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WELCOME TO ‘EVERYDAY HEROES’ We all know that McHenry County is a great place to live. But have you ever wondered why? Maybe it’s because there are so many of our neighbors out there trying to make our little corner of the world even better. They quietly go about their efforts to help others, never really asking for recognition. But they are worthy of our praise. It’s that sometimes we just have to look around to see them. We asked our readers to do just that back in November, when we invited you to submit your nominations for those you considered to be Everyday Heroes. Scores of you responded, and a panel led by Editor Dan McCaleb chose this year’s 36 honorees. As you read their stories, you’ll see that our Everyday Heroes span

VIEWS Joan Oliver generations. They are helping those in need, giving their time to area children, providing a listening ear to our senior citizens, and sometimes just doing random acts of kindness. They are people like Laurie Selpien, who is using her love of gardening not only to grow fruits and vegetables for the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Food Pantry, but also to help people learn how to grow produce themselves. They are selfless mothers such as Chris Newlon, who tirelessly advocates for her daughter, Rebecca, and children like her with Down syn-

drome through GiGi’s Playhouse in McHenry. They are retirees such as Tom Erwin, who serves as a volunteer handyman at domestic violence agency Turning Point in Woodstock. He’s saved the agency thousands of dollars in repair costs, yet he will tell you he’s just trying to keep busy. There are more, but you’ll find out about them soon enough. We thank each and every one for the good they are doing in the community. And if you’re feeling inspired after you’ve read them all, we’ve included a section at the end that just might help you find a place where you can be an Everyday Hero, too.

• Joan Oliver is the assistant news editor for the Northwest Herald. She can be reached at 815-526-4552 or by email at joliver@shawmedia.com.

Blazier to headline Everyday Heroes event By BRETT ROWLAND browland@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – This year’s class of Everyday Heroes will be honored with an awards breakfast hosted by the Northwest Herald. The newspaper’s special section, Everyday Heroes, pays tribute to McHenry County volunteers who go above and beyond to give back to their community. The 2013 group includes nonprofit leaders, organ donors, community organizers, and those who volunteer their time and energy to assist veterans, the disabled, the poor and the homeless. The Everyday Heroes profiled this year were nominated by their peers and selected by a Northwest Herald panel of judges.

Bob Blazier, a much-lauded community organizer, will give the keynote address at the awards breakfast. The event will be from 7:15 to 9:15 a.m. March 7 at the Crystal Lake Country Club, 721 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Blazier served as superintendent of Crystal Lake School District 47 and later led the Crystal Lake Bob Blazier Chamber of Commerce. He has served on more than a dozen local nonprofit boards and led fundraising campaigns for a variety of organizations. He currently serves on the board of nine community organizations and is the business community relations officer at Home

State Bank. Blazier said he plans to talk about the people who have helped him throughout his life, including his wife of 63 years, Rosemary Blazier. Growing up during the Great Depression when unemployment was at 25 percent, Blazier said many people depended on the kindness and generosity of others to survive. In his own life, Blazier said a local YMCA leader and high school coach helped him get a scholarship to Western Illinois University. Without the scholarship, he might not have been able to attend college. Many people helped him in his professional career as well, Blazier said. Blazier also will address the honorees and emphasize the value of servant leadership and the impact it has on communities.

CONTRIBUTORS

NOW MEET OUR EVERYDAY HEROES ONLINE ...

This section was produced by Northwest Herald editors Dan McCaleb, Joan Oliver, H.Rick Bamman, Kevin Lyons and Scott Helmchen; reporters Joseph Bustos, Emily Coleman, Kevin Craver, Jim Dallke, Stephen Di Benedetto, Meagan Flynn, Jane Huh, Jami Kunzer, Chelsea McDougall, Brett Rowland, Shawn Shinneman, Sarah Sutschek and Lawerence Synett; photographers Monica Maschak, Sarah Nader and Josh Peckler; and videographers Morgan Ellingson and Christine Nikolich.

Our Everyday Heroes also shared their stories in a series of videos that you can view at NWHerald.com. We’ll be rolling out new videos each day for the next few days. You’ll be able to hear the Everyday Heroes in their own words, as well as see them in action.

See the videos online at NWHerald.com/heroes

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

DR. JAMES MOWERY..........................4 JERRY EISERMAN.................................6 JIM MILLER...........................................7 BUD OUGHTON................................... 8 JOE AND ROSE LEWIS.......................10 BRADLEY JONES................................ 11 SUE CISKO.....................................12-13 JEFF SCHUMACHER...........................14 JUSTIN SMITH....................................15 SAKINA KAPADIA...............................16 CAROL LEE..........................................18 JOHN DIEDRICH.................................19 JUDY PELINSKI..................................20 SUE MANDERSCHEID........................21 KRISTEN SEMRICH........................... 22 TERRIE MAYER.................................. 23 ZACK SEILER...................................... 24 JOE ALGER......................................... 26 DAVE VAN GEEST............................. 27 MIKE SPLITT...................................... 28 RON REBER........................................ 29 ELIZABETH PHELPS.......................... 30 EDWARD PIESENS.............................31 IRENE GARZA.....................................37 JAYNE ANDERSON............................ 38 JONNIE VICKERY...............................40 CRYSTAL GRAY..................................41 JIM KREHER....................................... 42 PEGGY GRASLEY............................... 43 JIM LALOR.................................... 44-45 SUE SCHUERR............................. 46-47 TOM ERWIN....................................... 48 JANE HAGENOW............................... 58 CHRIS NEWLON................................ 59 ROBERT BROWN..........................60-61 LAURIE SELPIEN.......................... 62-63 HOW TO HELP.............................64-66

These ‘Heroes’ worth celebrating

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

INSIDE THIS SECTION ...

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

DR. JAMES MOWERY

‘It has become a passion’ Doctor offers quality care to area’s uninsured, underinsured By BRETT ROWLAND browland@shawmedia.com

or the past 14 years, Dr. James Mowery has been treating patients at Family Health Partnership Clinic on his days off work. The Woodstock clinic, staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses, provides medical care to McHenry County’s uninsured and underinsured based on a sliding-fee scale, although no patients are turned away. Mowery, 66, of McHenry, said he’s just doing his part to help the community. “The need is obvious. We have 15 percent of the population that supposedly has no insurance. That basically means that 15 percent of people, because of the cost, really have no access to care except through emergency rooms, which are prohibitively expensive,” he said. “My feeling is that everybody has a right to access some type of medical care, and I have no problem being the person who treats those patients. Over time, it’s become an obligation.” For the past several years, Mowery has been coming in to the clinic one day a week; before that, he volunteered one day a month. “I’ve been doing it long enough that it has become a passion,” he said. “It’s just part of who I am and what I do.” Mowery also is a doctor of internal medicine at Centegra Physician Care in McHenry. As the clinic’s medical director, he often is consulted on difficult cases. And his attitude toward patients, regardless of their ability to pay, helps set the standard at the clinic. “As far as I’m concerned, the patients that I see at [Family Health Partnership Clinic] are no different than the patients I see at my regular practice,” he said. “You’ve got to treat [each patient] as an individual. I have no more problems dealing with a drug addict with hepatitis C who continues to drink than I do with a CEO of a company.” Mowery said that the best way to keep his clinic patients out of the emergency room is regular visits and preventive care.

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Dr. James Mowery looks over some patients’ charts in an examination room at the Family Health Partnership Clinic in Woodstock. Every Thursday, Mowery volunteers his time away from his practice to provide free care to the county’s most vulnerable residents.

The Mowery lowdown Who is he? Medical director for Family Health Partnership, physician at Centegra Physician Care Town: McHenry Age: 66 Family: Wife, Char; daughter, Kimberly, 36; son, Drew, 34 Favorite movie: “The Sting,” staring Paul Newman and Robert Redford Favorite book: “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien “One of the difficulties with patients who don’t have insurance is they find it difficult to come in for preventive medicine,” he said. “They’re used to just going and seeing someone in an emergency room when

they get sick. A lot of clinics aren’t geared toward ongoing care.” One way he tries to keep patients coming back is by limiting the amount of time they spend in the waiting room to 15 to 20 minutes. Long waits are one of his pet peeves. Mowery has been practicing medicine in McHenry County for 37 years and was one of the county’s pioneers in treating the uninsured, said Suzanne Hoban, executive director of Family Health Partnership Clinic. Before joining forces with Hoban in the late 1990s, Mowery had operated his own free clinic in McHenry, but the clinic never really got off the ground because of the limited hours it was able to offer, Mowery said. Hoban said Mowery has been “extremely generous with his time” over the years and praised his work at the clinic.

“His patients love him,” she said. Mowery’s employer, Centegra Physician Care, also recognizes the value of his volunteer work. “Dr. Mowery’s dedication to the community sets a great example for all of our providers at Centegra Physician Care,” said Dr. Pasquale Bernardi, vice president of Centegra Physician Care. “Providing access to primary care through a great organization like the Family Health Partnership Clinic pays dividends down the road, not just to the patients that they serve, but to the whole community. That important access addresses health care needs earlier and helps create a healthier population. We are very proud of the many years of service that Dr. Mowery has provided to greater McHenry County, both in our offices and through his volunteer work.”

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• Saturday, February 23, 2013

• • • • • • •

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

We support the givers of this community and salute you!

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JERRY EISERMAN

Still inspiring youth Retired McHenry teacher reaches out with Mission Possible By MEAGAN FLYNN editorial@nwherald.com

n a nook hidden behind some tree branches off Route 176 near McHenry is 70-year-old Carol Sanders’ home. Since her husband died, taking care of the cozy space hasn’t been easy. She reached out for help, but it was awhile before anyone answered. Then came Jerry Eiserman. Inside Sanders’ living room, Eiserman and Max Bee, a volunteer from McHenry’s First United Methodist Church, add life to the blank, woodplanked wall with a colorful painting. Then they clean out another room of any miscellaneous old VCR tapes, an old broken fan, her husband’s old work boots, and old eight-tracks. They tidy it up into spotless condition the best they can. Stamped on the front of the beige, safari-esque hat Eiserman proudly sports are the words “MISSION POSSIBLE” in red-and-black stenciled letters. It’s the mission he and Bee’s mother, Associate Pastor Lori Bee, started at the church in effort to lend McHenry County a helping hand and offer young people an opportunity to give back to the community. “People didn’t realize the need in our McHenry area; there’s such a need,” Eiserman said. “People are very good, and they’re giving. And this is one way they can help people who are less fortunate.” The program is modeled after the mission trips that the church youth group took to Mississippi, New Orleans, Tennessee and West Virginia, where they worked on painting and building houses, and cleaning them up for those in need. They brought the success of the mission trips back home to continue their work. Eiserman does more for the church than Mission Possible, though. He and his wife cook dinner for the youth group on Wednesday nights. He’s an usher at the 8 a.m. service and the former treasurer. He runs errands and performs fixer-upper jobs around the church. And, according to a longtime First United churchgoer Margaret Deason, through his hard work and commitment in the church and beyond, everybody knows Eiserman.

Morgan Ellingson – mellingson@shawmedia.com

Jerry Eiserman, a retired Parkland Middle School teacher, was nominated as an Everyday Hero for his work with Mission Possible.

