'Tireless And Selfless' Geneva Resident Of 40 Years Wins Community Service Award

GENEVA, IL — A Geneva resident of 40 years is the newest recipient of the Wood Community Service Award. Kay Yotz, who moved to Geneva 40 years ago to raise her family along with her husband, Ken, was honored for her "untiring and unselfish commitment to anything she does," Laura Rush, communications director at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release.

The awards were announced at Riverside Receptions, 35 N. River Lane, on Thursday evening.

"Kay touches the lives of so many," said her husband, Ken, and daughter, Tracey Moore, in a joint statement. "They may not remember her name or even have known her name at the time, but they will remember her impact. She is a professional volunteer."

The award is presented yearly by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce. Since 1985, winners chosen have made significant contributions to the community in areas of business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations and charity, among others, according to the release.

The award is named in honor of Bill and Elise Wood, as well as Nell and Burton Wood, four people who Chamber staff said all contributed to the growth and health of Geneva.

Yotz began working part-time in the secretarial field in 1985 and took a job as a bookkeeper and secretary with St. Peter Church in 1995. After 8 years, she transitioned to work at Rempe-Sharpe and Associates as a secretary, where she stayed until she retired in 2018, according to Rush.

When commending Yotz for her efforts in the community, people often say she has an "untiring and unselfish commitment to anything she does," according to the release.

"I hope she is known for her tireless and selfless efforts with countless civic, charitable and spiritual organizations to help make Geneva the wonderful place it is to live, work, play and raise a family," Geneva Community Chest volunteer Jeff Rodewald said in a statement.

Rev. Jonathan P. Bakkelund, a pastor at St. Peter Catholic Church, said the newest Wood Award winner, "who totally take[s] ego out of the equation" does a lot of good for others without seeking recognition.

Yotz has volunteered her time to numerous organizations in Geneva, and a few of them include the Chamber of Commerce, the Geneva Park District, 100 Women Who Care, St. Peter Catholic Church, the Geneva History Museum and the Geneva Foundation for the Arts.

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wood Award went to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, the Geneva School District 304, Geneva Police Department and Geneva Fire Department.

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