A much-loved local family was recently honored with a statewide award recognizing their activity in the community as well as their fifth-generational family farm.

The Illinois Association for Home and Community Education, per their website, works “to promote social and economic well being in our homes and neighborhoods.”

This year marked the 100th anniversary for IAHCE, with the group celebrating its annual conference in Effingham last week.

On March 12, the first evening of the conference, the 2024 Great American Family award was presented to Monroe County residents Don and Karen Schrader along with several other members of their family.

The Schraders were prompted to apply for the award earlier this year by Dorothy Kohler of the Monroe County HCE unit.

“Someone suggested to me that I get a hold of the Schrader family and see if they would be interested in putting in an application since we felt like they were very deserving of it,” Kohler said. “They’re very community, family, faithful people. They do so many things around our county.”

Kohler further explained some of the idea behind the award, noting it is meant to represent a close family that is active in the community.

She added that the family doesn’t need to have an agricultural background.

“It doesn’t necessarily need to be a farm family,” Kohler said. “There are other people that have won it that do not farm. It’s more the family, and I think they like the generational family… Somebody who does good for the community, mainly.”

Don – who is especially known in the community for his many years with the Monroe County Fair Association and was also recognized last year at the Illinois State Fair as Outstanding County Fair Person of the Year – spoke to the Republic-Times on behalf of his family, expressing appreciation for the award.

“It’s an honor,” Don said. “Quite an honor, to say the least. We’re very grateful to receive it. The farm is in the fifth generation, which I think maybe was part of the reason for receiving it. Then are the activities the family has participated in over a period of time, promoting agriculture as well as farming.”

Within their application for the award, the Schraders emphasized the relationships between each generation, noting in particular how the family’s younger generations have been encouraged to engage in farming and other adjacent fields.

The application also makes mention of the various ways they stay active in the community, from Don serving as Santa at local Christmas events to Karen’s involvement in senior ministries at St. Paul United Church of Christ as well as the work of their children Amy, Mike and his wife Sarah.

Also mentioned is the family’s contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2013 when they welcomed a young boy named Joe-Joe to enjoy a day in the life of a farmer on their property.

“Our mission is to educate and volunteer, and their family fits in that category big time,” Kohler said.