The Eiserman lowdown Town: McHenry Family: Wife, Mary; two children, Jennifer and Greg; grandchildren, Joe, Mary B. and James; and his son-in-law, Chad, and daughter-in-law, Jennifer Favorite volunteer work: Going on church mission trips with the youth groups Favorite pastimes: Officiating high school football games, fishing and canoe trips Favorite past jobs: Eighth-grade math teacher at Parkland Middle School in McHenry and merchandise supervisor at Six Flags Great America “He’s a saint, he really is,” said Bee, 21. “He’s honestly one of the most giving people I’ve ever met.” After starting his teaching career at McHenry Junior High in

1968, Eiserman retired in 2003 from Parkland Middle School. But he’s still around as a substitute teacher every now and then, and he also works in the kitchen at the school cafeteria. From 1976 to 1997, he worked at Six Flags Great America during the summers to supplement his teaching salary. After that, he became a concessions supervisor for the McHenry Parks Department each summer. An avid sports fan, Eiserman also taught basketball and football classes to kids through the parks department, and although he quit refereeing prep basketball games a few years ago, he still wears the white hat on the football field. After watching students and even students of students pass through his classroom, listen to the rule of his whistle, and shake his hand at church, Eiserman has found new satisfaction in his job as an educator and role model at First United Methodist. “It’s nice to see the youth grow

up to be responsible adults who give back to the community and to the church,” he said. And after the success of the mission trips and Mission Possible, he puts more trust in the younger generation today than most. “There’s good in everybody,” he said. “If you give youth the opportunity to do something, they will usually meet the challenge and succeed.” Eiserman says it is his goal for Mission Possible to grow wider and to expand its reach. He and McHenry Township Supervisor Donna Schaefer are looking for more McHenry County clients who need a hand from the church. “The people that we have helped are so appreciative and so thankful for what we do,” Eiserman said. “And the people that do it, they have the same feeling also. It’s just an awesome feeling – people getting together and helping each other. I think that’s why God put us here.”

JIM MILLER

Harvard High volunteer picks up a hammer, gets to work By MEAGAN FLYNN editorial@nwherald.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

f there’s ever a day when Jim Miller isn’t at Harvard High School with a hammer or a drill in his hand working on a musical set or building band equipment, band director Korey Coffer will hear students ask, “Where’s Jim?” In fact, when Miller started volunteering his time as the fine arts department’s handyman, he was there so often that a Harvard teacher asked him once after school, “So what class do you teach here, anyway?” “Oh, I’m not a teacher here,” Miller said. Just a volunteer – an involved parent pitching in. Miller does everything for the Harvard fine arts department, from handing out water in the Harvard Milk Day parade for the marching band members to building equipment and sets for the musicals, chaperoning field trips, and working as a sound technician for the plays. “We probably couldn’t do half the things we do without him,” Coffer said. “He’s so dedicated that he comes in and does anything we need.” It started eight years back when Miller was always at the high school picking up his son, who was in junior high, from musical practices. Eventually, building trades teacher Robert Mundis told Miller, “Well, you’re here all the time – here’s a hammer!” Eight years later, not much has changed. “The more I volunteer, the more I want to volunteer,” said Miller, president of the music boosters club. “It makes you feel good.” During the day, Miller works at the Arrow aluminum foundry in Woodstock from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Afterward, he could loll on the couch and watch TV. He could take a nap until dinnertime. He could spend the free time however he’d like. But he chooses to head over to the high school to get to work around 3 p.m. – although a catnap beforehand is always still an option, Miller says. A 1980 Harvard High School graduate, Miller got his carpentry skills from the building trades class he took as a teenager, where he learned how to build houses and read blueprints.

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

A hobby of helping out

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Jim Miller holds a wooden board steady as student Josh Trepanier drills screws into it. Together, they are building the set for Harvard High School’s musical production of “Beauty and The Beast.” Miller, a Harvard alumnus, has been volunteering with the high school’s fine arts and music department almost every day for eight years.

The Miller lowdown Age: 50 Town: Harvard Job: Molder at Arrow Aluminum Foundry in Woodstock Family: Wife, Anna Marie Platt-Miller; two children, Zachary Platt and Elizabeth Platt; and three foreign exchange children, Julien Jorden from Switzerland, Mila Pimonat Scrichoy from Thailand and Akiho Nagoka from Japan. Favorite bands: Cowboy Mouth, NRBQ, and Mumford and Sons Favorite movie: “You Can’t Take It With You” (1936) He also learned from his father, who was always the family handyman – much like Miller today. “We were always taking things

apart,” Miller said. “Sometimes we’d put them back together, but sometimes not.” Miller’s daughter is still at the school, and his son, who was Miller’s main tie to the fine arts department, graduated last year. Miller still comes back. The kids keep him coming back. “They really like him,” Coffer said of the students. “They know he’s there to help and make things run smoothly, and I see kids ask him for advice sometimes with how to build things.” They’re always pushing their video games on Miller. They poke fun at him that the last video game he played was Pac-Man, but Miller isn’t one to sit in front of a screen. When the day comes when he won’t be able to hammer a nail or walk outside in the parade, when “the only thing I’ll have to move is my thumbs, then I’ll

work on [video games],” he said. He hopes to continue working with the fine arts department for as long as he can. The sense of community and camaraderie among all the volunteers, teachers and students that he’s gained as a result of volunteering at the school is one of the most rewarding products of his work, he said. “I learned that being part of the community is much more fun than sitting at home watching TV,” Miller said. Once his daughter and her classmates graduate from the school, he’ll have a whole new group of eager actors and trombone players and percussionists coming in to replace them. It’s a cycle that never ceases. Miller says this is his hobby now. “It’s something I really love,” he said. “Once you start doing it, it’s like an addiction. What can I do now?”

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

BUD OUGHTON

Filling a niche Woodstock handyman doesn’t mind helping when needed By JOSEPH BUSTOS jbustos@shawmedia.com

alk around the Adult and Child Therapy Services building in Woodstock and you’ll see examples of Bud Oughton’s handiwork. He has installed a wooden cover over the radiator in the employee bathroom next to the break room, built cubbyholes for employees’ mail, built shelves, fixed and installed new thermostats, and even cleaned gutters. “I’ve always been a handyman. I fill a niche for them, they often need something done, something fixed, something built, different things,” Oughton said. “I’ve done a lot of different work in the building, some outside the building.” Oughton is a board member for Adult and Child Therapy Services, but also pitches in when the building needs some minor repair work. Adult and Child Therapy Services provides physical, occupational and speech therapy services to help people achieve and maintain their independence and their quality of life. Oughton, a retired quality and mechanical engineer, has built frames for a chalkboard and a magnetic board for a child speech language pathology room. He visits the building once a week to check on things and see how the operation is running. “Anything that any of the therapists or anybody came up with that needed fixing, or needed to be done, [the receptionist] will just write on the list,” Oughton said. “I just stop in, she will pull out her list, and she called it her honey-do list.” “Sometimes their list got longer than the one at home,” Oughton added. “I didn’t forgo one list for the other, though.” John Buckley, the executive director for Adult and Child Therapy Services, called Oughton’s work priceless. “His work is in every room,” Buckley said. “If you need something, he’s there.” Oughton has been an Adult and

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Bud Oughton, 80, has served on the Adult and Child Therapy Services board of directors in Woodstock for 18 years. Oughton is also considered the handyman at the agency when it comes to repairs and building needs.

The Oughton lowdown Age: 80 Town: Woodstock Job: Retired molder at Arrow Aluminum Foundry in Woodstock Family: He and his wife, Barbara, have two grown children and three grandchildren. Favorite meal: Spaghetti and meatballs Favorite TV show: “Masterpiece Theatre” Favorite sports team: The Bears Child Therapy Services board member for 18 years. He joined the board after a friend invited him to. “I thought it was a good idea. I

wanted to do something ... in a service manner,” Oughton said. “I grew to like it, so I just stayed.” For Oughton, fundraising is the most important role for the board of directors. Oughton also helps organize the therapy center’s annual golf tournament, which raises $50,000 to $60,000 each July. “We can’t do our good work unless we have enough money to do it,” Oughton said. “We are a nonprofit organization. We don’t turn away people because they can’t pay. But by the same token, you’re limited on how many of those you can do. Therapists, as nice as they are, they do like a paycheck.” Oughton himself has been a

patient at the center, after he suffered a few neck injuries and needed therapy. He had to do different exercises and work on bending his neck in different ways. As a board member, he gets to hear about people who weren’t doing so well, but sees them later on and they’re doing better. “I’ve been very happy to see all the things they do, all the kids that come in here and get therapy, and later on see how they turned out, and how they’re able to do things they weren’t able to do when they came in here,” Oughton said. “There have been some outstanding ... people that come in here that couldn’t walk ... and later on, were able to. “To me, that’s great.”

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com â€˘ Saturday, February 23, 2013

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JOE AND ROSE LEWIS

Giving from the heart Couple bring smiles to needy families in area at Christmas By JAMI KUNZER jkunzer@shawmedia.com

he effort they head up is called a Christmas basket program, but what Joe and Rose Lewis do goes way beyond baskets. The Marengo couple have spent countless hours and transformed themselves into Santa and Mrs. Claus – literally – to bring Christmas to area families in need. They head up the Christmas basket program for the McHenry County Chapter of VietNow. They started helping about 15 families, adding more each year. Last Christmas, the program helped about 60 families. They’ve delivered all sorts of food, supplies, toiletries and gifts, usually the weekend before Christmas. “You get tears rolling down faces,” said Rose, who dresses as Mrs. Claus during deliveries. Joe, a retired veteran who served in the Vietnam Infantry from 1970-71, dresses as Santa. “Mom and dad are so happy. The kids are so happy,” she said. “They’re overwhelmed by the volume of stuff we give.” Those who know Rose and Joe are overwhelmed by the effort they put in. The couple, along with the help of volunteers and the VietNow organizations, raise donations year-round and start planning in October. They identify veterans in need and seek families from Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County. Joe seeks families through the Veterans Assistance Commission, those who make just enough to fall slightly above the level necessary to qualify for assistance. “Those are the ones we ask for,” he said. “They slip through the cracks. They need the help, but they make $100 too much.” Each member of each family is asked to make a wish list, usually asking for necessities, such as blankets, socks and winter coats. They make sure the children each get at least three to four Christmas presents. They shop, sort, wrap and deliver everything. “They do this just because, just to reach out and to make these families’ Christmases much brighter and hap-

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Joe and Rose Lewis are members of the McHenry County VietNow Chapter. For years, they have brought food and Christmas gifts to families in need throughout the county. pier,” said Dana Briscoe, director of programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County. “That generosity they show is just unbelievable.” Briscoe helps to find families with children who could use some extra food and Christmas gifts. The families are asked to provide wish list gift ideas of about $25 or less. Joe and Rose, along with about 25 volunteers who help with wrapping, packing and delivery, work to get as much as they can for each family. With the VietNow chapter, they’ll volunteer at area festivals in exchange for donations. “Every penny we take in, we put back into the community one way or another,” Joe said. Donors, such as the McHenry

County Marine Corps League and its Toys for Tots program, the McHenry County Independent Riders and other groups and businesses, help with cash, food and toy donations. When the program outgrew Joe and Rose’s home, Joe’s Place in Marengo allowed them to use a nearby warehouse. “From the week before Thanksgiving until two days after delivering, we’re busy nonstop,” Joe said. But neither he nor Rose can imagine not helping. Each do so because they know what it’s like to need help. The two were married in 2000, having met as members of VietNow. A single mom with a young child years ago, Rose remembers walk-

ing into a church food pantry, being handed a grocery bag and told to pick what she needed. “I went with my tail between my legs,” she said. “I always said to myself, if I could ever help someone else, I would do it.” Joe also struggled in his younger years, and grew up with a Boy Scout mentality. A veteran himself, helping veterans is his passion. He’s the one whom veterans call when they need a ride or a listening ear or just to get out of the house. His rewards are happy tears and thank-yous and children asking to pose with Santa after he’s delivered his basket. “It’s little things like that that make it all worth it,” he said.

