Good as Gold Springfield Volunteer Awards

Another Heart of Gold Award recipient was Lisa Cotton. She was nominated by the Coalition of Rainbow Alliances (CORAL), where she serves as Vice President. Lisa leads service efforts like volunteering for the Animal Protection League, coordinating citywide food drives, hosting Coffee with a Cop events, and organizing teams for The Out of the Darkness walk at UIS. She excels at connecting community members, businesses, and organizations for collaborative projects. Her fundraising has enabled CORAL to donate over $14,000 to 19 organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Central Illinois, Helping Hands of Springfield, and Springfield Immigration Advocacy Network.

Cathy Boerke was nominated for the Heart of Gold Award by Kings Daughters Organization, where she serves as President. In recent years, Cathy has volunteered at St. Martin de Porres and created an installation for the Illinois Innocence Project. She has helped organize and distribute Thanksgiving Baskets for First Congregational Church, Temple B’rith Shalom, and Temple Israel’s collaboration. Most recently, Cathy sits on the boards and volunteers for Sojourn Shelter and Services and Springfield Center for Independent Living. Cathy is also a small business owner who offers Aging-in-Place presentations to organizations to help people stay safe and independent.