The Aurora Public Library and the Aurora Public Library Foundation thanks everyone who attended the Magic in Motion auction held December 7. It was a night of celebrating the Bookmobile and honoring of members of our community. Two awards were given to honor the hard work and dedication of two key organizations within the Aurora area, the Thomas J. Weisner Award for Excellence in Education Collaboration, and the Lifelong Learning Inspiration Award.
• The Thomas J. Weisner Award for Excellence in Educational Collaboration is awarded annually to a recipient that embodies the many leadership traits the late mayor Thomas J. Weisner demonstrated in our community. The award is given to an individual or organization who makes our community stronger, our kids healthier, and our families collaborating among each other. This year it was our honor to present this award to College of DuPage for its commitment to collaboration and fostering a culture of growth. A strategic priority of the Aurora Public Library is welcoming immigrants to the United States, and we would not be as successful as we are today without College of DuPage. Since the beginning of Spring 2018, the College of DuPage has provided English Language Acquisition and citizenship classes at the Library. Eighteen of the participants in the citizenship classes already have passed their naturalization exams.
• The Lifelong Learning Inspiration Award was first presented in 2016. This award was inspired by and created in honor of Richard and Gina Santori. The award celebrates an individual or organization who is committed to Lifelong learning, professional and personal development. This year’s recipient was the Aurora Police Department. The Aurora Police Department was chosen to receive this award in recognition of the Department’s enduring commitment to supporting social inclusion, personal and professional development, and community sustainability. We admire the Department for its steadfast and genuine commitment for its continuing education and training. A big contributor to this culture of learning is police chief Kristen Ziman, who has demonstrated her commitment to lifelong learning. She achieved promotions from a cadet in 1991 to chief of the Police Department. It is admirable the way she instills this commitment in officers at all levels in the police department. The Aurora Police Department works closely with the Aurora Public Library to help us better serve our customers and our community, from helping us learn to de-escalate difficult situations and to making our facilities safe for everyone. The Aurora Police Department is a generous and inspiring partner.
Congratulations to our recipients!
Miriam Meza-Gotto is communications manager for Aurora Public Library.