Thank you to DawnCoyne, Licensed Broker, Keller Williams, for sponsoring today’s Chambana Dad to Know. Join Dawn and other supporters of the Champaign County Crime Stoppers on Thursday, June 9 to celebrate the organizations’ 30th anniversary with a Murder Mystery Event fundraiser – guaranteed fun for a good cause! More information below.
A Midwesterner through and through, Jeff Hamilton has called Champaign County home for the last 14 years. He’s been married to the love of his life, Robin, “for 20 wonderful years,” he says, and the couple has two kids, a 16-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter. Hamilton works in public service with the City of Champaign and is proud to have served on Champaign County Crime Stoppers’ board of directors for about 12 years.
See why we think Jeff Hamilton is a Chambana Dad to Know.
Q: What is Champaign County Crime Stoppers, and why are you involved with this organization?
Champaign County Crime Stoppers is a local volunteer organization that serves as a way for the public to provide information anonymously to local law enforcement. Whether a tipster just wants to “do the right thing” or maybe just wants the cash reward, Crime Stoppers is there to take the public’s information anonymously by phone or the Internet and then
Robin and Jeff Hamilton with their son and daughter. Photo provided.
share the information with law enforcement. It’s really rewarding when a tip comes in that allows local police to crack a case and put the bad guys behind bars.
Q: What is significant about CCCS making this milestone of 30 years?
Thirty years ago our non-profit organization was established as a simple way for the public to report criminal activity without giving their name, making a report, or otherwise getting involved with the police. In that 30 years, public tips to Champaign County Crime Stoppers have solved more than 1,900 cases, led to the arrest of nearly 1,500 people, and the recovery of nearly $1.5 million of property and narcotics. With the public’s help, Crime Stoppers is making a difference in Champaign County.
Q: Why should people attend this fun event?
To celebrate our 30th anniversary we’re hosting a fun Murder Mystery fundraiser on Thursday, June 9. The event is called “Maybury DOA” and follows a Barney Fife-like character as he attempts to unravel the mysterious happenings in his once peaceful town, including a fiery car crash, an accidental shooting, and a long-awaited engagement. Presented by the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company this promises to be a fun-filled evening! Tickets are $50 each and are available for purchase now at 373tips.com. The money raised will be used to pay out rewards and cover expenses like our phone lines and website.
Q: How can people get involved in CCCS year-round?
Of course if anyone has a crime tip we hope they report that to us by calling 217-373-TIPS, submitting the information online at 373tips.com, or texting CCTip plus their information to CRIMES (274637). You never know what tiny piece of information can help local law enforcement solve a case. Another way the public can really help out is to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and to regularly share our crime alerts and other information on social media. The more people we can reach the better.
Q: Why is volunteerism important to you?
I’ve been very fortunate in my life and this is just one way I can give back to our community and to make it better … safer. Our Board of Directors are all dedicated volunteers who work on various fundraising events to pay for the cash rewards we give out and to cover our expenses. I’m happy to give up a few hours of my week to support Crime Stoppers, local law enforcement, and to have some small part in making Champaign County a safer place to live.
Q: Father’s Day is coming up. What does your ideal Father’s Day look like?
Eating breakfast at a local restaurant with my family, followed maybe by a movie or other activity. Our kids are growing up fast so I’d be happy to do anything so long as we get to spend the day together as a family.
Q: What’s your favorite place in C-U (outside of your home/neighborhood)?
We don’t go often enough, but the Lake of the Woods in Mahomet is always a family favorite. We’ve gone hiking and biking out there, checked out the covered bridge, watched the fireworks on Independence Day, and enjoyed walking through the botanical gardens. You never know what kind of wildlife you’ll run across when out on the trails.
Q: Tell me something most people don’t know about you.
Our family’s favorite vacation spot is Walt Disney World in Florida. We’ve been there a dozen times with the kids over the years but the “magic” of the place keeps drawing us back. We’ve had lots of other fun family vacations and been to wonderful places like Yellowstone, Maine, Oregon, the Rocky Mountains, and everywhere in between, but if you ask the family where they want to go next “Disney World” is the automatic answer. So long as we can keep doing it together as a family I say “let’s do it.”
Chambana Dad to Know. Join Dawn and other supporters of the Champaign County Crime Stoppers on Thursday, June 9 to celebrate the organizations’ 30th anniversary with a Murder Mystery Event fundraiser – guaranteed fun for a good cause! More information below. 