Posted on February 26, 2024
Nominees for Citizen of the Year are esteemed Carol Stream residents
who have selflessly volunteered their time within one or more community groups over the
past year or more. All nominees are recognized at the Citizen of the Year Awards banquet.
The upcoming event is March 2, 2024. The Carol Stream Park District recognizes two
remarkable individuals by nominating Jon Nelson for Special Citizen of the Year and Jared
Brown for Male Citizen of the Year.
Jon Nelson and his family have been actively engaged with the Carol Stream Dolphins
Swim Team since 2016. Jon started volunteering as a Timer, keeping track of the times of
each swimmer. From 2019-2021, Jon volunteered as the Parent Board President,
organizing fundraising and social events for the team. He acted as liaison between the
community, parents and Park District, taking on a major leadership role to ensure the
team’s success. In 2017 Jon volunteered as Timing System Operator, taking on an
invaluable role. Jon’s experience, knowledge and expertise assure the success of the
Dolphins Swim Team and swim tournaments, making the Dolphins an award-winning team.
Jon’s dedication make him an easy choice for this year’s Special Citizen of the Year
nomination.
Jared Brown, an Illinois Air National Guard member with two overseas deployments, and a
Carol Stream resident for over 30 years, has been committed to helping the Carol Stream
Park District succeed in youth sports leagues. Jared has been involved in tee ball, baseball
and soccer programs as both head and assistant coach. He has coached spring and fall
seasons of his son’s tee ball, as well as his other son’s 8U baseball team. Jared was also
head coach for U6 soccer and assistant coach for U8 soccer. When a coach could not
make it for playoffs, Jared stepped up to assume head coaching responsibilities, and the team won the championship. Jared provides insightful knowledge of sports to the kids, and
the Park District is honored to nominate him for Male Citizen of the Year.
Both nominees deserve congratulations and consideration of these prestigious community
awards.
