The 2025 Bloomington-Normal Alumnae Chapter Community Award is presented to Dayna Brown.
Dayna Brown’s volunteer service and leadership in several areas of the community are exemplary. While her position as Unit 5’s Director of Communications/Community Relations involves some community engagement, she does much more in her personal time, which I feel deserves recognition. Dayna’s efforts relate to our 5 Point Thrusts of Economic Development, Educational Development, Physical & Mental Health, and International Awareness & Involvement.
BNAC and our fellow members of the NPHC have worked with Dayna directly at the Eastern Illinois Mobile Food Pantry. Dayna spearheaded the partnership with Eastern Illinois Food Bank in 2018 and has served as the monthly Food Captain, to serve upwards of 500 individuals each month. This helps eliminate food insecurity for families and college students, providing healthy food options, and contributing to academic success. Dayna engages many volunteers, including the NPHC and Spanish translators to provide a welcoming service for diverse families, students and people who need physical assistance and/or language assistance. She recognized the NPHC’s volunteer service at a Unit 5 Board of Education meeting and on WGLT radio but has not been duly recognized for her leadership as Food Captain.
When the Heartland Community College soccer teams volunteered at the Mobile
Food Pantry and Dayna learned that the international athletes did not have meal plans, she engaged family and friends to provide dinners for the team.
To further assist families in need, Dayna also volunteers regularly at Midwest Food Bank and is Co-chair of the annual holiday “It’s Better to Give Than Receive” gift giveaway.
Dayna is a member of Normal Rotary, a local chapter of Rotary International, which is a diverse world-wide organization whose mission is Service Above Self. Their passion for service addresses issues such as literacy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water and environmental concerns. Dayna served as President from June 2023-January 2025 and served more than a decade on the Board of Directors. As President, she helped grow the organization by almost 30% and introduced more than a dozen new volunteer opportunities for members.
Dayna is a current member of the Boys and Girls Club Community Advisory Board and is a past member of the Unity Community Center Advisory Board. In these roles, she helps with creative solutions and fund-raising to help youth in our community have support to be successful in school and life.
Dayna has also contributed to local education success by serving on the PTO Board at her children’s school for 15 years and volunteering with the Unit 5 Citizens Advisory Committee.
~ Nominated by Soror Meta Mickens-Baker