NORMAL - Mike Matejka, legislative affairs director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, and Brandon Caffey, principal of Greeley Alternative Safe School in Peoria, are recipients of the 2009 Human Relations Award. | 'Dream' award goes to 4 B-N high school students

Each will receive awards during the Rev. Martin Luther King annual luncheon Jan. 10 at the Bone Student Center Ballroom at Illinois State University. The speaker will be Samuel Betances, a former university teacher who has written several books and is now a workshop leader.

Matejka was selected by the Bloomington Human Relations Commission. He is a former Bloomington alderman who served for 18 years and, among other things, helped initiate public forums that led to the local Not In Our Town anti-discrimination efforts.

He also is a founding member of the Central Illinois Organizing Project and the Central Illinois Foodbank and organized the Christmas Party for Unemployed Families and Operation Porch Light.

"Mike exemplifies the essence of service and focuses his energy on making life better for others," said Otis Evans, chairman of the Bloomington Human Relations Commission. "He always finds time to make a difference in the community."

Matejka is co-chairman of the annual Easter Seals telethon and is active in the Autism Society of McLean County. He recently received the 2008 Robert G. Gibson Award for community service work in Illinois, was named 2007 Citizen of the Year by the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal and was named Laborer of the Year by Laborers Local 362.

Matejka said whether you live in a $400,000 house or in public housing, "we're all one community."

Caffey, a Normal resident and ISU graduate, was chosen by the Normal Human Relations Commission. He is a Big Brother for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and worked with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and Little Brothers/Little Sisters to create a partnership to help youths earn college degrees.

He also helps with fundraising for the March of Dimes; donates, assembles and delivers holiday food boxes through the Bloomington and Normal Social and Greek Organization; and is active in the Not in Out Town effort. He was named Peoria District 150 Principal of the Year and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity's Brother of the Year.

Caffey said one of the reasons he has remained in the Twin Cities is because the community has long promoted the Not in Our Town philosophy.