Abby Corzine

SARAH JANE PHOTOGRAPHY

Age: 35 Occupation: Cashier and BSA O cer at First National Bank of Assumption Family: Parents, Mike and Vanessa Corzine of Assumption; brother, Andrew (Stacey) of Moweaqua, three nephews; partner, Todd Toberman and son, Grady (7)

Career highlights and/or accomplish

ments: After graduating with a degree in ag business from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, I started working for Illinois Farm Bureau where I worked as manager of the Crawford County Farm Bureau for two years. When the opportunity opened for me to come back to my hometown, I jumped at the chance. I became the fi fth generation of Corzines to work at the First National Bank of Assumption. Each day I look forward to continuing the tradition set before me and serving the community of Assumption for years to come. Community involvement: Since coming back to Assumption, my goal has been to try and make a di erence. That goal has kept me busy. I have actively been involved in the Assumption Community Pride Association for the last fi ve years. After serving as treasurer of the ACPA board, I gave up my position so that I could focus on the ACPA committee activities. I serve as an EMT on the Assumption Ambulance, am a member of the Assumption Women’s Club and Friends of the Assumption Public Library, board member of the Central A&M Youth Basketball League, coach soccer and T-ball, and most recently became the leader of Rural Feeders 4-H Club.

What should the community do to attract

more young people to the area? I believe the best thing a community can do to attract more young people is listen to ideas. Not every idea is going to be great, but some can be tweaked to fi t the needs of the community. I often have grand ideas, that once brought down in scale (thanks to help from friends), turn out to be great events. We need to be open to anyone and everyone. Remember, the people who we are trying to get invested in our communities must have an entry point; not everyone wants to be a leader, some want to participate. In every group I am in we have leaders, planners, and people who just want to help somehow. Know your volunteers and be open to help at any level.

What would your perfect Saturday be

like? I love to go. Anywhere. I enjoy fi nding new places to visit and unique treasures. I love hole-in-the wall restaurants, independent bookstores, locally-owned shops with homemade items. I enjoy calling up a friend or my mom Friday night and saying “let’s go to Carbondale or Fair Oaks tomorrow.” I enjoy traveling the country and learning about di erent agriculture. Another favorite of mine is to stop in other small towns to see what they o er that Assumption could adopt and benefi t from. Never go on a trip with me if you have a schedule because I want to stop at every exit along the way. Who inspires you to be better? My son inspires me to do better. We have one shot at this life and I want to leave him a town and world that is better than we found it. Nothing makes all the crazy hours of volunteering more worth it than when I am walking through town and someone says “hey that is Grady’s mom,” or walking through the school halls and knowing all his friends because I have coached them or led them in 4-H club. We are shaping our communities for not only right now, but for the future. I try to teach him that one person can make a di erence. Every day when I drop him o at school, I tell him to “be nice, talk to someone new, and sit by someone di erent at lunch today.” I hope one day he will remember these lessons and make sure no one feels like they don’t matter because we are all needed to make this world a better place.

I believe the best thing a community can do to attract more young people is listen to ideas. Not every idea is going to be great, but some can be tweaked to fit the needs of the community. I often have grand ideas, that once brought down in scale (thanks to help from friends), turn out to be great events. We need to be open to anyone and everyone.