Naperville council publicly lauds this year’s Seniors of Year
Vicki Keller and Kenn Miller were recognized at the Oct. 15 Naperville City Council meeting as the city’s 2024 Seniors of the Year award winners.
The award recipients are selected from among nominated Naperville residents who are 65 or older and have a demonstrated history of community service.
Keller, who moved to Naperville in the 1960s, worked at Naper Settlement for 20 years and continues to collaborate with the museum as a member of Naperville’s First Congressional Church, according to the Senior Task Force.
She was active in the Save the Old Nichols Library campaign to protect the historic building from demolition and worked with Naperville leaders to erect the “Ron Keller Commemorative Way” street sign in honor of her late husband Ron Keller, who directed the Naperville Municipal Band for 57 years.
Keller still plays clarinet in the band and has volunteered for several church ministries.
Miller served as as Naperville City Council member for eight years and co-founded the Autism Home Support Services, Hub88 and West Suburban Angels investment group, according to the task force.
A Naperville resident for 29 years, Miller also has served on numerous boards, including Safe Suburbs, Naperville Responds for Veterans, Naperville Board of Fire and Police Commission, Downtown Naperville Alliance and KidsMatter.
In 2017, he led the Mental Health Awareness Ministry initiative with Good Shepard Church and the Naperville Police Department.
Lincoln Academy laureates include Naperville, NCC students
Naperville resident Rohan Jaiswal, a student at Loyola University Chicago, and North Central College student Jasmine Alely Tixta of Des Plaines were among the top 50 students representing Illinois’ colleges and universities to be named Lincoln Academy student laureates.
The program recognizes excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by seniors from each of Illinois’ four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities.
The students were honored in a ceremony Oct. 26 at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Performing Arts Center.
Each student laureate received the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award certificate, a Lincoln medallion, a challenge coin and a $1,000 check from The Lincoln Academy.
Student laureates are selected by their individual schools.