BRADLEY JONES

CL boy, 17, completed random acts each day in December By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

scar Wilde once said that “the smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” Wilde undoubtedly would be proud of Bradley Jones, who set off in December to complete one act of kindness for each day in the month. “Initially, I think most people were pretty shocked; it’s not every day you have a complete stranger just walking up to you offering you some sort of gift,” Jones said. Sometimes his actions were small, such as when he wrote compliments on a piece of paper and attached them to windshields in a busy parking lot. And others were bigger, such as the time he bought a cart of groceries for a couple on their way to a funeral, or when he filled the gas tank of a grateful stranger. “The guy was really stunned and shocked, and he started tearing up a little bit,” Jones said. “It was a picture-perfect reaction in my mind. I couldn’t get any better from there.” The senior at Crystal Lake Central High School spent his own money on his kind crusade, spending about $500 to $600 throughout the month. It was money he earned working part time at a local restaurant. Jones was featured in a Northwest Herald article as his month of benevolence was wrapping up. By that time, his campaign already had gone viral. Jones started getting messages from students at other schools, parents, teachers. And the Facebook friend requests came pouring in. By the time it was over, he had 200 more friends on the social networking site. The article appeared shortly after the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. “There were very heartfelt responses from people online,” said Randy Jones, Brad’s father. “People all over, they said this is really what we needed right now.” But Jones, at 17 years old the youngest of this year’s Everyday Hero nominees, says he’s anything but – although he still hopes he can inspire others to follow suit. “I’m no Superman,” he said. “I’m nothing terribly special. Anyone in

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Kindness to strangers

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Bradley Jones, 17, of Crystal Lake hands out gift cards to customers at Conscious Cup in Crystal Lake in December. Jones did a random act of kindness each day in December. His actions included filling up a person’s gas tank, buying flowers for a stranger, baking cookies for a classmate, and handing out gift cards to strangers.

The Jones lowdown Who is he? 17-year-old senior at Crystal Lake Central High School who completed a random act of kindness each day in December Family: Son of Randy and Mary Ellen Jones; brother, Andrew Jones, 15 Hobbies: Playing Xbox and the drums Favorite band: Mumford & Sons Future plans: Attending Illinois State University in the fall and will study biochemistry or biology the community can go out and do what I was doing by any means ... it could be small things here or there that make a difference in people’s day.” Randy Jones said Bradley, who is normally a shy and quiet high honor

student, is dedicated, focused and hardworking. “He can do whatever he sets his mind to,” Randy Jones said. So what does Bradley plan for his next adventure? Before he heads off to college at Illinois State University in the fall, he wants to set a Guinness world record. “I just thought it’d be cool to have that piece of paper that says I’m the best at something,” he said. The video game lover is still uncertain which record he’ll break, but Jones is thinking something like the longest time playing video games could be in his reach. “I don’t know how into that one my mom would be,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know how supportive she’d be of that, probably not very.” But chances are, this is not the last time the community will hear about Jones’ accomplishments.

“Anyone in the community can go out and do what I was doing by any means ... it could be small things here or there that make a difference in people’s day.” Bradley Jones

SUE CISKO

Supportive steps Nippersink Middle School teacher praised for listening ear By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com

alking 10,000 steps at a good clip through their Spring Grove neighborhood, Sue Cisko and Marlene Nei, wearing bright yellow, have returned lost dogs and wayward children. The nightly walks work as therapy sessions for the best friends, a time when Cisko is able to unwind after work and Nei worries about her husband’s health troubles. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, they descend into the “dungeon” in Marlene’s house to use the treadmill. “We can talk about anything and everything,” Cisko said. “We talk about things that I don’t say to my husband.” The two have been walking for

about a year and a half – since Nei came over with a fruit basket to thank the Ciskos for watching their house while her husband, Bill, battled a rare form of cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The Neis had spent several months total away from home, first at the University of Chicago Medical Center for surgery and subsequent complications and then in Lake Geneva, Wis., where one of the Neis’ children lives. Cisko asked Nei if she liked walking and Nei said, “Oh, I’d love to walk. I used to walk, but there’s nobody here.” “We started, and we haven’t stopped since,” Sue said. It was Cisko’s support – from just being a listening ear to bringing cookies over when nothing tasted good

See STEPS, page 13

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Sue Cisko (right) and her neighbor Marlene Nei walk around their neighborhood together daily. Cisko has supported Nei and her husband, Bill, during his cancer treatments.

DO YOU QUALIFY?

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

Ask Yourself...

• Do you live in a home that you own in McHenry County? (age not important) • Have you put an addition on your home in the past 4 years? • Are you over age 65 and living in a home that you own? • Are you a home owner age 65+ with an income of less than $55,000? • Are you a disabled Veteran or are otherwise disabled and a homeowner?

IF YOU ARE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE, THEN YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF! When you pay your real estate tax bill, you want to know that you are paying a fair and equitable portion for public services that you receive. We try hard to make that happen by striving for a correct assessment of your property. We also want to make sure you take advantage of the property tax relief that may be available to you. Check your tax bill.

IF YOU DON’T THINK YOU ARE GETTING YOUR EXEMPTIONS, GIVE US A CALL!

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ASSESSMENT’S OFFICE 815-334-4290 or check us out on the web... www.co.mchenry.il.us (Click Departments / Click Assessments)

• STEPS

Continued from page 12 Sue Cisko (right) and her neighbor Marlene Nei walk around their neighborhood together daily. She and Nei have become good friends over the years and consider their daily 6.5-mile walk therapeutic. Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

The Cisko lowdown Who is she? Teacher at Nippersink Middle School, which has students from the Richmond and Spring Grove area. Her family: Sue and George Cisko have two children, Ryan, 21, and Christine, 19. They also have two dogs, a 1.5-year-old golden retriever named Troy and a 7-year-old Norwegian elkhound named Titan. Hobbies: She is doing agility training with Troy at WAGs in Spring Grove and sings in a volunteer, on-call choir that goes to different churches for special occasions.

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• Saturday, February 23, 2013

to Bill – and her work as a teacher at Nippersink Middle School that led Marlene to nominate her as an Everyday Hero. “Sue is a selfless individual who works tirelessly to help the kids in her class as well as her family and friends,” Nei wrote in her nomination. Cisko has been a teacher for 30 years, 12 of those years at Nippersink. She had started at the elementary level but moved to the middle school because she was looking for a challenge. “I work with all the teachers in trying to help the students be successful in their academic areas,” Cisko said. “Every day is different, and it’s very challenging but rewarding. I like to see the positive changes; I truly, truly enjoy working with them.” She’s come up with new ways of encouraging the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to succeed, one time doing 100 jumping jacks in exchange for a student doing something he didn’t normally do. Cisko got her start as swimming instructor, she said, working her way up at the pool from a locker room attendant to manager. “I’ve been teaching all my life, but in a lot of different settings,” she said. “I just like children, I think, and seeing them successful and seeing them learn new things.” Cisko studied special education with an emphasis in physically handicapped children at Northern Illinois University, later expanding her specialty to include children with mental disabilities.

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘Sue is a selfless individual who works tirelessly to help’

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JEFF SCHUMACHER

Changing the landscape Woodstock volunteer clearing the way for native plants By JOSEPH BUSTOS jbustos@shawmedia.com

or the past couple of years, Jeff Schumacher brought his chainsaw out to the Pleasant Valley Conservation District site and helped cut down buckthorn trees, an invasive plant species. Schumacher is one of 10 to 12 people who volunteer at the Pleasant Valley site, where they work to help return the area to a savanna setting. Schumacher has worked at almost 25 work sessions at Pleasant Valley, and put in more than 100 hours of volunteer work, said Greg Rajsky, the site steward for Pleasant Valley. The volunteer work usually is done on the weekends, for about three hours at a time. “He does all of this Jeff Schumacher with such good cheer and sense of humor,” Rajsky said. “He’s a pleasure to work with and be around. I think that makes a difference.” Schumacher and fellow volunteers drag the tree branches into piles, and start burning them, Schumacher said. There are several piles that are 10 to 15 feet tall of cut-down buckthorn, as volunteers work to bring back the native plant species. “We’ve really changed this landscape,” said Schumacher, a Woodstock resident. “I think it’s really important to do,” Schumacher added. “I think we’re coming [to] a point we’re going to need to have a green revolution, and we’ve got to start caring about the environment. ... Instead of looking at the short term ... we need to start looking at the long term. Is what we’re doing sustainable, and can we continue in this manner?” Buckthorn grows very thick, quickly and prevents neighboring plants from growing well. And there is no natural predator for buckthorn, Schumacher said. Schumacher started volunteering at Pleasant Valley about 2½ years ago. He used to teach in Arlington Heights, where he did other conservation work. “I wanted to do it here and learn

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Volunteer Jeff Schumacher of Woodstock helps clear and burn debris and invasive plants while volunteering at the McHenry County Conservation District in Woodstock.

The Schumacher lowdown Age: 47 Family: He and his wife, Karla, have a daughter, Elaine, 12, and a son, Jack, 11. Favorite meal: A vegetable wrap Chainsaw of choice: Husqvarna more,” Schumacher said. He recently was named as the site steward for the Dufield Pond, which is a conservation district site on Country Club Road in Woodstock. At Dufield Pond, there are vines growing up through the oak trees, choking them and killing them, Schumacher said. “A tree that’s been around for 200 to 300 years dies, because we brought in some vines that look cute [in] our yards, because they’ve grown fast, and all of a sudden, they get into the woods, and boom, that whole area is covered with oriental bittersweets,” Schu-

macher said. At the Pleasant Valley site, Schumacher has planted more than 1,700 oak seedlings and put in about 1,000 acorns, hoping they will grow into tall oak trees. Many of the oak seedlings have grown into 8- to 10-inch-tall stems, which still is low enough for deer to nip at them. However, there are roots in the ground; that will help the young plant grow again. “Hopefully, something grows tall enough, where the deer can’t nip at it anymore,” Schuamacher said. Schumacher said people shouldn’t concentrate so much on their lawns and plant trees instead. “Plant a tree. Our No. 1 crop in America is lawns,” Schumacher said. “The pesticides, the fertilizers that we use, and in a lot of cases misuse, causes a lot of our environmental problems. If people would say ... ‘I’ll just have a tree, and a tree shades [the lawn].’ ”

“He does all of this with such good cheer and sense of humor. He’s a pleasure to work with and be around. I think that makes a difference.” Greg Rajsky Site steward for Pleasant Valley

JUSTIN SMITH

CAM president fell in love with helping Haiti 11 years ago By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

nly a dozen children showed up when a McHenry-based nonprofit first built a school in Haiti. They couldn’t figure out why, said Justin Smith, the president of Catholic Assistance Missions since summer. “Here we’re offering this free education and school uniforms and a hot meal a day, but down in Haiti, they use the children as a source of labor,” Smith said. “The kids are working in fields, or the kids are carrying the goods to market, or the kids are making five trips down to the spring to gather water, 5-gallon buckets of water.” The solution: For about $150, CAM buys a family a donkey, which can take over a lot of workload previously handled by the children. Now, five years later, the school in Despinasse, Haiti, has 270 students. Besides running the school and providing books and uniforms, Smith – an electrician by trade – and groups of volunteers build homes, provide water filtration, and distribute food. “They’re poor people and they’re hungry people, but there’s a joy there,” Smith said. Smith, 39, of McHenry, fell in love with Haiti about 11 years ago when he signed up to go on a mission trip to Haiti. Just a few years before the trip, Smith had a very different life, he said. He was an alcoholic and drug addict. “I got arrested a lot, got into a lot of fights,” he said. “I lied, cheated, stole to get what I wanted. I didn’t really care about anybody but myself. Then I started getting arrested more and realizing one of these times they’re not going to let me out of here.” One time he woke up in the Cook County Jail covered in blood and thought he had killed somebody. He had reached rock bottom. Not even his drinking buddies wanted to hang out with him anymore. When he returned from rehab several months later, his sister, Michelle Smith, took him to Holy Apostles Church in McHenry. “I volunteered for everything,” he

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘It’s a great mission’

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Justin Smith of McHenry is the president of Catholic Assistance Missions, which raises money to help those in need in Haiti. The organization, based out of McHenry, built a school for 250 Haitian children, where Smith had done the electrical work, and bought donkeys for the families with children attending the school. Smith keeps returning to Haiti to deliver food and assist those in need.

