YWCA Elgin will honor longtime supporter and community trailblazer Betty Brown with the Legacy Award during its 125th Celebration at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, at Carmina’s Banquet, 1055 N Randall Rd., Elgin.
The celebration will celebrate the organization’s history, recognize community leaders and scholarship recipients, and raise support for its continued work throughout the Elgin area. Guests can enjoy dinner, live auction packages, raffles, and other activities.
Brown has been involved with YWCA Elgin initiatives on and off for decades, generously sharing her experience and guidance as a mentor to program participants and staff. Her lifelong commitment to leadership, service, and racial justice reflects the mission YWCA Elgin has advanced throughout its 125-year history.
Throughout her life, Brown has broken barriers and opened doors for others. After being denied admission to a nursing program because of her race, she continued pursuing her calling and became the first Black nursing student at Saint Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Joliet. She later served patients and families as a nurse and supervisor at Sherman Hospital.
Brown’s influence extended far beyond healthcare. She became a respected journalist, magazine publisher, civic leader, mentor, etiquette instructor, and society editor for the Elgin Courier-News. Through her popular column, “Stepping Out with Betty Brown,” she highlighted community life and celebrated the accomplishments of people throughout the region.
Reservations and sponsorship information are available at www.ywcaelgin.org/125celebration.
—YWCA Elgin