IMRF honors Rockford retiree's commitment to volunteerism
First of seven volunteers to be honored by IMRF during 2015
The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) announced today that it is recognizing retiree Marianne Marlow for her outstanding volunteer work in the Rockford community. Marlow is the first of seven IMRF members that the organization will honor during 2015. All seven were nominated for recognition as part of IMRF's Year of the Volunteer contest, which is spotlighting volunteerism within IMRF's membership. IMRF will celebrate all seven volunteers in December at its Oak Brook headquarters, and announce one "Volunteer of the Year." A staff donation of $1,000 will be made to the winner's preferred service organization.
"Marianne is a great example of an IMRF retiree who is making a difference through service to her community. That's what the "Year of the Volunteer" initiative is all about."-IMRF Executive Director Louis Kosiba
Marlow, a Rockford resident, began volunteering when she retired in 2012 from the Winnebago County Health Department. Marlow volunteers through multiple organizations to improve literacy in Rockford. She works with kindergarteners through the United Way's I READ program; tutors children at the Rolling Green School through the Rockford Public Schools; and helps adult readers, including those learning English as a second language, through Rockford's Literacy Council.
"When I see someone from work and they ask me how my retirement is going, maybe they expect me to say that I'm taking exotic trips around the world, but that is not who I am and it never was," Marlow said. "My passion is to help improve students' reading achievement and lay a strong foundation for their success in school and in life."
IMRF Executive Director Louis W. Kosiba thanked Marlow for her dedication to helping others. "Marianne is a great example of an IMRF retiree who is making a difference through service to her community. That's what the "Year of the Volunteer" initiative is all about," Kosiba said. "I hope that her story continues to inspire others to volunteer their time and resources to give back to the community."
The Illinois Senate has declared 2015 the "Year of the Volunteer" in Illinois. The statewide initiative - sponsored by dozens of Illinois organizations including the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, Generations Serving Generations, and the Illinois Department on Aging - aims to increase volunteerism and strengthen Illinois' network of service organizations. IMRF is supporting the effort through promoting the "Year of the Volunteer" and available service opportunities; through an online survey that is gathering data on volunteerism in Illinois; and through IMRF's "Year of the Volunteer" story profile contest.
About IMRF
The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) was created by the Illinois General Assembly. Since 1941, IMRF has partnered with local units of government to provide retirement, disability and death benefits for public employees. With a funded status of about 93 percent and nearly $35 billion in assets, IMRF is well-funded and sustainable. Today, IMRF has more than 420,000 members and serves nearly 3,000 different units of government, including towns and villages, libraries and park districts, and counties and school districts (non-teaching personnel). The average member who retired in 2014 had 20 years of service and received an annual benefit of about $20,805. For more information, visit www.imrf.org.
