CHESTER — The Chester Chamber of Commerce agreed to cancel its annual dinner and special award recognitions this year due to rapidly increasing COVID cases. To honor and recognize the recipients, special arrangements have been made to present their awards at various venues.
2021 Chester Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year – In Memoriam
Don Welge, the Chamber’s 2021 Citizen of the Year was a lifelong resident of Chester. After college, he returned to Chester and helped his family business, Gilster Milling, evolve into a major food manufacturing company, Gilster-Mary Lee, with customers across the country and around the world. He was very committed to Chester, as well as the other communities in the region. He was a long time member of the Chester Chamber of Commerce since the 1960’s serving a term as President.
He was a member of the Perryville Chamber of Commerce and also a past President of that organization. He helped establish the P&C Development Corporation and served as its President.
He and his wife, Mary Alice, raised their two sons in Chester and he was active in the lives of his entire family, especially his four grandchildren. He was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Chester, and served on the Board of Education there. He was an advocate for Scouting, serving on various boards since the 1970’s. He held several leadership positions, and worked tirelessly on local projects such as fund drives and the management of the Cohen Committee for the benefit of Scouts in Chester. He was part of the committee which organized the 4th of July celebration on Kaskaskia Island for over fifty years. He also served as Director of Buena Vista National Bank. In 2017, he was a national finalist in the Earnest and Young Entrepreneur of the year program.
Don enjoyed to talking to people about almost any topic, and he would often advise and assist other business owners in the community. Even in his later years he did not slow down. He was involved in everything from the saving of the historic Landmark on the Chester Riverfront to the establishment of a 7000 head rabbitry outside of Chester. At the time of his passing in April of 2020, he was focused on the building of a new, safer, and efficient Chester Bridge to serve both sides of the river and the entire region into the years ahead. He would no doubt be pleased with the recent developments on that subject.
Tom Welge said, “The family is honored to receive the award on his behalf as he was a committed and involved citizen of Chester. He knew that communities like ours will only remain strong if their citizens freely give of their time and talents.”
2021 Chester Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year
Linda Schafer is the Chamber’s 2021 Business Person of the Year. Linda retired in May after owning and operating Schafer Child Care Center for 45 years. She was nominated for the award by Don Berry who introduced her at the First Baptist Church on September 12, 2021 and the award was presented to her by Linda Sympson on behalf of the Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Don wrote the following “Linda Schafer retired in May of 2021 after owning and operating Schafer Child Care Center for 45 years. Schafer and her husband, Dwain, bought Kinderella Child Care Center from Jean Grammer back in 1976. Schafer worked hard and maintained the center as a state-certified and licensed child care facility. In her 45 years of service, she cared for and gave instruction to hundreds of children and toward the end some of them were grandchildren of students Schafer had taught years ago. It is truly hard to realize how many young lives have been helped and enhanced by her endeavors.”
When Schafer retired, the center closed which has left a void in the community. Schafer said, “I sincerely thank the Chester Chamber of Commerce for the great honor of being named Business Person of the Year. It has been my privilege to serve the families of Chester and the surrounding area. This award is a very meaningful blessing to me and a kind validation of my life’s work with children.” She also thanked Don Berry for the nomination and his generous remarks
Special Business Recognitions:
Judy McFaddin, owner and operator of McFaddin’s Kennels, and Kurt and Tammi Schroeder, owners and operators of Red Dot Construction and Rentals, are both recognized by the Chester Chamber of Commerce for 40+ years of outstanding business service.
An award presentation will be scheduled with Don Welge’s family in the near future to honor him.
Red Dot Construction will be hosting an open house/lunch on Saturday, October 2nd, at which time their award will be presented. The open house begins at noon and Tammi and Kurt invite everyone to come out and celebrate with them.
Judy McFaddin will be presented the award at her business on Saturday, October 2nd. Everyone is invited to attend the brief ceremony.