A portion of East Street where the Crystal Lake Food Pantry is located will receive an honorary dedication to two volunteers who were committed to giving back to the community for decades.

Crystal Lake bestowed an honorary street name designation – of East Street between Crystal Lake Avenue and Poplar Street – to Paul and Marilyn Georgy for their “selfless dedication” and to recognize them for their “many years of volunteer work to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry and other community causes,” according to city documents.

“Paul and Marilyn Georgy Street” was officially named during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

The honor was given after former food pantry president and decades-long volunteer Paul Georgy died Dec. 5 at age 74, according to his obituary.

“Their name is synonymous with the Crystal Lake Food Pantry,” Mayor Haig Haleblian said. “Without their passion, dedication, vision and philanthropy, this Crystal Lake Food Pantry would not be, as Gov. JB Pritzker recently said on tour, ‘the nicest food pantry I’ve ever been in.’”

The Georgys’ involvement with the food pantry began over 40 years ago, when they turned to the organization in need of help themselves as they struggled to put food on the table, said Paul and Marilyn’s son, Steve Georgy.

Paul and Marilyn, who were married for more than 50 years, began volunteering for the food pantry around the late 1980s, Kirk Dawson said in a petition for the honorary street sign. Marilyn previously served as its president for nine years, and Paul most recently was the president from 2021 through 2025. He also drove a truck to pick up food donations for the pantry, located at 42 East St.

Paul Georgy “was a mentor to a lot of us,” Haleblian said. “He is just a great, great human being, and he is absolutely what this city is all about.”

The Georgys also have contributed to McHenry County College and Southern Illinois University, and they were involved in youth sports, according to the petition.

“There are too many other thoughtful gifts to list, but these are a few of them,” Dawson said in the petition.

Steve Georgy said he hopes the street sign will be a constant reminder to residents to pay it forward.

“Not only have they taught us kids what it’s meant to give back, [but] they’ve [also] shown a whole community how to give with their hearts,” Steve said.

Paul Georgy’s obituary said that he “found purpose in helping families who were dealt a difficult hand and found delight in driving the big refrigerated CL Food Pantry truck to collect donated goods from local businesses. Throughout his life, he set lofty goals and expectations and gave all his heart to see things to completion, cutting zero corners and acting with honesty and integrity.”