Levy Senior Center Foundation board member Gerri Sizemore was featured by the City of Evanston for Black History Month as an Evanstonian who has made an impact in her community. Be sure to say "hi" the next time you see Gerri at the Center!
Geraldine (Gerri) Sizemore describes Evanston as "generous, compassionate [and] friendly," and those words could easily describe her. An Evanston resident for more than 50 years, Gerri has spent her time serving the community. Notably, in 1962, Gerri became the first African American to be hired as a High Low Foods grocery checker in the North Shore and subsequently trained many other checkers. In 1966, she began working for the United States Postal Service (USPS), where she worked for 37 years.
Aside from her time at USPS, Gerri has actively served the Evanston community through her extensive volunteerism, including currently as treasurer of the Foster Senior Club, Second Vice President of the Evanston (North Shore) Branch NAACP and as the Auxiliary President of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Technical Sergeant William B. Snell Post 7186. In addition, Gerri is on the board of the Forrest E. Powell Foundation, the Levy Senior Center Foundation and the Warren "Billy" Cherry Scholarship Fund. She is also an honorary board member at the Shorefront Legacy Center and a trustee at her church, Ebenezer A.M.E. Gerri has formerly served on the board at North Shore Village and at the Evanston Youth Job Center.
Over her rich life, Gerri has received numerous awards, including from the USPS, the 2015 Aging Well Award, the 2011 Outstanding Volunteers Award, the Vision Keeper Award, a community service award from the Chessman Club of the North Shore, Family Focus Evanston "Those who Make a Difference Award," the Forrest E. Powell Work Ethic Award, the Trailblazer Award and the Evanston Youth Job Center Volunteer Award. In her free time, Gerri loves to travel, catch up on the news and spend time with her family.
Original Article by City of Evanston.
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