Andersonville Chamber Honors Gemperle

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce gave the Kurt Mathiasson Award for community service to Kathy Gemperle for her contributions to the community. The award was given at the Midsommarfest on June 11, 2011.

Gemperle is the founding President of the Edgewater Historical Society and she directed the project to develop the Edgewater Historical Society Museum in Andersonville, at Balmoral and Ashland, which opened in 2002.

More recently, Gemperle worked with the Andersonville Chamber to produce an exhibit celebrating the naming of Andersonville as an Historic District in 2010. In addition to the beautiful crystal bowl from the Chamber, Gemperle also received a proclamation of thanks from State Senator Heater Steans, which enumerated her many contributions to the community.

The Andersonville Chamber instituted the Kurt Mathiasson Award in honor of Mr. Mathiasson, who worked tirelessly in Andersonville to found the Swedish American Museum Center. Ellen Shepherd is the Executive director of the Chamber.