IMRF Honors South Elgin Active Member’s Aid to Survivors of Fallen Law Enforcement Officers
Sixth of seven volunteers to be honored by IMRF during 2015
The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) announced today that it is recognizing active member Shelly Kellums for her important volunteer work in St. Charles, Illinois. Kellums is the sixth of seven volunteers IMRF will honor in 2015.
All seven were nominated for recognition as part of IMRF's Year of the Volunteer contest, which spotlights 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.
“I salute Ms. Kellums’ dedication and service. Her example challenges all of us to transform our unique experiences into a platform to help others.”-IMRF Executive Director Louis W. Kosiba
A South Elgin resident, Kellums is an active IMRF member with the St. Charles School District #303. She began volunteering with the Illinois Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (ILCOPS) in 2006, after her brother, a law enforcement officer, died in the line of duty in an automobile accident. Today, she serves as the organization’s president.
ILCOPS is an organization dedicated to helping survivors of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The organization represents both the survivors of Illinois officers and the families of officers from across the country who call Illinois home.
“After losing my only sibling, my life was turned upside down. Our family went through many emotions after he was killed in his squad car,” Kellums explains. “After my brother’s passing, I decided that I wanted to be a part of an organization that would help law enforcement family members deal with the emotional turmoil that comes with losing a loved one in the line of duty.”
IMRF Executive Director Louis W. Kosiba thanked Kellums for her dedication to helping others. “I salute Ms. Kellums’ dedication and service,” Kosiba said. “Her example challenges all of us to transform our unique experiences into a platform to help others.”
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 93.1 percent and nearly $34.7 billion in assets, IMRF is well-funded and sustainable. Today, IMRF has more than 405,000 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 is receiving a monthly pension of $1,439. For more information, visit www.imrf.org.
