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May 15, 2006
NAPERVILLE – Nicor employees and their families will celebrate a decade of volunteerism during the company’s 10th Anniversary of Volunteer Day on May 20th by completing 23 community service projects in 20 communities. Projects will range from sorting food at local pantries to cleaning yards and planting flowers at senior citizens’ homes.
“Nicor’s Volunteer Day embodies the spirit of giving back to the communities we serve, and we are proud to be celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Over the past ten years, because of our employees’ dedication and community pride, the commitment to volunteerism has grown at Nicor. This anniversary celebration is a tribute to Nicor’s mission statement of contributing to the well-being of our communities and the hope that our pledge to volunteerism continues to inspire others to make the same commitment," said Russ Strobel, President, CEO and Chairman for Nicor Inc. and Nicor Gas.
Volunteers will help revitalize an entire block of homes in a South Suburban Riverdale neighborhood by participating in a Volunteer Day Spring Spruce-Up Event. Nicor volunteers will join with the mayor of Riverdale, block club members and other local officials to conduct vigorous outdoor spring cleaning, landscaping and gardening activities. In addition, participating homes will receive appliance safety inspections and efficiency kits will be distributed. The kits include items like water heater insulation covers, water faucet aerators, long-lasting light bulbs, and information about how to maintain an energy efficient home. More than 70 staff and community members are expected to participate in this special Village block project.
“The Village of Riverdale is delighted to be a part of Nicor’s annual Volunteer Day,” said Zenovia Evans, mayor of Riverdale. “Volunteers are vital to our future as a caring and productive Village, and we appreciate Nicor volunteers working in our community and giving of their time, energies and talents to make a real difference in the lives of children, adults and the elderly.”
Volunteer Day at Nicor is an annual celebration of the company’s year-round commitment to communities. The company contributed more than $1.7 million to philanthropic efforts throughout Northern Illinois in 2005, and Nicor employees contributed financially, but also donated their time to worthy causes throughout the year.
Pay-It-Forward House in Sycamore, for example, relies heavily on volunteer support to run its day-to-day operations. The non-profit hospital hospitality house opened in March 2004 and provides serene, homelike lodging for family and friends of patients at Kindred Hospital.
Executive Director Mary Lou Eubanks says “Volunteer time and support is critical to running our House. Nicor Volunteer Day is an incredible gift to our facility and it speaks volumes about the dedication and generosity Nicor and its employees have for the community,” said Eubanks.
Nicor’s 10th Anniversary of Volunteer Day will span 23 sites in 20 different communities across Illinois. Volunteers will sort food at local pantries in Aurora, Capron, DeKalb, Rockford, and Woodridge. Outdoor cleanup will take place at senior citizen homes in Bloomington and Kankakee and two community service sites in Woodstock as well as the Pay It Forward House in Sycamore. Volunteers will beautify the landscape by removing buckthorn and honeysuckle at both the Brookfield Zoo and the Morton Arboretum. Local waterways will also benefit as volunteers perform cleanup along the Fox River in Batavia and Yorkville, as well as at Lake Katherine in Palos Heights. Energy efficiency has never been more important, and efficiency kits will be installed at senior citizen homes as well as throughout an entire block of homes in Riverdale and the Victory Centre in Joliet. The Greater Wheeling Area Youth Center in Mount Prospect will also receive a new coat of interior paint, as will the Arthur E. MacQuilkin Boys and Girls Club in Cicero. Gardening and landscaping will bring a new light to several sites in Naperville including the DuPage Children’s Museum, the Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm and the Senior Home Sharing facility. In Worth, volunteers will beautify some of the main arterial streets by planting colorful flowers.
Nicor Inc. (NYSE: GAS) is a holding company and is a member of the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index. Its principal businesses are Nicor Gas, one of the nation’s largest natural gas distribution companies, and Tropical Shipping, a containerized shipping business serving the Caribbean region and the Bahamas. Nicor also owns and has an equity interest in several energy-related businesses. For more information, visit the Nicor Web site at www.nicor.com.
Nicor Gas is one of the largest gas distribution companies in the nation and has provided safe, reliable and cost-effective natural gas service for nearly 50 years. Nicor serves more than two million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of Northern Illinois, excluding the City of Chicago. For more information on Nicor Gas, visit www.nicorgas.com. | 