The Smith lowdown Why he was nominated: Justin Smith is the president of Catholic Assistance Missions, a McHenry-based nonprofit that coordinates mission trips to Haiti and operates a school in Despinasse, Haiti. Where he goes to church: St. Patrick’s Church in McHenry A time he felt he was making a difference: Smith, an electrician by trade, and some other volunteers installed electricity in the school. There was no electricity anywhere else in the village. When the lights were turned on, it was like a party: “Kids are running around, flicking on light switches like it’s magic, and it’s turning into this big celebration.” But there were some old men crying. Smith asked why, and he was told that these men work all day and that in the evening the children will come back and teach the adults how to read. “I’ve put in a lot of lights in my life, and I’ve never gotten that reaction,” he said. Family: Smith and his wife, Mary, have five children, Anastacia, 8, Andrew, 6, Elaina, 5, Lucia, 2, and Joseph, 10 weeks. said. “I volunteered for youth ministry and every service project they had, and that’s how I got on this Haiti trip.

Anybody want to go to Haiti? Yeah, sure, I’ve got to do something with my life.”

The church also was where Smith met his future wife, Mary. He got confirmed the same year they married. They now have five children, ranging from 10 weeks to 8 years old. Also on that first trip was Doug McDougall, and his wife, Melissa. McDougall ended up starting CAM and served as its president until he died unexpectedly in June from cancer that spread rapid-fire through his system. “It was big shoes to fill, but it’s a great mission,” Smith said. Smith serves a spokesman for the organization and handles a lot of the overarching organization. Each group usually handles its own logistics. He also works with people of all ages who are going through some of the troubles he went through. “I can only keep what I’ve got by giving it away,” Smith said.

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

SAKINA KAPADIA

A milestone in a child’s life Crystal Lake therapist helps area children with disabilities By JIM DALLKE jdallke@shawmedia.com

s an occupational therapy student in Mumbai, India, Sakina Kapadia knew that if she wanted to begin a career helping children with learning disabilities, she needed to move to the United States. Knowing there were more therapy jobs in the U.S., Kapadia and her husband hopped on a plane and headed to Chicago. That was 1981. Fast-forward 32 years and Kapadia can be found hard at work at Milestones Therapy Clinic, a Crystal Lake center designed to improve the lives of children with physical and mental disabilities. Kapadia opened Milestones in 2008 and said the most gratifying part has been watching the growth of her patients. “I’m really passionate about the progress they make,” she said. “You just see these kids transform. It’s like, oh my gosh I taught them something. It worked. Now they’re a different person. It keeps you going. There’s never a dull moment.” Milestones treats patients with mild autism to severe learning disabilities. The clinic is staffed with more than 20 physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers and psychologists. One of Milestones’ specialties is treating children with sensory disorders, such as Angela Fleming’s 3-yearold son Isaac, who was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder. “Sakina made such a difference in our son’s life,” said Fleming, whose son began treatment at Milestones in 2011. “She was the catalyst in getting him treated.” Fleming moved her family to Indiana in 2012 and said leaving Kapadia’s clinic was the hardest part. “Our new practice isn’t as strong,” she said. “Sakina knew how to interact with him in a positive way. “Your whole life revolves around what’s best for your child, and she knows that.” The main therapy room at Milestones looks more like a McDonald’s Play Place than a doctor’s office, with a ball pit, slides and other gymnas-

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Occupational therapist Sakina Kapadia works with Aaron Miller, 3, during a therapy session at Milestones Therapy in Crystal Lake. tics equipment. The activities give patients a chance to improve their motor skills while having fun, Kapadia said. “We call it a gym, but it’s basically sensory motor equipment,” Kapadia said. “Everything here provides some sort of sensory input … it’s a safe environment for them to get all the sensory input they need for their body, and yet learn how to regulate themselves.” Milestones treats children from infants to 21-year-olds, with most of clients being elementary school students. Although Kapadia may not treat many high school students, she has found a way to help older children with disabilities. Kapadia began a scholarship for

disabled high school students that would allow them an opportunity to receiving money toward college. “I always noticed that you had to be either scholarly, straight-A students with a 4.0 [grade-point] average, or you had to be an athlete to earn a scholarship,” she said. “I always felt that the kids who were in learning resource programs or with learning disabilities, they work equally hard to get their grades.” Kapadia and Milestones also contribute to community charities such as the Walk for Autism, Habitat for Humanity, and the Autism Speaks conference. Kapadia will be moving Milestones to a bigger location in Crystal Lake later in the year, and will add amenities that will make the center

even better for the patients and their families. The facility will have more room for physical therapy, an adjustable lighting system to help with sensory disorders, and two separate waiting rooms – one for children and a quieter room for parents to work. “Our kids and have been in and out of medical buildings so much, they’re scared from the parking lot,” she said. “When they come here, I want them to feel at home.” It’s been a long journey from a Mumbai OT student to owner of Milestones Therapy Clinic, but Kapadia’s dedication to improving the lives of children has never wavered. “If the kids come in crying and they go out smiling, that’s a big achievement for me,” she said.

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• Saturday, February 23, 2013

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Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

CAROL LEE

‘It’s nice to know you helped’ Johnsburg woman proves to be go-to source for seniors By LAWERENCE SYNETT lsynett@shawmedia.com

arol Lee does most everything with a smile on her face. Whether working with low-income seniors, coaching Special Olympic athletes or spending time with her three grandchildren, the longtime Johnsburg resident takes pride in enjoying herself and the company of those around her. “My Irish mother instilled giving back, helping and thinking about the other person,” said Lee, who has five siblings. “We always had so much fun together, but we were very poor. Each one of us chose unique career paths to follow, none of us are the same.” Graduating from Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst, Lee went on to attend Northern Illinois University, where she studied special education. She later spent time in Texas before making her way back to the far northwest suburbs to teach. The mother of two adult children spent the next 25 years teaching special education before working for the American Red Cross as a paid staff member before leaving that post in 2001. Through some prior connections, Lee landed a position as an information and assistance specialist for Senior Services Associates Inc. at the McHenry Township Senior Center. Lee has spent the past four years helping low-income and disabled seniors with issues ranging from Medicare and Medicaid to energy assistance and property tax assessments. “You become very attached to each and every person you know,” she said. “The sad thing is that most of our clients leave us to nursing homes or by passing away. Those are the hard things to take, but it’s nice to know you helped them along the way.” One client with whom Lee has become close is 91-year-old Gertrude Gregory, who nominated Lee as an Everyday Hero. The two met about four years ago when Gregory fell in the office parking lot one wintry day. As the point person for emergency situations at the senior center, Lee found Gregory

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Carol Lee (center) of Johnsburg greets Carol Curran (left) of McHenry and Rosalyn Kollenkark of McHenry while working at Senior Services Associates Inc. in Johnsburg.

The Lee lowdown Who is she? Information and assistance specialist for Senior Services Associates Inc. Family: Two daughters and three grandchildren Hometown: Johnsburg What she does: Works at the McHenry Township Senior Center and volunteers at the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association Favorite day of the week: Bingo Wednesdays at the senior center in the parking lot with a broken hip, called 911 and helped her to the hospital. “From there, we started an easygoing friendship,” Lee said. “She is now here every week with a smile on her face, and we sign her up for whatever she qualifies for. It’s nice to see that

smile every Wednesday.” Gregory insists that it’s Lee’s smile that is the gift for seniors at the center. “She has the ability to put things into perspective and offers hope to a group of people looking for advice and console,” Gregory said. “[Her smile] is a gift for many seniors, as this may be the only smile they see all day.” In addition to working at the senior center, Lee also has spent the past 30 years being involved with the Special Olympics and Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association. She continues to coach basketball, soccer and swimming part time. Although she would not reveal her age, Lee said that she is pushing 70 years old, and that soon she will be right alongside those seniors she serves, participating in bingo and other offerings. “I envision myself right there next to them when I am finished here,” she said.

“The sad thing is that most of our clients leave us to nursing homes or by passing away. Those are hard things to take, but it’s nice to know you helped them along the way.” Carol Lee

JOHN DIEDRICH

Shop owner’s spirit of giving sprouts in blooming business By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

n high school, John Diedrich worked at Locker’s Flowers in McHenry doing a little bit of everything – planting, working in the greenhouse, helping customers. Years later, in 1991, after spending eight years as an accountant, he came back and bought the business, bringing with him a spirit of philanthropy. When he was about grade school age, Diedrich was part of a neighborhood fundraiser for muscular dystrophy and would go around to businesses soliciting donations. He knows what a challenge it can be, seeing firsthand that many larger corporations would not help. “It’s an interesting process, especially when you’re younger, when you have people say no, they can’t help you,” Diedrich said. “It’s something you remember for a long time.” So now, when someone asks for help, Diedrich takes it to heart. Weekly, he donates an armload of flowers to be distributed to the ladies at Alden Terrace of McHenry, a rehabilitation and health care center. Although the recipients know that the flowers are donated, they haven’t met Diedrich, who has never pushed to receive credit. That’s not why he does it, he said, figuring that “it all comes back to me in the end.” Because Locker’s is a larger shop, it has a full inventory of flowers at all times, Diedrich said. He also has donated to Gigi’s Playhouse, a Down syndrome awareness center that his daughter has gone to, and supplies flowers for Faith in Action, which provides aid to senior citizens. Someone from Faith in Action will call and say, for example, that there are eight birthdays coming up. “[They] go to the house of each senior citizen and surprise them for their birthday,” Diedrich said. “For some of the people, that might be the only gift they get.” Diedrich said he sees his generosity “as part of what we do.” He hears stories of appreciation for what he does, such as when an elderly resident at Alden can’t travel to a

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Flowering philanthropy

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

John Diedrich, the owner of Locker’s Flowers in McHenry, creates and wraps flower arrangements for customers. Diedrich has made a point of donating flowers to those who could use a little help.

The Diedrich lowdown Who is he? Owner of Locker’s Flowers in McHenry Hometown: Raised in McHenry, lives in Johnsburg Family: Wife of 28 years, Anne, and four children, ages 24 to 13 Favorite TV show: “Elementary” Recipients of donated flowers from Locker’s Flowers: Alden Terrace, Faith in Action, Gigi’s Playhouse wedding, but wants to celebrate the marriage nonetheless. Flowers can be a way to do that, taking a photo with a bouquet to send to the couple. “I have taken photos of the ladies’ grateful smiles and made them up into a sort of presentation for John,” said the woman who nominated Diedrich, who declined to be named.

“He was humbly appreciative, but I’d love to see his generosity more widely known. He is one of the quiet heroes that makes small-town living precious.” He’s just happy, Diedrich said, to be part of a company that helps others experience the joy of receiving flowers.

