The winner of the 2022 Leo Parkerson Award is United Way of Eastern LaSalle County Executive Director Shelli Ocepek. She received the award at the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Dinner yesterday night. Ocepek says when she first brought the idea of Labor of Love to the board of directors, they were skeptical. So after they didn’t accept the idea the first time, she took them to lunch and asked again.
She says Labor of Love is not about her, it’s about the volunteers who donate their time to build and improve houses. She also explain that the idea of Labor of Love came from Susie Brown, the executive director of the United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties.
Other award winners include former Starved Rock Country Community Foundation Director Pamela Beckett, who won the Chairman’s Award and Insurance Agent Robert Hasty who won the Ethyl Strong Ambassador of the Year Award. Hasty wasn’t at the event so Tom Justice came up and spoke for him.
Pamela Beckett speaks after winning the Ambassador’s Award at the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner.