South Central Reporter

Veteran state Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) wants to see seniors in his 107th District receive all the shine they deserve, so he's encouraging residents to submit nominees for the 2020 Senior Hall of Fame Awards sponsored by the Illinois Department of Aging.

“These awards are a way to recognize the people in our state who are 65 years and older who have made and continue to make meaningful contributions to our communities,” said Wilhour. “I encourage everyone to take a moment and nominate someone who has been a blessing to the community and made a significant impact.”

Now through Aug. 31, nominations are being accepted in the areas of community service, education, labor force and performance/graphic art. Now in its 26-year, the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame was created by the Illinois General Assembly and now counts 121 inductees. Eligibility is based on one’s lifetime accomplishments, and candidates must be Illinois residents or a former Illinois resident for most of their life. Posthumous nominees will also be considered.

Nomination forms can be filled out online or by calling the Senior HelpLine at 800-252-8966. For more information on how to nominate someone, visit www.illinois.gov/aging or contact Purnell Borders at Purnell.Bordersiii@illinois.gov.

Wilhour has also been busy imploring small business owners to stand up to what he has blasted as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s unfair policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thanks for Sharon’s Café in Salem for having the courage to open back up again,” he recently posted on Facebook. “The shutdown is another example of nonsensical policies that disproportionately affect small businesses and benefit major corporations. Everyone open up.”

Almost from the day in mid-March that Pritzker enacted his stay-at-home order, forcing many small business owners to shutter, Wilhour has vilified the policy as misguided.