“... I’d love to see his generosity more widely known. He is one of the quiet heroes that makes small-town living precious.” John Diedrich’s nominator

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JUDY PELINSKI

Opportunity to give back Community Harvest feeds neighbors, strengthens CL By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com

ast Thanksgiving, the Crystal Lake community donated just under 86,000 pounds of food for the annual Community Harvest. It kept the Crystal Lake Food Pantry stocked through March, and helped the Crystal Lake Jaycees feed 33 needy families through its Share A Christmas program. But ask organizer Judy Pelinski whether she’s an Everyday Hero, and she defers that honor to her firefighter husband. It’s not the first honor connected to the harvest for Pelinski, who runs two businesses from her Lake in the Hills home. The Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce last year named her as an ambassador, meaning she is among the membership chosen to represent the Chamber at events. The Chamber also recognized her in 2011 with a PICA, or Pride in Crystal Lake, award for her Community Harvest work. “[Being named an ambassador] was a huge honor, and it’s a huge honor to be an Everyday Hero. I don’t think of myself as one at all,” Pelinski said. “I think of the Community Harvest as an opportunity to give back to a community.” Pelinski for the past 11 years has owned Fresh Look Interiors, which specializes in home staging and interior decorating. Seven years ago, she added the Staging and Redesign Academy to teach others to do the same. She serves as the head of the Chamber committee that runs the harvest, which kicks off every year when Crystal Lake celebrates the start of fall with the Johnny Appleseed Festival. The event has grown to the point that a minimum of 14,000 square feet is needed to hold the food, Pelinski said. And the number keeps growing through word-of-mouth and the cultivation of friendly rivalry. Crystal Lake businesses every year compete for the traveling Spam trophy – short for Serving People Around McHenry County – as to which one donates the most food. The trophy now is presented each year at

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Judy Pelinski has been the head chairwoman for Community Harvest for the past seven years. Pelinski also is the owner of Fresh Look Interiors Home Stage and Redesign. She redesigns the interior of existing homes to rework the space into a modern, functional living space for homeowners and renters. Here, she poses in a Crystal Lake home that she is working on.

The Pelinski lowdown Who is she? Judy Pelinski, business owner and Community Harvest chairwoman Family? Husband, Bill Favorite food? Italian Favorite book? “The Secret” Fun fact: The Community Harvest needs at least 14,000 square feet to hold all the food it collects each fall for the Crystal Lake Food Pantry. a Crystal Lake City Council meeting. Schools have their own competition and their own version of the traveling trophy, both of which are in fact made out of Spam cans. When businesses offer deals to people who bring in canned goods

to help, it brings the added bonus of strengthening local business, Pelinski said. “It’s not only helping the pantry, it’s putting money back into the community, as well. It’s helping both sides,” Pelinski said. Pelinski is an associate member of the Heartland Realtor Organization, whose CEO, Jim Haisler, nominated her as an Everyday Hero. “She’s phenomenal,” he said. “She does so much for the community in so many different ways.” Pelinski said she is thankful that her home business gives her the flexibility to help in the community, and for getting the support of her husband, Bill, a lieutenant with the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District. “He supports me and everything I do,” Pelinski said.

“She’s phenomenal. She does so much for the community in so many different ways.” Jim Haisler Heartland Realtor Organization and Judy Pelinski’s nominator

SUE MANDERSCHEID

Johnsburg woman goes from hospital patient to volunteer By LAWERENCE SYNETT lsynett@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

here’s a good chance visitors to the cafeteria at Centegra Hospital – McHenry have crossed paths with the “Candy Lady.” Sue Manderscheid volunteers every Wednesday in the cafeteria as a cashier, donning a blue vest with dozens of pins from car races she has attended over the years. The added bonus for those lucky enough to be checked out at her register – a smiling face and at least one piece of candy, chocolate or Sue Manderscheid other treat she may have in her pockets. “Everyone deserves something special every day,” said Manderscheid, 53. “I like giving people candy because they like it, too. It’s a simple and harmless gesture.” The unusual journey to the cafeteria started in December 2005, when Manderscheid was involved in a serious car accident that resulted in severe brain injuries. She was in a coma for more than a month and in the hospital for more than seven months, and she needed physical therapy for more than three years. Manderscheid also takes medication to this day to ease the pain from the injuries. As part of the physical therapy at the McHenry hospital, Manderscheid began working as a cashier in the cafeteria as a way to stimulate her brain. “I liked it so much,” said Manderscheid, who was nominated as an Everyday Hero by her twin sister, Cindy Smith. “It’s good for me because it gets me out and makes me use my mind.” A typical Wednesday for Manderscheid begins around 9 a.m. with a short bus ride from a stop near her Johnsburg home to the hospital. She then stocks the silverware and condiments before heading to her cash register. At the closing of service, Mander-

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

The ‘Candy Lady’ can

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Sue Manderscheid (left) of McHenry rings up Warren Mavrinac of Crystal Lake while volunteering in the cafeteria at Centegra Hospital – McHenry. Despite having a brain injury, Manderscheid has volunteered more than 4,000 hours at the hospital cafeteria.

The Manderscheid lowdown Who she is? Volunteer at Centegra Hospital – McHenry Family: Husband of more than 23 years, 28-year-old son Hometown: Johnsburg Where she volunteers: Centegra Hospital – McHenry cafeteria What she is known as: Candy Lady Favorite candy to pass out: Bull’s Eyes scheid can be found restocking or chatting with kitchen staff before giving them some candy. She’s done with her afternoon and back on the bus around 4 p.m. In the more than 4,000 hours she has volunteered, Manderscheid has

come to remember things about her customers, such as their favorite foods, candy and whether they pay with cash or credit card. “My memory is so bad from the accident,” she said. “I don’t know how I remember those things.” Before the car accident, the Wheeling High School graduate studied accounting for three years at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal before getting a job as an office manager while waitressing part time. Now, when she is not at the cafeteria, Manderscheid can be found handling the books for both of her husband’s businesses – a wood fencing company and automobile resale shop. “My mind is still there for accounting, contracts, proposals, things like that,” she said. “I’m now busy with tax time.”

“I liked [being a volunteer at Centegra Hospital – McHenry] so much. It’s good for me because it gets me out and makes me use my mind.” Sue Manderscheid

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

KRISTEN SEMRICH

Passion for the positive Volunteer aims to empower young women here, abroad By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com

risten Semrich has had a passion for dancing since she was 2 years old. It’s led to a career that has helped her mentor, influence and empower young women, and make her an Everyday Hero, both in McHenry County and in a remote battered women’s shelter in South America. She spent seven years coaching the dance team at her alma mater of Jacobs High School, winning eight state championship titles in the process, before returning to college to finish her degree in education. “When you coach for that long, it’s like family. I have several girls who went on to dancing in college and are dancing now in Chicago,” Semrich said. “That’s pretty cool.” She earned her degree from Judson University last April. Her boyfriend proposed immediately after the ceremony, she said yes, and the following day she was on a plane for Peru for a mission trip to work at a battered women’s shelter run by the Christian human-rights group Paz y Esperanza, or Peace and Hope. “I graduated, got engaged, and went to Peru in 24 hours – it was a rapid-fire day,” Semrich said. Getting to the shelter entails a 13hour bus ride up the Andes Mountains. The shelter’s seclusion and inaccessibility is by design – many of the battered women and children seeking refuge have very good reasons to not want to be found, and escaped their abusers with only the clothing on their backs, Semrich said. “The hope that they still have is amazing. Some of their situations, I can’t even imagine living through them,” Semrich said. Semrich splits her time now between being a substitute teacher at Dundee Middle School while she seeks a full-time teaching job, and teaching dance at the newly opened Broadway Academy of Art and Dance in Richmond. She is teaching younger children than her dance coach days, instruct-

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Kristen Semrich, 28, is a sixth-grade substitute teacher at Dundee Middle School by day and a dance instructor at Broadway Academy of Art and Dance in Richmond by night. Semrich used to mentor young women as a local dance coach. She has been to Peru to do mission work with women and children, and she volunteers her time for charity work events, such as Feed My Starving Children.

The Semrich lowdown Who is she? Dance teacher and substitute teacher Age: 28 Town: Crystal Lake Education: Judson University, Elgin Family: Fiancé Adam Varrassi Favorite Book: “Unwind” by Neil Shusterman Fun fact: She graduated college, got engaged, and left for a mission trip to Peru within 24 hours. ing a class for 3- and 4-year-olds, and an 11-year-old hip-hop class. She fondly recalled a recent sixweek dance class for special-needs children hosted by the academy. “To get them in their little tutus and see the progress they made in

those six weeks was unbelievable,” Semrich said. She would like to get back to the Peru shelter one day, but now spends her time working with Dundee Middle School to raise money and pack food for Feed My Starving Children, a Schaumburg-based Christian relief agency. Her fiancé, Adam Varrassi, nominated her for the honor for her work on the dance floor and elsewhere. “Kristen has a passion for influencing people in a positive way and deserves to be recognized as an Everyday Hero in our community,” he said. Semrich calls her work “so busy but so rewarding at the same time.” To her, it’s especially rewarding when students she coached years ago call her or come back to the McHenry County area to catch up. “It just shows me I made a difference to them,” she said.

“Kristen has a passion for influencing people in a positive way and deserves to be recognized as an Everyday Hero in our community.” Adam Varrassi Kristen Semrich’s fiancé and nominator

TERRIE MAYER

Hairstylist prefers anonymous good deeds to showy acts By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

errie Mayer likes the sneaky side of charity. The 54-year-old Island Lake resident will go to the grocery store and pay someone’s bill or break into someone’s house to put up a Christmas tree surrounded by presents. “God, I’ve done some screwy things in my life,” Mayer said. “It makes you feel good once you do something just out of the kindness of your heart, not because somebody’s got to pay you to do something.” As Mayer talked, she worked on Carol Calcitrai’s hair in the cheerful studio she’s worked at off Virginia Road in Crystal Lake for six years. After being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a relatively rare form of cancer that affects plasma cells, Calcitrai moved to Island Lake to be closer to her daughter. But when things didn’t work out and Calcitrai was left alone in a damaged house, she found a friend in Mayer, who happened to live next door. “I talked to Terrie,” Calcitrai said. “She came over right away. She pitched right in. She got a broom and just started cleaning up.” It was for this kind of aid and the help Mayer provides to low-income and older clients and acquaintances that another of her clients, Susan Kuziel, nominated Mayer as an Everyday Hero. “Terrie was there to cheer me on,” Calcitrai said. “She still does. ... When you lose your hair, that’s the worst. They say you have cancer and that’s bad, but losing your hair, to not have any hair, eyebrows, eyelashes is devastating, especially as a woman. “Then someone comes along and helps you out to make you feel like a person again. It means a lot.” Mayer does some pro bono hairstyling for unemployed people so they can go on job interviews or for older women who can’t leave their homes, she said. She also is training a golden retriever puppy named Greta to work with the elderly. Once the puppy is a

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Her own style of giving

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Terrie Mayer (left) of Island Lake talks with Carol Calcitrai, also of Island Lake, as Mayer colors her hair at Power Salon in Crystal Lake. Mayer styles hair for some clients for next to nothing out of the goodness of her heart.

The Mayer lowdown Who is she? Island Lake resident and a hairstylist at The Studio, 17 S. Virginia Road, Crystal Lake. She’s been a hairdresser for 30 years. Family: Terrie and Vince Mayer have been married for 18 years Originally from: Old Town, Maine, but went to Crystal Lake Central Favorite food: “I eat everything, probably something with pasta of any kind.” Favorite movie: “Snow Dogs” because I had four huskies at one time. Hobbies: Crochet and play the guitar

year old, she can go to therapy school, she said. Despite being given the choice between military school or beauty school in high school – she picked beauty school – Mayer was always a kind kid, standing up for kids who were picked on and helping them out however she could. “One time I stole a neighborhood kid from the neighborhood, took her home with me,” Mayer said. “My

mom said, Where did you get that child? Well, nobody would play with her. I took her home.” Mayer graduated from Don Roberts Beauty School, which used to have a location in McHenry, through a work-study program her senior year of high school. “I love doing hair,” she said. “I have more fun, working and talking all day and not get in trouble.”

