The Jill Hanses Scholarship Endowment Fund was created to support young adults who have an interest in animal welfare causes. This fund provides scholarships to local students pursuing a career in veterinarian science or a related field.
Passionate, dedicated, driven – these are just a few of the terms used to describe Jill C. Hanses of St. Charles, Illinois. Born on Valentine’s Day 1962 in Elgin, Illinois, Jill spent most of her life in the Fox Valley area. An incredible business woman and generous philanthropist, Jill supported a number of local charitable causes. Jill dedicated both time and resources to causes that were important to her. Jill was a longtime board member, treasurer, president and volunteer for Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin. She was active in Kiwanis Club of St. Charles and a supporter of Elderday Senior Services in Batavia and CASA of Kane County.
Jill passed away in January of 2015, but her life and legacy in the Fox Valley area will continue thanks to her husband Andy and the creation of this scholarship fund. “Jill was an inspiration to those of us who worked alongside her,” said Anderson Animal Shelter board member Cindy Green. “She had unending energy for the cause, compassion for the animals and a generosity with her time and resources that will be hard to match. During her tenure as President, Jill led the organization through many changes and was a strong influence on the Board.”
Jill and her husband Andy shared a deep interest in helping better the communities where they lived and worked. Through this memorial scholarship, Andy hopes to meld two of Jill’s charitable passions: animal welfare and children’s causes. “We can always give to a cause our own time and resources,” said Andy, “but if we can inspire the young and assist them, if they choose to follow our similar passions, then we can continue this legacy from generation to generation. This is what Jill would have wanted and I am grateful to be able to honor her passions.”
Anderson Animal Shelter will forever be grateful for Jill’s generosity and kindness. Jill and Andy’s contributions and passion for the animals and Anderson will live on through the creation of the Jill Hanses Scholarship Endowment Fund.
To learn more about Anderson Animal Shelter, please visit their website.
