The Florence Fifer Bohrer Award is presented annually to an individual or couple who exemplifies the spirit of Florence Fifer Bohrer through their generous and selfless commitment to the community and others.

 

Please submit nominations by September 14, 2026, using this online nomination form. The award will be presented at an upcoming Fall event, currently in the planning stage.

Florence Fifer Bohrer (1877-1960) was a remarkable community advocate and trailblazer. Among her achievements, she was the first woman elected to the Illinois Senate in 1924. She also helped found the local League of Women Voters chapter and served on the national Board.

Throughout her two terms in Springfield and beyond, she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. Her legislative accomplishments include helping to establish the state park system and advocating for permanent care for children with disabilities. Locally, she also helped found the Girls’ Industrial Home, the Fairview Sanitarium, and chaired the McLean County Emergency Relief Office during the Great Depression. In that volunteer role, she was responsible for ensuring that thousands of county residents received critical support.

She is remembered for her generosity, passion for civic engagement, and historic political impact. You can learn more about Florence Fifer Bohrer here.

 

This award honors individuals whose service reflects the legacy of Florence Fifer Bohrer, through civic engagement, leadership, and a commitment to community.

The past recipients include:

Judy Buchanan – Mental health advocate, honored for decades of commitment to advancing mental health, transit access, and civic engagement in McLean County.

Mike Matejka – Co-founder of Not In Our Town, former Bloomington City Council member, social justice advocate, and local historian.

 

Judge Elizabeth Robb – Retired Chief Judge; honored for advancing civic engagement and working to make the legal system more transparent and accessible.

 

Sally Rudolph – Former McLean County Board member and League of Women Voters President; contributed significantly to multiple LWV studies and served as a respected community leader.

 

Barbara Stuart – Former McLean County Board member; founder of seven local organizations, community activist, and former President of the Normal Public Library Board.

 

Georgene Chissell – Community activist; honored for her civic engagement through service on multiple City of Bloomington commissions, voter registration and education efforts, and as a past Bloomington City Council candidate.

 

McLean County Community Land Trust Update
We bought a home!
By Georgene Chissell

 
The McLean County Community Land Trust is progressing in its goal to ease the affordable housing shortage in our community. The Trust has purchased a home in near-east Bloomington and is beginning needed renovations. Pre-applications have begun and the formal application process begins in October.

To purchase the home, the buyer needs to be a resident of Bloomington-Normal for at least a year and must earn between 60% and 100% of the area median income.

The applicants will then have a two-step process to complete by attending a Mid-Central Community Action homebuyers orientation and budgeting workshop. Additional details are available in the following article.

 

Welcome our newest members: Joshua Crockett, Rachel Waring-Sparks, and Meghan Leonard.