“I talked to Terrie. She came over right away. She pitched right in. She got a broom and just started cleaning up.” Carol Calcitrai Friend and client of Everyday Hero Terrie Mayer

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

ZACK SEILER

‘I’m just a person to talk to’ Crystal Lake resident, 19, thrives as volunteer for PADS By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com

ack Seiler lives in a big home in an upscale Crystal Lake neighborhood. A world of difference separates the 19-year-old from those at the PADS homeless shelter where he volunteers. But when they got together at the shelter, it was almost like looking in a mirror. “There were a few times there were 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kids my age,” he said. “... Just to know that I’m in such a different position than them [was shocking]. They’re less fortunate, and it saddens me that someone my age can be that out on their luck that they have to be in a homeless shelter. It really opened my eyes that not everything is in a suburban bubble.” With vivid imagery, Seiler recalled an instance one night when a young man his own age came walking toward him. “I noticed as he was walking, his shoes were falling apart,” Seiler said, adding that the man was wearing a T-shirt as the temperature outside was falling. “Pieces were falling out of his shoes.” The young man – Seiler never learned his name – wore a size 12, the same size Seiler wears. PADS only had donated size 9’s. “He took them with a smile on his face and was grateful even though he could barely cram his feet into them,” Seiler said. Sometimes it’s small gestures that make a world of difference. Seiler quickly went home and packed some clothing and shoes to give to his new companion. “He was more than grateful,” Seiler recalled. “It almost brought him tears. It felt great just to help someone out during times when it seems like no one’s helping them out. “ As part of his scholarship to attend McHenry County College, Seiler must complete 15 hours of community service every semester. Sometimes he logs as many as 30 hours at the PADS site. “I don’t look at the clock when I’m there. [I’m not] counting down the minutes until I leave,” he said. “It’s

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Zack Seiler, 19, of Crystal Lake attends McHenry County College under a Presidential Talent Scholarship. Aside from being a full-time student, Seiler works part time as a physical therapy technician at Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers and volunteers countless hours at PADS. Seiler was nominated for his selflessness and positive attitude.

The Seiler lowdown Who is he? MCC student, PADS volunteer Age: 19 Family: Parents, Rich and Sue; brothers, Jake, 25, and Luke, 23 Favorite sports team: The Bears Hobbies: Working out, playing sports, learning guitar Favorite bands: The Allman Brothers Band, Dave Matthews Band

actually kind of fun.” Typically he sets up sleeping arrangements for the area’s homeless, but Seiler he says enjoys simply interacting, making friends. “The majority of the time I’d say

I’m just a person to talk to, and sometimes a shoulder to cry on,” he said. Seiler is finishing his second year at MCC, where he’s working toward a degree in physical therapy. He works part time at Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers in Crystal Lake. It was a junior-year football injury that gave Seiler the drive for his future career. After a severe ankle injury during a football game, he went through months of physical therapy, only to bring himself back his senior year to become an all-conference athlete. Because of his success on the football field, college recruiters paid close attention to him. “I had some college offers, but I decided against it,” Seiler said. “I didn’t want anything like [my ankle injury] to happen again. I’m lucky to be walking.”

When Seiler was told he couldn’t go away to college as his older brothers had and classmates were about to, he could have pouted. He could have sulked. He could have wallowed. But that’s not in his blood. Seiler instead applied for MCC’s Presidential Talent Scholarship. The 2011 Crystal Lake Central graduate didn’t tell his parents that he was vying for the two years’ paid tuition scholarship, he just did it. “He did that to help us because he figured it would be helpful,” said Rich Seiler, his father and Everyday Hero nominator. “The fact that he did it is one thing; the fact that he got it is entirely another. “ Zack Seiler will transfer to University of Illinois at Chicago next year, and hopes his school schedule will allow time to continue volunteering.

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Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________________ City / State / Zip _____________________________________________________________________________ Phone ________________________________ E-mail______________________________________________ Complete the information on this form, attach your complete ring design on a 8-1/2 X 11 sheet andd bring it to the address add shown show hown below. how One entry per person. Must be 8th grade or younger to enter. Winner will be notiﬁed by telephone and announced on Facebook and other media. No purchase is necessary. Winner will be responsible for any income taxes associated with the prize. Employees of Shaw Newspapers, Dalzell & Co. and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. Entries must be delivered by April 27, 2013 at Dalzell Jewelers, 41 N.Williams St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Winner chosen on April 30, 2013. Questions call: (815) 455-3600

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

Kids, the artisans at Dalzell’s will hand-craft a custom ring designed by the lucky winner of this contest. Simply draw your vision of the perfect ring for your Mom and bring it into the store or have your parents post it to our Facebook page by April 27th for a chance to win a custom ring for Mom!

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Everyone’s Unsung Hero... Your Mom

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JOE ALGER

‘It’s in his blood’ ‘Big Joe’ known for giant heart, gratitude toward veterans By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com

oe Alger’s enormous respect for military personnel serving overseas developed from outrage. As wars in Iraq and Afghanistan intensified in the mid-2000s, more families from across the country were forced to prepare funerals for fallen soldiers, husbands and sons. A former veteran himself, Alger, of Crystal Lake, heard about Westboro Baptist Church and its effort to protest veterans’ funerals, standing feet away from somber families and brandishing hateful signs directed toward homosexuals. Known for its brazen protests, the church, based in Topeka, Kan., believes military deaths overseas are God’s way of punishing the United States for tolerating homosexuality. But Alger saw something different. “I hated the thought of people coming out and protesting in front of families,” Alger said. “That totally is a disgrace.” So he did what he does best. He rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle across the country with a volunteer group known as the Patriot Guard Riders to shield nearly 50 military families from the Westboro Baptist protests. The group would dress their motorcycles with American flags and park their bikes in front of the protesters. Alger, who has helped operate JA Frate in Crystal Lake since the 1970s, attributes the experience for his ongoing effort to recognize and honor military veterans. From the Patriot Riders, he became involved with the Warriors’ Watch Riders, a group that organizes homecoming ceremonies for returning soldiers, and Operation Support Our Troops America, which does outreach for soldiers overseas. He also supports the Wounded Heroes Foundation, an Illinois nonprofit that provides financial assistance and resources to wounded veterans. Alger even has transformed a few JA Frate trailers into mobile homages to local fallen servicemen. He wanted to capture the community support that was on display when Marine

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Joe Alger, chief operating officer for JA Frate in Crystal Lake, was nominated as an Everyday Hero for his work with local veterans in the community. He helps organize veteran homecomings with the Warriors’ Watch Riders and has put murals honoring fallen local soldiers on the sides of JA Frate’s trucks.

The Alger lowdown Who is he? Alger has helped to operate JA Frate in Crystal Lake since the 1970s. Wife: Married to Mary Alger for 32 years Children: Joseph, 30, and Nicholas 28 Favorite hobby when not volunteering? Motorcycle riding Favorite food? Crab legs Lance Cpl. Jonathan Collins of Crystal Lake was killed in Iraq in 2004. With permission from the family, he decorated a trailer with a picture of Collins. He has done that six other times for local servicemen killed in action. The two enshrined trailers exclusively travel across McHenry County. “People in some cases have forgotten that soldiers are still over in Afghanistan,” Alger said. “I surely

didn’t want them to forget the sacrifices these great young men have made, especially when they lived so close by.” Known to many as “Big Joe,” Alger has a gentle heart and loving character, said Alger’s neighbor, Melinda Griengl-Schott. Griengl-Schott said she nominated Alger as an Everyday Hero because of his generosity to veterans, the community and those in need.

“He works tirelessly with an abundant amount of energy to honor and support those who need it,” GrienglSchott said. “It’s not work for Big Joe, though. It’s in his blood.” Alger returned to McHenry County in 1974, after serving three years in the Army. He immediately started working for JA Frate, climbing the ranks of the Crystal Lake freight company to president in 1996. He now serves as chief operating officer for the Frate group. Alger never went overseas to fight in Vietnam, but he said people should never forget the sacrifices veterans make for the country. His son, Joseph, also served a tour in Iraq in the mid-2000s. “They are fighting for a country that is based on freedom,” Alger said. “They are fighting for the best of what we have here.”

DAVE VAN GEEST

Volunteering has been man’s way of life since childhood By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO

The Van Geest lowdown

sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com

Hometown: Minneapolis Family: Married to Donna, has five children and six grandchildren Employer: Chiro One Wellness Center in Oak Brook, as applications development manager

Christine Nikolich – cnikolich@shawmedia.com

Dave Van Geest volunteers at the Hoffman Estates-based Fellowship Housing, a service group for single mothers and homeless women. Van Geest works as a one-man IT department for the group. Van Geest helped revamp the group’s website and services client’s personal computers when they need repairs. Van Geest devotes about 150 volunteer hours a year to the group. puters, clear viruses and install new software. “For me, it’s just little things, but it

means a lot to them,” Van Geest said. “It gets them back on the computer. It gets them back on the Internet, and

it’s just good to see that.” Van Geest’s giving spirit is the reason why Amanda Woods, the communications and operations manager at Fellowship, nominated him as an Everyday Hero. She said he constantly comes into the group’s office to ask for more work. He also has made the group’s technological capabilities sustainable for the future, she said. “He goes above and beyond everything that is asked of him,” Woods said. “He never says no.” That community mindedness has been ingrained into Van Geest since growing up in Minnesota. He said that volunteerism was a driving part of the culture when he was a kid. And that culture has stayed with him. Van Geest has served on the Minneapolis Rotary Club board, and he was alderman and mayor of Wood Dale. He also has served three years in the Army, and he was a member of the DuPage County Mayors and Managers Conference. He moved to Illinois as an adult, first living in the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago, and then in Wood Dale, before settling in Lake in the Hills. Van Geest said he plans to keep volunteering at the Fellowship Housing as long as they need his help. “We should all be of service,” Van Geest said. “That’s what makes us a society. In being able to help each other, we help ourselves. We make society stronger. We make it a better place.”

