Village President Regis Charlot and Kathleen O'Hara | YouTube/ Lake Bluff
Village President Regis Charlot and Kathleen O'Hara | YouTube/ Lake Bluff
The Lake Bluff Village Board of Trustees honored Kathleen O’Hara during its Jan. 23 meeting with a proclamation recognizing her community efforts over the last five decades.
During the meeting, which was streamed on YouTube, council honored O’Hara, a Lake Bluff resident for more than 50 years, and a teacher and principal in the Lake Bluff School District for 36 years, retiring in 2005. Since then, she has only grown her legend, serving as cofounder and historian of the Lake Bluff History Museum since 1969, as a village trustee from 2007 to 2013 and as village president from 2013 to 2021.
“I've also seen you putting Lake Bluff first, always with other elected officials,” Village President Regis Charlot said. “While our village is not the size of other surrounding communities, mentioning your name summons respect from state and federal elected officials. Our community, Lake Bluff, is known for being a special place to its residents due to your actions.”
Charlot issued a proclamation in O’Hara’s honor, recounting a lengthy list of accomplishments in Lake Bluff history. He thanked her for collecting and sharing the local community history, and for preserving the culture of Lake Bluff while helping it grow into the modern era. She has delivered lectures, presentations, and even published books on Lake Bluff and its history.
The village presented her with the Phyllis Albrecht Award for her service to the village. This award is meant for someone who has served in the village government as well.
O’Hara, or Kathy as she’s known throughout the community, thanked the board for the recognition and the award, remembering the legacy of the namesake of the award as a great village leader and the first female village president in Lake Bluff.
"I wish I'd known that person," she joked after her accomplishments had been listed. "Thank you very much."
O’Hara also offered thanks to three organizations that have been at the center of her public life, including the Lake Bluff School District, the village of Lake Bluff and the Lake Bluff History Museum.
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