Prairieland United Way kicks off 2025 fundraising campaign with golf outing, social
Photo/Submitted to The Source
Daniel Hackett, left, and Ryne Turke are the 2025 fundraising campaign co-chairs.
The Prairieland United Way 2025 campaign will get underway with a Chamber Business After Hours and Campaign Tee-off at 4:30 p.m. on August 21 at K’s Creek in Jacksonville.
Business leaders and United Way employee campaign coordinators are encouraged to attend. The Business After Hours and Campaign Tee-off are being sponsored by Rabbi Rob and Lauren Thomas and The Source Newspaper.
The 2025 Prairieland United Way Campaign theme is “TEAM UNITED” and the fundraising goal is $475,000. Prairieland United Way helps local people by raising and distributing funds for health, education and employment-related service programs in Morgan, Scott, Cass and northern Greene counties.
The campaign leadership team consists of Prairieland United Way Board President Stephen Symons, campaign co-chairs and Prairieland United Way Executive Director Karen Walker.
Symons is a sales executive with Dimond Bros. Insurance. Symons joined the board in 2023 and he and his wife, Cammie, chaired the 2022 campaign.
The Prairieland United Way Board is proud to introduce Daniel Hackett and Ryne Turke as the 2025 campaign co-chairs.
Daniel Hackett was born and raised in Jacksonville, where his deep roots and passion for community continue to guide both his personal and professional life. A proud graduate of Illinois College (class of 2010), he completed his entire educational journey — from kindergarten through college — within the Jacksonville community. He later earned his Master of Business Administration from the Jack Welch Management Institute.
Professionally, Hackett serves as a sales district director at Cencora, where he has worked for nearly 11 years. He leads a team of seven sales professionals, supporting independent pharmacies across a broad region that spans from North Dakota down to Kansas all the way to Pennsylvania.
Beyond his corporate role, Hackett is a dedicated community advocate and volunteer. He is the current president of the Jacksonville Soccer Association and was recently elected president of Jacksonville United Soccer Club. He also serves as vice president of the board of directors for The Jacksonville Promise, a nonprofit organization focused on educational opportunity.
Additionally, Hackett is an active Illinois College Alumni Board member, a Life Member of both the Bob Freesen YMCA and The Art Association of Jacksonville, and serves on the advisory board for Chicago House Athletic Club.Hackett’s passion for youth development shines through his extensive volunteer work as a youth soccer and baseball coach. He’s always among the first to raise his hand to support local initiatives and programs that benefit children and families.
Above all, Hackett cherishes our Prairieland area he calls home and is committed to giving back to the Jacksonville community that has given him so much. He and his wife, Rachel, are raising their two children, Landon (11) and Emmerson (6), with the same strong values of service, connection and community.
Ryne Turke exemplifies where community, communication and commitment meet. Jacksonville has always been home for Turke. After graduating from Eastern Illinois (2011), Turke returned to this area to serve as a voice for the community that shaped him. Whether behind the microphone, leading local events, or building connections through fitness and outreach, Turke’s work reflects a deep commitment to the people and spirit of Jacksonville.
In his professional role as facility and athletics director at Fitness World Health Club, Turke has cultivated a vibrant hub of activities serving thousands of individuals across Central Illinois. He is also a recognized sports broadcaster on WLDS/WEAI Radio, providing dynamic play-by-play coverage of Jacksonville, Illinois College, Routt and numerous local teams, and delivering an engaging front-row experience to fans throughout the region.
Beyond his career, Turke is dedicated to community service. He plays an active role on the communications team for the Jacksonville Walk to End Alzheimer’s and is the founder and host of multiple successful fundraising events — notably the Downtown Jacksonville Trivia League and the Hot Wing Charity Challenge, which have collectively raised thousands for local charities while fostering community engagement and supporting local businesses.
Turke, his wife Erin, and their sonCooper (3) proudly call Jacksonville home. Through his professional and volunteer efforts, Ryne Turke continually champions the community he loves, striving to amplify its stories and support its future.
Prairieland United Way advances the common good by focusing on protecting services vital to the immediate basic needs of the most vulnerable members of our community while making long-term investments in education, financial stability and health, because these are the building blocks for a good quality of life.