“For me, it’s just little things, but it means a lot to them.” Dave Van Geest

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

olunteerism has been Dave Van Geest’s way of life since he was a kid in Minneapolis clearing driveways and mowing lawns for his elderly neighbors. Van Geest’s second nature instantly drew him years later to the Hoffman Estates-based Fellowship Housing, an organization that strives to get single moms and homeless women back on their feet. The Lake in the Hills resident has been contributing his time and information technology expertise to the organization each week since 2010, after he learned about the group’s mission from his employer at the time. “These women come from broken marriages, and they’ve been dragged through the dirt,” Van Geest said. “It takes a great deal of determination on the mother’s part, but those who go through [Fellowship Housing], those who stick with it, to see them as entirely different is about the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen.” For the past 20 years, Fellowship Housing has assisted more than 600 moms stabilize their family life by helping them with budgeting, problem-solving and goal-setting. The group’s two-year program provides single moms with debt repayment, housing assistance, life skills and educational training. Van Geest first began volunteering there as the group’s IT director. He has helped redesign the group’s website and digitize case management files. He currently is helping the organization convert to cloud computing, so that workers can access the group’s servers from anywhere. But Van Geest quickly evolved his role at Fellowship House to become the group’s personal, one-man computer repair shop. Without being asked, Van Geest has helped the moms at Fellowship Housing upgrade their personal com-

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Community minded

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

MIKE SPLITT

Leading by example Organizer of Santa Run never gives up on community By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com

ike Splitt heard a cry for help when various service groups in McHenry County met with the Crystal Lake Kiwanis Club last winter. They came to the club’s regular meeting asking for donations during sluggish economic times. Splitt and his fellow members thought of the typical fundraising events. But then Splitt spotted a story from his hometown of Arlington Heights about a Santa Run benefit. The image of people running in Santa suits and reindeer antlers for a good cause was too appealing to pass up. As race director, Splitt oversaw a team of Kiwanis members who planned the 5K race in Crystal Lake for nearly a year. On race day in early December, the community response was overwhelming. Splitt budgeted materials and volunteers for 400 participants, with room to cover a lofty goal of 800 runners. More than 750 runners showed up and raised nearly $15,000 for Turning Point, Girls on the Run, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Light Center, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and Kiwanis. “It’s newfound money. They didn’t have to spend anything, except for time and talent,” Splitt said. “It’s a shot in the arm, like a jolt of adrenaline in their system. It’s going to help kids, help the families, help the programs.” Kiwanis is a renowned service group that focuses on improving communities for future generations. The group has local chapters across the United States and the world. Carol Heisler, a Crystal Lake member, nominated Splitt as an Everyday Hero for his efforts in organizing sponsors, volunteers, materials and supplies for the club’s first-ever Santa Run. She said his commitment to spearheading the yearlong planning effort reflects Splitt’s most valuable characteristics. “He perseveres,” Heisler said. “He keeps working at it until the event

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Mike Splitt poses for a portrait at his In Sync Systems office in Crystal Lake. Splitt, who owns In Sync Systems, was instrumental in organizing the Crystal Lake Kiwanis Club’s first Santa Run in December. More than 750 runners, dressed in Santa outfits, raised money for Girls on the Run, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CASA and other organizations.

The Splitt lowdown Hometown: Arlington Heights (born in Chicago) Family: Married to Sheila for 25 years with three children, Christie, Brad and Tyler Favorite aspect of Crystal Lake: Good place to raise a family with good parks and schools

comes together. He doesn’t give up.” Splitt’s hardworking attitude often has been noticed by others. He helped lead the resurrection of the Crystal Lake Kiwanis in 2005, after the chapter had gone dormant. He has volunteered for numerous community groups and boards, including Centegra Health System’s Foundation Board. Splitt’s volunteerism has helped develop In Sync Systems, a Crystal

Lake business he has operated for 21 years. As a community businessman, he said he always strives to lead by example when volunteering his time. He has no immediate plans to shorten his volunteer time, either. He and his Kiwanis members already are planning the second Crystal Lake Santa Run for later this year. “Someday I will need some help, and I will get it,” Splitt said. “But right now, I can help other people.”

“Someday I will need some help, and I will get it. But right now, I can help other people.” Mike Splitt

RON REBER

McHenry VFW commander lives to serve area’s veterans By JIM DALLKE jdallke@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

o Ron Reber, there is no greater honor than being a war veteran. He believes fighting in a war overseas is the ultimate service a person can provide to his country, and Reber has dedicated his life to helping those who have served. As the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4600 in McHenry, Reber has spent countless hours providing physical and emotional support to the men and women he admires so much. “These guys mean so much to me,” Reber said as his eyes started to well with tears. “They really do. I can’t explain what they mean to me.” Reber’s passion for serving veterans is evident. As Post 4600 commander, he is in charge of organizing VFW events, such as the Memorial Day picnic, July Fourth barbecue, and the Thanksgiving Day meal for sailors. But it’s the smaller acts Reber does that make him the true leader of Post 4600. Each week, Reber maintains the building, located at 3002 W. Route 120 in McHenry, by checking the light bulbs, fixing doors, and making sure the facility is clean. He did masonry work during the post’s kitchen renovation, and he fixes electric wheelchairs for the veterans. He also writes a VFW newsletter once every two months to keep members up to speed with what’s happening at the post. But Reber would argue that it’s the time spent sharing stories with veterans that does the most good. “When veterans come together and talk to one another, playing cards, talking, laughing, pingpong, it’s just that feeling of being together,” he said. “This is our post. This is our home.” Requirements to join a VFW post are set by Congress. To become a VFW member, one must have served in a war overseas, earned an overseas campaign medal, and have been honorably discharged. Reber served in Korea from 1979-80 and became the Post 4600 commander three years ago, nine months after he initially joined. “I’m very humbled to be the com-

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘These guys mean so much to me’

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

McHenry VFW Post 4600 Commander Ron Reber points to the details of a prototype Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that he created. He wants to be able to create enough of these to give them to veterans.

The Reber lowdown Who is he? Commander of VFW Post 4600 in McHenry Hometown: Landisville, Pa. Family: Wife, four children Favorite food: Maryland crab legs Hobby: Woodworking. Creates wooden wagons and sleighs mander. I want to honor these veterans very much,” Reber said, as tears again appeared in his eyes. Reber is reluctant to acknowledge his commitment to veterans is anything special. “I’m not sure what it is I do,” he said several times. But his fellow VFW members say he is more than deserving of recognition. “Ron is absolutely the ultimate representative of us,” said Gary Snell,

member of the McHenry VFW. “He’s a consummate leader. Ron is very hardworking and dedicated. Whatever honor he gets, he deserves it.” Snell added that Reber’s humility should not distract from his accomplishments. “Dizzy Dean said, ‘It ain’t braggin’ if you done it.’ Well, Ron does it,” Snell said. “He walks the walk and talks the talk.” Reber would prefer that his efforts go unnoticed, and the praise should instead be put on the veterans. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t look at myself as an Everyday Hero,” he said. “The guys who are the heroes are the ones who sit in these meetings. They’re the heroes. I just work very hard here at this post. I want to make sure that it’s well kept, and that there’s a place for years to come for veterans.”

“The guys who are the heroes are the ones who sit in these meetings. They’re the heroes. I just work very hard at this post.” Ron Reber

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

ELIZABETH PHELPS

Proud to be part of a team Clinic volunteer finds great satisfaction in helping others By LAWERENCE SYNETT lsynett@shawmedia.com

lizabeth Phelps has worn many different hats over the years. The Johnsburg businesswoman has served on a planning and zoning board, worked in hospital gift shops, and even taught Sunday school, among other things. But her true passion is volunteering at the Family Health Partnership Clinic in Woodstock. “You name it, I’ve probably done it,” said Phelps, 57. “True heroes are the people who donate time and don’t think about what they are doing Elizabeth because they just Phelps want to help other people.” Phelps works as a part-time reviewer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through Information Systems and Networks Corp. She was an account representative for Procter & Gamble from 1985 to 2010. Her volunteering at the health care provider for uninsured and underinsured residents of McHenry County started in March 2010 after reading a magazine article about volunteering. Her desire to help combined with an upbringing in the health care industry in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a father who was a doctor and mother who worked in hospital gift shops led her to the Family Health Partnership Clinic. “Growing up, mom and dad were very involved,” Phelps said. “[My dad] was originally a small-town doctor, and once he passed, I heard about all these amazing things he did for people. My mother was also very involved.” She started at the clinic by helping with filing duties and later joined the Care 4 Breast Cancer 5K committee. She managed the volunteers at the finish line her first year, and served as chief and co-chief of all volunteers the past two years. The event featured more than 600 volunteers in 2012. “It’s just incredible,” Phelps said

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Elizabeth Phelps talks to patients on the phone at Family Health Partnership Clinic in Woodstock. Phelps volunteers at the clinic three times a week, contacting patients about appointments and medicine pickups.

The Phelps lowdown Who is she? Volunteer at Family Health Partnership Clinic in Woodstock Hometown: Johnsburg Family: Married for 33 years, and has a 29-year-old son Part-time job: Reviewer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through Information Systems and Networks Corp. of the race. “These [volunteers] are people who all have busy lives who work. It’s an emotional thing seeing those people cross the finish line.” In addition to her work with the breast cancer race, Phelps also volunteers with the clinic’s Patient Assis-

tance Medications program, helping a staff member manage hundreds of patients. Pharmaceutical companies donate medications that are sent to the clinic for patients who qualify for their programs, and the medications are then distributed for free. Her tasks include logging medications shipped to the clinic and contacting patients to arrange for them to pick up prescriptions. In one month alone, Phelps helped patients receive about $175,000 worth of medications at a reduced cost. “It’s almost addicting, trying to get medications to patients as fast as I can,” Phelps said. “There are so many people out there with serious medical conditions. It’s great to be part of a team of doctors and nurses who are getting medications to the patients.”

“[My dad] was originally a small-town doctor, and once he passed, I heard about all the amazing things he did for people.” Elizabeth Phelps

EDWARD PIESENS

Spring Grove Scoutmaster takes role model task to heart By JANE HUH jhuh@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

dward Piesens “fell into” the local Boy Scouts community in 2003 when his wife, Janice, signed up their son, Cameron, with the local Cub Scouts. It wasn’t long before Piesens became more involved, assisting the Cubmaster and den leader at meetings. “I got involved initially so I could spend time with my son,” said Piesens, the Troop 340 Scoutmaster. “I found it to be something I really liked doing, so I stuck with it. It’s an opportunity to give back to the community and help these boys become good citizens, which is what Scouting is about, making good productive adults.” When Cameron decided to “cross over to the Boy Scouts, I crossed over with him,” Piesens said. “Looking back, it would have been something I would’ve enjoyed [as a boy]. But at the time, none of my friends were involved with it and it wasn’t on my radar, so to speak.” Piesens, of Spring Grove, has supported Troop 340 for 10 years, serving as Scoutmaster for the past five years. Cameron, now 20, reached the highest rank as an Eagle Scout, and is looking into a career in the automotive service field. Piesens stayed on as a troop leader for the remaining Scouts, who include Ernest Varga’s 15-year-old son, Hans. Varga, who nominated the Scoutmaster as an Everyday Hero, said Piesens sets a model example to the troop and “goes the extra mile” to make sure each member succeeds. “Ed really takes his role seriously,” said Varga, of Richmond. “He’s not only conscientious, he makes sure the boys run the troop to teach them leadership. “He’s put in more than a million hours to help the community and gives back more than one could ever know.” Scouts get coached on a variety of skills, from emergency preparedness to public speaking, and learn about leadership values. It’s most rewarding to Piesens when he sees “a Scout accomplish a task he’s been struggling with and

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

He’s a real Troop-er

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Scoutmaster Edward Piesens meets with individual Scouts from Troop 340 for a Scoutmaster conference during a meeting in Spring Grove. Piesens still volunteers his time as the Scoutmaster even though his children have aged out of the Scouts. Below: A Boy Scout practices tying a square knot during a meeting.

The Piesens lowdown Who is he? Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 340 Family: Lives in Spring Grove with wife Janice. Has a 20-year-old son, Cameron, and 18-year-old daughter, Emily. Hobby: He is a “lifelong motorcyclist,” and he enjoys riding around the countryside. Favorite book: Michael Connelly crime novels Favorite movie: Sci-fi fan, “Star Wars,” “Star Trek”

he’s just really excited about what he’s done.”

