Annual Awards 2025

May 30, 2025•2 min read

🏆 Celebrating Community Champions:
Pride Inc.’s Annual Awards 2025

On April 24, 2025, Pride Incorporated hosted its Annual Celebration—an inspiring evening spent with friends, family, and community partners to honor our mission, celebrate accomplishments, and recognize individuals who make the Riverbend a better place to live.

Pride Incorporated winners at Annual Celebration

(From left: Cory Jobe, Crystal Roemer, Robert Lack, Nancy Pulizos, Rusty Wheat)

🌿 Award of Achievement: Crystal Roemer, “Godfrey’s Gardener”

Known affectionately as Godfrey’s Gardener, Crystal Roemer was honored with the Award of Achievement for her tireless work maintaining key landscaping points throughout town. Her dedication to weeding, pruning, and planting ensures Godfrey stays as beautiful as the people who live here.

🏅 President’s Award: Cory Jobe

Cory Jobe, President and CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, received the President’s Award for his leadership in promoting civic pride and tourism. Cory and his team live by the motto, Love Where You Live, understanding the value of making a great first impression on every visitor.

👏 Outstanding Citizen Awards

This year, three exceptional individuals received our Outstanding Citizen Award:

Robert Lack
Our youngest recipient ever, Robert is a 2nd grader at St. Ambrose Catholic School in Godfrey. Inspired during a City-Wide Litter Clean-Up, Robert now regularly picks up trash with his father and little brother. His actions have sparked awareness and support from his school and local community.
Rusty Wheat
A retired local hero, Rusty is seen throughout the week cleaning roadways across multiple towns. His passion for litter removal led him to help revitalize Madison County’s Earth Day events and Adopt-A-Highway program. Rusty’s service spans Alton, East Alton, Wood River, Edwardsville, Roxana, and Bethalto.
Nancy Pulizos
A force of nature, Nancy has led numerous beautification projects along Broadway. From planting flowers to coordinating the installation of nearly 45 illuminated Christmas wreaths from Piasa to Easton, Nancy’s energy and resourcefulness showcase what it means to take pride in your surroundings.