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Oct 2009  |  By Mibs  |  Comments

Kay Muller of Evanston Receives the Make It Better Woman of Distinction Award

The Make It Better Annual Woman of Distinction Award was created to recognize an exceptional woman of service.

The idea behind it is that a profound impact has been made because of her creation, enhancement or continuation of an initiative that serves a population in need.

The first annual winner, Kay Muller of Evanston, received the award at Make It Better's North Shore Night of Clubbing, a night of celebration for women leaders, Sept. 17, 2009.

According to the submitted nomination, Muller has always been a natural leader. She has been “making it better” for her family and community for the last 3 decades by:

• Becoming an active member of the League of Women Voters
• Running a mayoral campaign in Arlington Heights in the early 1970s
• Taking on a park district board position to ensure local kids got swim lessons
• Converting an unused air force base into a public golf course through her role on the park district board in Arlington Heights
• Heading up the Evanston Housing Coalition
• Reconciling the relationship between the First and Second Baptist Churches in Evanston after a 100+ years had passed since several former slaves left First Baptist Church to form the Second Baptist Church in protest

After the tragic loss of her son, Ted, to suicide in 1996, Muller took that heartbreaking experience and created something positive by creating the Ted Fund, an all-volunteer organization that now serves more than 100 children each year.

For better or for worse, Muller stands up for what she believes in, though family always comes first. Muller instilled in her children (and grandchildren) a solid foundation based on education, hard work, good values, traditions and ethics.

The Make It Better Woman of Distinction Award is new for 2009 and will now be an annual award. Every woman’s organization whose members and/or board of directors, in whole or in part, reside within the Make It Better footprint is eligible to nominate one woman from their organization to be considered for the award each year.