting their livelihoods—and distributes it to food pantries, providing nutritious options to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
Under her direction in 2024, JDLF transitioned into a standalone nonprofit, JDLF Collective, securing a statewide Local Food Infrastructure Grant from Illinois to build a year-round farmers’ market and food hub. Erin successfully facilitated the acquisition of property and the launch of construction for a new marketplace and aggregation hub expected to open in 2025.
Erin exemplifies “Service Over Self” through her:
- Innovative vision — evolving a humble online market into a vital community institution.
- Collaborative strength — forging partnerships with farmers, funders, nonprofits, and local government.
- Dedication to equity — emphasizing access and nutrition education through initiatives like cooking classes and pantry donations.
Her work is rooted in empathy, manifesting in everyday impacts. She ensures that working families benefit from healthy, locally sourced food and that producers earn fair pricing, while fostering community sustainability.
Erin Keyser is a beacon of thoughtful, action-oriented leadership—combining compassion, strategic vision, and relentless perseverance. She consistently places the needs of her community above personal recognition, guiding collaborative efforts that yield measurable progress in food equity and economic resilience. Her unwavering dedication and ability to inspire collective action make her not only worthy—but exemplary—of the Rotary Service Over Self Award.