Anyone who quilts knows that a finished piece never comes together easily, Jaki Berggren said.

Berggren, president and CEO of the county’s tourism bureau, Naturally McHenry County, said that for quilters like her, the process includes frustration, seams stitched together only to be ripped back out and “mistakes that sometimes are not noticed until the quilt is complete.”

But those imperfections are what make the final piece both beautiful and unique to that quilter, Berggren said Wednesday as she accepted one of 10 Women of Distinction awards.

[ See more photos of Shaw Local/Northwest Herald's Women of Distinction honorees ]

Now in its 14th year, the Shaw Local/Northwest Herald award recognizes women throughout McHenry County who make a difference in their communities as mentors, leaders and role models.

This year, almost 100 women from different backgrounds, businesses and towns were nominated, said Laura Shaw, Shaw Local’s market manager. More than 300 people attended the awards luncheon, held Wednesday at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills.

It’s stories like Berggren’s, and the work she and the other honorees and nominees do in the community, that makes McHenry County what it is, Shaw said.

“Seeing these incredible women recognized for the way they lead, serve, and uplift others is a powerful reminder of the difference one person can make in our community,” Shaw said.

Berggren sees similarities between quilting – taking individual beautiful pieces of fabric and connecting it to others just as unique – as very similar to the community she lives and works in.

“None of us makes it on our own, and the true beauty lies in the individuality of each of us coming together to build this community,” Berggren said.

The other 2026 honorees are:

• Carol Chrisman: The owner of The Black Orchid Boutique and Trend Cellar in McHenry loves fashion and creating a space where customers are also friends. As a longtime McHenry resident, she is also deeply rooted in the community and guided by one simple belief: Give what you can and support those around you.
• Lisa Haderlein: The executive director of The Land Conservatory of McHenry County is also a Harvard alderwoman. The conservatory, where she has worked since 2002, preserves more than 3,500 acres. As chairwoman of the Harvard Tree Board, she’s helped plant more than 100 trees in the city.
• Betty Koch: For 61 years, children have attended Crystal Lake’s Thunderbird Preschool, founded by Koch. Although the former teacher retired in 2014, in 2016 she cofounded Summer Lunches, a volunteer program that ensures Crystal Lake children get boxed lunches when school is not in session.
• Jessica Lombard: The Huntley School District 158 superintendent is a graduate of the district she now leads. She sees her role there as ensuring every student gets a quality education and access to opportunities and support with a sense of belonging to a greater community.
• Becky Morris: Her passion for social justice is what has led the executive director of CASA of McHenry County to her 15 years of working in the nonprofit sector. At CASA, she helps her staff and 150 volunteers support children in the county’s foster care system while also volunteering for organizations working with at-risk youth.
• Heidi Olsen: A Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department deputy chief, Olson said that when others said she couldn’t, she set her mind to prove them wrong. She did that time and again as she rose through the ranks as a woman in the fire service field, never backing down from the challenges there.
• Lori Parrish: The director of programs for Independence Health and Therapy, Parrish said she has always been drawn to organizations that support vulnerable populations. That is why she is a board member at Refuge for Women Chicago, and a mentor through Friends of McHenry County College Foundation.
• Rachel Skubiszewski: Beginning as a teenager, Skubiszewski got up early to work at a downtown Crystal Lake bakery. Now, she owns Black Market Bakery there and Cafe Olympic next door. She credits her late life partner, Dan Vonau, for the push to follow her lifetime dream. Vonau died recently, and Skubiszewski missed the awards ceremony Wednesday as she was on a trip to spread his ashes at a place special to them. Her daughter and a close friend were there to accept on her behalf.
• Emily Smith: The Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 board member said she loves a great dress and a good party – part of what led her to co-found My Sister’s Dress. Since 2008, the event has helped area girls find the perfect prom dress for a bargain, with proceeds from the sale – almost $100,000 in total so far – supporting area nonprofits.

Sponsors of awards and luncheon include: BMO Bank, the Community Foundation for McHenry County, Caldwell Consulting Group, McHenry County College Education to Empowerment, JH Events and Flowers, CASA of McHenry County, Naturally McHenry County and Tricoci Salon & Spa.