Long-time Elmhurst charity organizer Dan Gibbons will be honored as the 2023 inductee into the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) Civic Hall of Fame at the Chamber’s 105th Annual Awards Gala in the Presidential Room at Elm West Banquets (681 West North Avenue) on Friday, March 22, from 5 to 9 p.m. Click HERE to register as a sponsor and/or attendee.
Gibbons is the Founder and Executive Director of the Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that has raised some $4 million to feed the hungry across DuPage County over the past 40 years through its annual Thanksgiving Day 5K Fun Run.
When first staged in 1984, the Turkey Trot attracted 74 participants and raised $520, which was donated to WGN radio overnight talk show host Ed Schwartz at the Second Annual Good Neighbor Food Drive. Schwartz’s reporting on those in hunger sparked Gibbons and his fellow volunteer football coaches at Elmhurst’s Visitation Catholic Grade School into action.
The Turkey Trot’s 40th Anniversary last November drew out more than 8,000 runners and walkers of all ages from across Chicagoland and some 30 states.
“It’s hard to fathom how such a simple, grass-roots concept to support the needs of others has developed into such a mass-participation event held on the day that American families gather to break bread and give thanks,” stated John R. Quigley, ECCI’s President and CEO since 1999.
Charity Navigator rates the Wheaton-based Turkey Trot Foundation as a four-star charity.
Turkey Trot beneficiaries based in Elmhurst include the Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry, Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network (EWAN), Immaculate Conception Food Pantry and United Community Concerns Association (UCCA).
Donations also support the efforts of Catholic Charities-DuPage Community Services, Disciples Food Pantry, DuPage PADS, DuPage Senior Citizens Council, HCS Family Services, Loaves and Fishes Community Services, Neighborhood Food Pantries, People’s Resource Center, The Outreach House, Wayne Township Food Pantry, West Suburban Community Food Pantry and York Township Food Pantry.
The Turkey Trot Foundation also generate revenue through an annual gold outing and Café Liberty’s catering service. Café Liberty assists unemployed and underemployed veterans who want to work in the culinary field.
Prior to starting the Turkey Trot Foundation, Gibbons served as a Senior Development Officer for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, for 18 months and Executive Director of the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation for more than seven years.
Gibbons is a graduate of Immaculate Conception High School (now IC Catholic Prep) and Quincy University.
The Civic Hall of Fame was established in 1992 to recognize women and men who make major contributions to the Elmhurst community. Up through 2008, inductions were conducted during the Opening Ceremonies of Elmfest. The 2009 inductee was honored at the Chamber’s Spring Luncheon in April of 2010.
The late Joe Newton, legendary boys’ cross country coach at York Community High School was the inaugural Hall of Fame inductee.
Preceding Gibbons as Hall of Fame inductees were: Eleanor King Hookam (1993), Elmhurst Art Museum; Dr. Ivan E. Frick (1994), Elmhurst College; Joseph Wagner (1995), York Furrier; Jean Haselhorst (1996), Elmhurst Park District; Robert M. Magnuson (1997), Elmhurst Memorial Hospital; Virginia J. Harmon (1998), Unique Travel Services; Illinois House of Representative Lee A. Daniels (R-46th District) (1999); A.J. “Toche” Terrones (2000), Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry; William C. “Bill” Gooch Jr. (2001), Community Bank of Elmhurst; Willis Johnson (2002), York Theatre; Fred Messerschmidt (2003), Elmhurst Federal Savings & Loan; Jim Van Ewyk (2004), Pfund and Clint Florists; Jacquelyn Haddad (2005), Elmhurst Junior Women’s Club; Thomas O. Myers Jr. (2006), Thomas O. Myers Real Estate; Abner Ganet (2007), Leonard’s Men’s Store and Mayor of Elmhurst; Jan Pauli (2008), Pauli’s Marathon; Bob Schiller (2009), Schiller Real Estate; Thomas D. Marcucci, four-term Mayor of Elmhurst (2010); Rich Grodsky, Elmhurst Park District (2011); Pete Cruger, Elmhurst Independent (2012); Doug Beach, Elmhurst College Jazz Band Director (2013); Betsy Hanisch, Elmhurst businesswomen, civic leader and community volunteer (2014); Ralph Pechanio (2015), retired banker, civic leader and community volunteer; Darrell Whistler, retired businessman, civic leader and community volunteer; Jack Island (2017), Owner of The Silverado Grill; Genie Urick (2018), cable TV producer, author and community volunteer; and William “Bill” Shanklin (2019), Post 187 Sergeant-at-Arms; Scott and Charity Ahlgrim (2020) of Ahlgrim Funeral Home; Dr. Bryant and Jeanette Cureton (2021), former EC President and First Lady, and John DeVries (2023), Founder of DeVries Animal Hospital.
Established in 1918, the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a voluntary organization of business and professional men and women who have joined together to promote the civic and commercial progress of the community.
The Elmhurst Chamber’s mission is to promote an environment that creates success for local businesses and our community.
The Chamber also serves the needs of its members through services, programs and events that provide opportunities for networking and referral, business education, development and promotion, governmental representation and community involvement.