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Rock Island celebrates Citizens of the Year
By Linda Cook,
17 hours agoThe City of Rock Island has chosen the winners for the 39th annual Citizen of the Year awards. Each year, people in the community have an opportunity to submit a nomination for those who have made selfless contributions of service to the City of Rock Island and its residents, a news release says.
Nine categories have been recognized: Individual; Youth; Business; Education; Professional; Artist/Creator; Veteran; City Employee; and Organization, Church or Non-Profit. The awards were founded in 1987 as a way to recognize those individuals and organizations that make a positive difference in the Rock Island community. Winners will be will recognized with an awards presentation during the City Council meeting Monday, Aug. 24 at 5:45 p.m. at City Hall, 1528 Third Ave. One of the nine winners also will be announced as the 2026 Labor Day Parade Grand Marshal.
Winners were chosen by the Citizen of the Year Committee, which is composed of last year’s winners, Mayor Ashley Harris, Alderman Mark Poulos, Alderman Bill Healy, Community Engagement Manager Sarah Hayden and Labor Day Parade Committee Chairwoman Mary Chappell.
“After receiving a record number of 64 nominations, the Citizen of the Year Committee is proud to announce the winners and hand out awards Monday night,” said Sarah Hayden, community engagement manager for the City of Rock Island. “This year’s honorees were chosen because of their work ethic, talent, generosity and commitment to the Rock Island community.” Winners also will be honored in the 2026 Rock Island Labor Day Parade on Monday, Sept. 7.
- Individual: Gary Rowe, non-profit leader and community volunteer.
- Youth: Kyla Nephew, published writer, poet, model and activist.
- Business: Icon’s Martini Bar and the Iconic Event Venue, owner Dave Phillips
- Education: Jadiem Wilson, Principal of Ridgewood Elementary School.
- Professional: De’Andre Robinson, Operations Manager for the Rock Island Downtown
- Alliance
- Artist/Creator: Dennis Hitchcock, Owner and President of Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse.
- Veteran: Joe Laden, Air Force Veteran and Outreach Specialist for the Quad City
- Veterans Outreach Center
- City Employee: Kristia LeShoure, Facility and Events Supervisor of the MLK Center
- Organization, Church or Non-Profit: Pam’s Place, founder Pamela Seales.
Individual: Gary Rowe, Executive Director of the Rock Island Community Foundation,
Executive Director of the Rauch Family Foundations and longtime community advocate
and volunteer. Rowe has spent decades serving the community, working in nonprofit
organizations, fundraising for local organizations, serving on numerous nonprofit boards
and serving on the Rock Island School board. He also has been a longtime member of the
Rock Island Rotary and served on the WVIK Community Advisory Committee. In addition,
he has been active with the Illinois Quad Cities Chapter of the Association of Fundraising
Professionals, helping to mentor and train nonprofit fundraisers in the Quad Cities for
decades.
Youth: Kyla Nephew, 18, is a published writer, poet, model and activist. She is a
homeschooled high school senior, living in Rock Island. Nephew is active in Her Voice
Media and uses her writing and poetry to address racial justice, equality and self-worth.
She received a Youth Expression Award from the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for a
poem about Dr. King’s dream and modern racial inequality. She also has appeared on the
Love Girls Podcast and in other local media, where she helps bring the experiences and
ideas of Rock Island youth to a wider audience.
Business: Icon’s Martini Bar and the Iconic Event Venue, owner Dave Phillips. For more
than two decades, Icon’s has been a steady presence in downtown Rock Island. Phillips is
known for his generosity and community service, offering his event space to non-profits
for fundraisers or meetings. He donates gift baskets for every event and also holds
fundraisers of his own. He is continuously supportive of other downtown businesses
because he knows their success strengthens downtown Rock Island as a whole.
Education: Jadiem Wilson, Principal of Ridgewood Elementary School. Wilson is in his 16th year with the Rock Island-Milan School District. He began in 2009 as a science teacher at Washington Junior High School, then taught science and technology at Edison Jr. High School. In 2013, he was promoted to dean of students at Rock Island High School and then served as assistant principal at Rock Island Academy. He has been principal of Ridgewood Elementary School since 2023. Wilson is recognized for leading with strength and empathy while creating a school culture where every student and staff member feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed.
Professional: De’Andre Robinson, Operations Manager for the Rock Island Downtown
Alliance. Since the launch of the Downtown Alliance in 2023, Robinson has been a boots on-the-ground presence in downtown Rock Island, supporting business owners and downtown revitalization while providing street outreach to the unhoused population. Robinson manages the Downtown Alliance’s Cleaning Ambassadors and on-street operations. He leads daily maintenance efforts, graffiti removal, trash mitigation and physical district improvements while keeping a steady pulse on the needs of downtown property owners, small business owners and visitors.
Artist or Creator: Dennis Hitchcock, Owner and President of Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse.
Circa ’21 begins its 50th anniversary year in November. Through his creative vision and
talent as a producer, Hitchcock has worked hard to bring award-winning shows to Rock
Island. Circa '21 is recognized nationally as one of the gold standards in the dinner theater
industry and holds the distinction of being the longest operating dinner theater in the
country with its original owner still at the helm. Hitchcock, 84, is still working more than 40
hours a week doing what he loves. He was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the National Dinner Theater Association which represents dinner theaters
across the United States a few years ago.
Veteran: Joe Laden, Air Force Veteran and Outreach Specialist for the Quad City
Veterans Outreach Center, covering a 16-county area. Laden joined the Air Force in 1995
after graduating from Rock Island High School. During his time in the military, he served
eight tours in the Middle East in roles including NCOIC weapons loading and
maintenance, squadron lead crew chief and superintendent of the maintenance
operations center. As outreach specialist, he provides services for military installations
and transitional assistance program briefings to personnel transitioning from active duty to
civilian life. Laden has dedicated his life to helping veterans and uniformed personnel
access care and benefits.
City Employee: Kristia LeShoure, Facility and Events Supervisor of the Martin Luther
King Jr. Community Center. LeShoure has been with the MLK Center for 25 years,
successfully managing workforce development and youth programs before stepping into
the role of facility and events supervisor. LeShoure has been instrumental in the success
of the MLK Center's signature events, including the annual Thanksgiving Dinner, Soul of
the City and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service. She continues to excel while
representing the City with professionalism, compassion and pride.
Organization, Church or Non-Profit: Pam’s Place, founder Pamela Seales. Through her
non-profit, Pam’s Place, Seales has created a welcoming environment where people can
access resources, mentorship, educational opportunities and community support. She has
built meaningful partnerships and brings people together through programs and events
that strengthen families and neighborhoods. Her dedication to uplifting children, families
and underserved residents has made a lasting impact throughout the City. One of Seales’
signature community events is the annual Back to School Carnival and Giveaway, where
she provides local students and families with school supplies, backpacks, food and entertainment, helping children begin the school year while easing the financial burden on
parents. Seales’ dedication to community service, her passion for helping others, and her
ability to bring people together have made Pam’s Place a trusted and valued resource in
Rock Island.
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