It was a who’s who of notable Normalites at a reception Tuesday at Heartland Community College, where Mayor Chris Koos announced longtime community leader Sonja Reece as this year’s Normal Citizen of the Year.
Reece has played many roles in the community, among them serving on the town council for 24 years. Reece said she was especially proud of the years of planning and development that resulted in what is now Uptown Normal.
“We went through paying off our debts. For the first 10 years or so, we did that," she said. "Then for the rest of it, because we were debt free, we were able to do what we did in Uptown Normal.”
Reece "has worked tirelessly for the Town of Normal and the Bloomington-Normal community," said Koos. "She was elected to the Normal Town Council in 1991 and served for 24 years. Certainly, we appreciate and honor this commitment. However, her dedication to the community above and beyond this role exemplifies why I am naming her the 2024 Town of Normal Citizen of the Year.”
The McLean County Chamber of Commerce awarded Reece in 1998 with the ATHENA award that recognized her many years of mentoring professional women in the Twin City community. Reece, who has made Normal her home for 50 years, reflected that those she impacted will in turn serve the community in the future.
A continuing theme in Reece’s work is her decades of involvement in the local health care system, an area she wanted to work in since childhood, she said.
Reece has received numerous other awards and accolades, including being designated a YWCA Woman of Distinction in 1992, winning the 2011 Spirit of Success Award, and earning the chamber's Legacy of Excellence Award. She was named a McLean County History Maker in 2015. She has served on many community and business boards, and also held leadership roles with United Way of McLean County and the Bloomington-Normal Area Economic Development Council.
“Sonja’s involvement in the community is almost too numerous to mention. It’s easiest to simply say our community has benefited from her leadership for decades,’” said Koos. “She respects different perspectives and believes in the power of working together. Her ability to advocate for our community has greatly contributed to our success.”
She currently serves as interim executive director for the Community Health Care Clinic that provides residents with a free source of care. Reece said the clinic will meet with a firm this week for assistance in finding a successor for that position.
Koos said the annual Citizen of the Year event as an important way to bring together many people working on behalf of and supporting the community.
