The following is a release from the Village of Clarendon Hills:

The Dancin’ in the Street summer concert series was recently honored with a 2012 Governor’s Hometown Award, which recognizes volunteerism that benefits communities across Illinois. 

The concert series is made possible through the efforts of the Clarendon Hills Special Events Committee. The committee members volunteer their time to plan and run the concert series. Their efforts include scouting and booking bands, seeking sponsorships and coordinating publicity for the event. In addition, at each concert, the volunteers work the beverage tent, coordinate all announcements and welcome people to downtown Clarendon Hills. As a result of their efforts, the concerts are self-financed through sponsorships and beverage sales. The Village received a road sign and plaque to commemorate the honor.  

“This is a great honor for Dancin’ in the Street,” special events committee chairwoman Renee Kirin said. “I truly enjoy working with the committee and being part of the concert series. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community while having fun and listening to great music.” 

The Governor’s Hometown Award recipients are selected by volunteer judges who review and rank applications based on a variety of factors, including local need, volunteer participation, use of resources and the results achieved. The projects are judged within their population categories as well as within their assigned project categories. The project categories include services and mentorship, beautification and sustainability, parks and recreation, memorials and monuments and history and historic preservation.  

For 2012, 30 projects were honored. The winning projects represent the work of nearly 8,500 volunteers who devoted more than 205,000 hours of their time. Nearly $4.7 million in donated materials or in-kind services were provided and almost $7.1 million in private funds were raised for these projects