Three of its Quad Cities chapters made the Royal Neighbors of America 2024 list of Top 10 Community Chapters, the fraternal benefits society located in downtown Rock Island announced recently.
The local honorees were chosen from among more than 200 chapters across the nation for the annual recognition. The honor is based on each chapter’s collective number of volunteer hours.
Quad Cities volunteer groups being honored for their service and dedication in 2024 are the New Kingdom Trailriders, Sherrard, Illinois, Chapter 20187; the Center for Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI), Davenport, Chapter 20226; and Friends of Hauberg, Rock Island, Chapter 20200.
Royal Neighbors three core pillars are Insuring Lives, Supporting Women, and Serving Communities. It is driven by a mission of supporting women and serving communities.
“Each of us can make a profound difference in the lives of others,” Royal Neighbors Director of Philanthropy Amy Jones said in a news release. “It is a privilege to be a part of an organization that fosters such a strong sense of community and service. Our chapters embody the values of compassion, support of women, and building stronger, more resilient communities through volunteerism.”
CASI a newcomer
The Sherrard and Rock Island chapters have joined the Royal Neighbors top 10 list before. CASI is a newcomer to the honor.
It is led by Sue Rector and her team of 40 volunteers. They support the senior community served by CASI, Royal Neighbors’ release said. CASI has served the Quad-Cities area for more than 50 years. It includes a Senior Center; Jane’s Place Adult Day Services, which supports those with Alzheimer’s Disease; and Senior Advocacy and Service Coordination.
Chapter 20226 meets monthly and collectively supports celebrations for senior veterans, volunteers, and various holidays including senior mothers, fathers, and grandparents. They have also supported intergenerational connections through a summer grandparent/grandchild camp experience.
Chapter 20226 Lead Sue Rector says, “I celebrate our chapter’s generosity of time, talent, and passion for our seniors. It has been a blessing to have the opportunity to impact the lives of those who have done so much for our community with small acts of kindness. Chapter members wear their royal purple shirts proudly at the CASI facility … we work hard to be great neighbors in our community!”
Three-time honoree
With its selection this year, Sherrard-based Royal Neighbors Chapter 20187 has been recognized as a Top 10 Royal Neighbors Chapter for three years in a row. It was also a Royal Neighbors Nation of Neighbors Grant recipient in 2021.
Chapter 20187 is led by Christine Rugh and her team of 14. They support all the functions of this local horseback riding therapy program, Royal Neighbors said in the release.
Participating New Kingdom riders develop the skills of interaction with horses and people, gain physical strength and coordination, and receive emotional support and connection from both animals and people, the release said. The chapter helps by providing lessons to students. Volunteers perform the work of grooming horses, working in the stalls, as well as doing any necessary administrative work.
Ms. Rugh is grateful to serve the community. “Our Royal Neighbors chapter is a fantastic way to help New Kingdom Trailriders in a monetary way that adds another level to our volunteer hours. My personal therapy is being with horses. Seeing our riders have fun, learn, and improve their mental/physical state is the big payback!” she said in the release.
Friends make their return
The Rock Island-based Royal Neighbors Chapter 20200 also made the list last year. It is led by Deb Kuntzi and a team of volunteers who serve on the Friends of Hauberg.
There they work tirelessly to restore and renovate the Hauberg Estate. It has been a cultural and architectural icon in the Quad Cities for over a century, the release said. The chapter has helped preserve the 1910 historic mansion, carriage house and 10-acre estate.
Ms. Kuntzi said she appreciates the hard work and diligence of her team. “We could not do what we do without the hundreds of volunteers that give their heart and soul to preserve this jewel in Rock Island,” she said in the release. “It is so rewarding to bring back a piece of history that was neglected and to witness such strong community involvement!”
Royal Neighbors offers members the opportunities to serve their communities through membership programs. They include monetary grants to offset the cost of volunteer projects, grant awards for select nonprofits, educational scholarships, and RoyalConnect – a program designed to empower women and serve communities through small acts of kindness.
Explore more stories
Explore inspiring stories about how Royal Neighbors members and chapters are serving their communities at theroyalneighbor.org.
“Our chapter leaders and members epitomize the Royal Neighbors spirit of service,” said Royal Neighbors CEO and President Zarifa Reynolds. “These everyday heroes are leading the charge in caring, supporting, and serving others. I love being part of such a dedicated network of volunteers and an organization committed to philanthropic impact!”
Royal Neighbors provides life insurance and annuities products and has made Social Good the cornerstone of its work. With more than 265,000 members nationwide, local chapters of volunteers embody the organization’s commitment to grassroots volunteerism.
