‘He is the essence of giving.’ Galesburg Chamber honors community service award winner

Kraig Boynton is the recipient of the 2023 Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award. He received the award Monday at the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce’s 45th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon at Cedar Creek Hall.

Boynton, the city of Galesburg Transit manager, was selected from a nomination pool of several local candidates. He has a long history of community service through numerous nonprofit endeavors including United Way of Knox County, Taste of Galesburg, National Stearman Fly-In, Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Special Olympics Polar Plunge, Hunger Collaborative and Faith United Methodist Church.

Debbie Cratty, Boynton’s niece, said, “Kraig is the essence of giving. He was born as a giving person. Kraig came from a very close-knit family who were always raised to be there for each other. Giving of time, effort, and self is what he does on a daily basis.”

“On behalf of the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and myself, we are extremely delighted to see Kraig has been named the recipient of this prestigious community service award,” said Pam Gaither, executive director at the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Thomas B. Herring Award is presented to an outstanding area citizen who has distinguished himself/herself/themselves through service to our community. Tom Herring served Galesburg as its second City Manager for 18 years.

Gaither said it’s fitting to recognize a person who also exemplifies the true meaning of service to others – a person who is content to do so without recognition or publicity.

The 45th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon included a state of the city update from Mayor Peter Schwartzman, a keynote speech from Noelle Thompson, executive director at Galesburg Public Library, and Heather Sipes, executive director at the Galesburg Public Library Foundation along with the presentation of this year’s award by Carol Hagan, the 2022 award recipient.