Barbara

Kerlin

A long-time volunteer, Barbara Kerlin moved to the Village of Palatine with her family in 1977. Though she had originally planned to scale back on her volunteer work (to focus on her career in preparation for the college tuition costs of her two sons), she soon immersed herself in volunteer projects in the community. Ms. Kerlin has been particularly active in the Palatine Downtown Redevelopment Committee, an organization dedicated to the revitalization and creation of a thriving community without losing the historic character and charm of Palatine. Incorporated in 1866, for much of its first 100 yeas, the Village of Palatine's downtown area served as the central focal point of the Palatine community. Many of the structures and street patterns from the mid to late 1800's are still apparent in the downtown area today. With Barbara Kerlin's help, the Downtown Redevelopment Committee endeavored to maintain the historic elements of Palatine while incorporating the new elements so that it will once again be a vital, thriving slice of suburbia with a rich historic past and a keen eye to the future. Among her efforts was a successful campaign to save the Wilke Marsh wetlands from commercial development. She has also served for fifteen years on the Village of Palatine Beautification Commission, transforming that group of volunteers into an enthusiastic, energetic, and accomplished commission. Her vision and dedication to the enhancement of the quality of life in Palatine has led the commission to achieve much more than just the aesthetic improvements to the Village. In addition to the powerful visual impact of the Commission's landmark clock tower, boulevard development program, and involvement with the design and landscaping of the new train station depot, Ms. Kerlin and the Beautification commission have been instrumental in developing an Appearance and Architectural Review Board. She has worked tirelessly, and always behind the scenes, for improvements in the Village of Palatine, and at times the scope of her task has been enormous. She has lobbied, raised funds, recruited, campaigned, brainstormed and literally dug in the trenches. Her accomplishments have been born of a genuine, deep commitment to the quality of life in her community. She is regarded as a problem-solver and hands-on leader who responds quickly and competently to any call for help.