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

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Phyllis K. Walters, McHenry County Recorder

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IRENE GARZA

Kidney transplant strengthens bond between ‘sisters’ By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

or Irene Garza, the choice was easy. Her friend Lucille Monroy’s kidneys were failing. Her own were healthy. “[My mind] was made up from the very first day she told me that she needed a kidney,” said Garza, of Lake in the Hills. “From that day forward, I knew that if nobody could do it from her family, I would go ahead and do it.” Garza and Monroy have been friends since they met working on the tarmac at American Airlines in the mid-1990s. The two soon became good friends, going to concerts or out dancing together outside of work. Monroy introduced her to her family. At first when Monroy came to Garza with the news of her kidney problems, Garza was in disbelief. But she knew she wanted to help. “I was just shocked that she told me that if I need help, she can help me,” Monroy said At the time, Monroy’s family was being tested to see whether anyone was a match to give Monroy a kidney. Two months later, after nobody in Monroy’s family turned out to be compatible, Garza went through the testing process. She was a match. Had she not have been, Lucille would have been staring at dialysis. Doctors told her that it could take five more years to find a random donor. “She’s heaven sent,” said Mona Monroy, Lucille’s sister. “My sister would have had to undergo kidney dialysis. It’s a lot of pain and suffering, and it has to be done twice or three times a week. “She’s heaven sent to us and we are forever grateful to her.” Garza felt nerves only as she was being wheeled toward surgery. By then, she knew she was going through with it. “It was easy for me to do this,” Garza said. “Lucy has such a big heart. She’s a sweetheart, and I was really glad that I was able to help her out with this, make her life a little easier.” The two work physical jobs for

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

An act of unselfishness

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Irene Garza of Lake in the Hills gets a kiss from her dog, Love, at her home. Garza donated one of her kidneys to a friend five years ago. The friend continues to do well today, and Garza has become an honorary member of her friend’s family.

The Garza lowdown Who is she? Lake in the Hills resident who donated a kidney to a good friend Hometown: Chicago Favorite movie: “A Beautiful Mind” Favorite food: Chicken Favorite weekend activity: Anything that has to do with music – concerts, dancing, etc. American Airlines, lifting and carrying cargo. Garza took six weeks off to recover. Monroy was out for months. But she’s healthy now. And with the six-year anniversary of the surgery approaching this month, the two are closer than ever. “We’re like family,” Monroy said. “It’s like we’re sisters now.” They joke that Monroy now is half Mexican to go along with her Filipino background.

Since the Monroys took her in, Garza says she’s half Filipino to accompany her Mexican background. Garza attends all of the family’s get-togethers. “Every time that we have a family gathering, she’s a part of it,” Mona Monroy said. “She’s like an adopted sister. “She didn’t even ask for anything in return. She’s such a selfless person.”

“Every time that we have a family gathering, she’s a part of it. She’s like an adopted sister. ... She’s such as selfless person.” Mona Monroy Whose sister received Irene Garza’s kidney

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JAYNE ANDERSON

‘Something more to me’ Coordinator of Cary’s Kraus Senior Center finds joy on job By JANE HUH jhuh@shawmedia.com

hen Jayne Anderson arrives to work at the Cary Park District’s Kraus Senior Center, it’s personal, not business. “My own inner way of relating to them is … I would want them treated the way I want my mother to be treated,” said Anderson, of Poplar Grove. “I always feel in all the interaction I have with them that I want to show them the respect and integrity that I would want to be given to my mother.” Anderson initially saw her position as a “job that I would enjoy and did enjoy.” “It started off as a job, but as time went on and I got to know the people, you share your life together. It just became something more to me,” said Anderson, who’s been coordinator for 12 years. Kathy Eiring, a Cary police officer, nominated Anderson as an Everyday Hero. Eiring collaborates with the center, 441 W. Main St., for public safety presentations. “She is one of the most amazing people I have met,” Eiring said. “Jayne donates so much time and effort to the Cary senior citizens. She remembers everyone’s birthdays. She buys the cake and the cards with her own money. One elderly resident did not have a Christmas tree and she bought one for that person without telling anyone.” The center offers a range of events and programs for seniors, including seasonal trips and computer tutorials. Seniors involved in social clubs regularly stop in. “We do see a lot of people that come looking for something after they’ve lost a spouse. They’re just starting to branch out again on their own,” Anderson said. “At first, they’re not really sure what to do. They’re in a phase of rebuilding their own life. But pretty soon they realize there’s other people in the same situation or who have gone through that and it gives them some direction. They realize that there’s life again, a future and that there’s still a lot for them to enjoy.”

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Jayne Anderson of Poplar Grove poses for a portrait at the Kraus Senior Center in Cary. Anderson has been the coordinator of the senior center for the past 12 years. She organizes events and activities for local seniors. Below: Volunteer Cheri Brockhoeft (left) of Cary, Dorothy Fagerson of Cary and Jayne Anderson of Poplar Grove pack meals for Golden Diners at the Kraus Senior Center.

The Anderson lowdown Who is she? She works at the Cary Park District’s Kraus Senior Center in Cary. Family: Lives in Poplar Grove with husband John. She has six children and nine grandchildren. Hobbies: Gardening, reading biographies Favorite movie: “Moonstruck” And seeing those connections and new relationships bloom keeps Anderson inspired. “Everyone wants to feel like they belong, that we matter to someone, that someone misses us, that someone’s concerned when we’re sick,” Anderson said.

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

• What if you could be sure that the causes, things and places you love would always thrive in our community? • What if giving was more convenient and ﬁnancially advantageous for you and your family? • What if your charitable dollars could do more?

If you are ready to learn more about how you and your family can have a permanent impact on McHenry County, call MCCF today. For further information, or to open your own Charitable Giving Fund with the McHenry County Community Foundation, contact Robin Doeden at Robin@mccfdn.org, or at the phone number below.

P.O. Box 1844 | Woodstock, IL 60098 | (815) 338-GIVE (4483) | www.mccfdn.org

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

CONNECTING PEOPLE WHO CARE WITH CAUSES THAT MATTER FOR OVER 11 YEARS

Everyday Heroes| Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

We Salute McHenry County’s Everyday Heroes.

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JONNIE VICKERY

Mission of ministry Helping others is spiritual calling for SG cancer survivor By JANE HUH jhuh@shawmedia.com

onnie Vickery drew strength from St. John the Baptist Church when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 13 years ago and when her husband died three years ago. As a parishioner at the Johnsburg church for 38 years this June, Vickery is looked at as a leader for other parishioners to turn to in times of need. Throughout the years, Vickery has been involved in a variety of community charities and ministries supporting the elderly, grieving families and friends, and children’s education. She serves as co-chairwoman of the church’s Ministry of Care for the Homebound and runs the Bereavement Ministry. St. John parishioner Patti Hoeh nominated Vickery, 69, as an Everyday Hero for her “genuineness and ability to help others freely and willingly.” “God doesn’t ask us to do big things,” Hoeh said, quoting Mother Teresa. “He asks us to do small things with great love. And that’s what I see in [Vickery]. She’s not about doing something for something in return. It’s very selfless and very genuine.” Vickery, of Spring Grove, began as a preschool teacher at St. John the Baptist Catholic School before moving over to the parish office, working to help cover private school tuition costs for her daughter and two sons. Vickery found support from the church throughout the most difficult years. While she stayed at a treatment center for ovarian cancer, Vickery still remembers the encouragement she received from the Catholic schoolchildren. “I got a manila envelope with ‘get well’ cards from the schoolkids,” she said. “That was the best part I got while I was sick. So we try to do that too with the Homebound ministry.” When her husband, David, died 3½ years ago, the church provided grief counseling. “[The ministry] becomes part of your family,” she said. “They really

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Jonnie Vickery of Spring Grove poses for a portrait in her home. Vickery has been a St. John’s parishioner for almost 40 years. Throughout the years, she’s worked in the preschool, served on the cemetery board and the pastoral council, and currently runs the bereavement ministry for the church.

The Vickery lowdown Who is she? Volunteer at St. John the Baptist Church in Johnsburg Hobbies: Yard work in the summertime, crafts, baking Favorite plants: Geraniums, spring flowers including daffodils Favorite movie: “The Wizard of Oz” Favorite book: Anything by James Patterson Favorite hymn: “On Eagle’s Wings”

are. You take care of each others’ needs.” Vickery offered crucial support for Hoeh and her husband a year ago when a close friend died. “It was very devastating, and we

were sort of stuck in the grieving process,” Hoeh said. “This was a friend we’ve known since kindergarten. And [Vickery] came and helped us through the grieving process, which we truly appreciated. She helped ease the pain. “She’s easy to talk to and meet. She offers herself very freely. If she thinks somebody’s having a problem or needs some support, she’ll fix them a meal and take it to their house.” Vickery, as a cancer survivor, looks at her role as a spiritual calling and considers herself fortunate to help those in need. “I get more out of it than I give. It’s just the fact that I can be God’s ear, Jesus’ presence on Earth in helping people,” she said. “I can do His work. I enjoy that. It’s the satisfaction of helping people, kind of like helping your child and seeing them grow.”

“I get more out of it than I give. It’s just the fact that I can be God’s ear, Jesus’ presence on Earth in helping people. I can do His work. I enjoy that.” Jonnie Vickery

CRYSTAL GRAY

Transgender woman aims to start advocacy group here By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

he last time readers met Crystal Gray, she put on a brave face and talked about the torment she endured growing up on the receiving end of bullying. Gray, of Wonder Lake, opened up to readers about her childhood as an outcast, her suicide attempts, and the fact that she was born Christopher Gray. As a transgender woman, and as the face and muscle behind the United States Transgender Advocacy group, also has made Gray a target for hate crimes, she said. “Doing this work means you’re putting yourself out there, and putting yourself in the possibility of having harm done to you,” she said. Potential threats of violence is something Gray thinks about every day. She and her partner, Shari Miller, also a transgender woman, have sought police protection on many occasions. So why put herself out there like that? It’s because Gray is passionate about fair treatment for transgender men and women. “The organization is not here to push the gay agenda or the transgender agenda,” she said. “The organization is here to help the transgender community.” Once a successful transgender advocate in Denver, Gray moved to McHenry County, where she grew up. She started the advocacy group as a way to protect transgender individuals from discrimination, violence and harassment. USTA’s status as a registered nonprofit is pending. “We want people to understand that we’re just like everybody else,” she said. “The body changed, but the inside didn’t. I’m still the same person. “The most important thing is, we all are human beings, and we all need to be treated that way.” Gray identified as transgender at a young age, but it wasn’t until after her first wife died that she transitioned. “I knew from the time I was 2 years old that I ... was in the wrong physical body,” she said. “And I spent my life

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘I am proud of who I am’

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Crystal Gray flips through an old scrapbook that shows her transition from male to female while at the home she shares with her partner, Shari, in Wonder Lake. Gray was born a man and transitioned into a women after her wife died in 2006. She is a transgender advocate who worked her way up through the advocacy ranks in Colorado, where she worked for a state office. Now she’s back in McHenry County and is in the midst of setting up an advocacy group here.

The Gray lowdown Who is she? A transgender woman and advocate, head of United States Transgender Advocacy Family: Partner, Shari Miller; two cats, Molly and Rascal Favorite food: Alaskan king crab legs Information: www.ustransgenderadvocacy.org trying to change that because I want everything to be in harmony. ... I was living a lie every day, and I was in hell every day.” But after years of trying to find and understand herself, she hopes she can bring that experience to the advocacy groups, and says, “I am proud of who I am, that will never change.”

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JIM KREHER

Always at the ready Desire to help ignites Fox River Grove firefighter’s service By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com

im Kreher was having coffee the morning of Oct. 25, 1995, about a block away from where a horrific accident had hap-

pened. At 7:11 a.m., a commuter train slammed into the back of a school bus at Route 14 and Algonquin Road. Seven children were killed at the intersection, now called “Seven Angels Crossing.” Kreher, who was there in less than a minute, was the incident commander at the scene for the Fox River Grove Fire Department, where he is deputy chief. At the time, he also worked as a systems technician for AT&T. He didn’t even think about being late for work until that afternoon. Afterward, he and his brother, Fire Chief Robert Kreher, would travel around the state giving presentations explaining how such a small fire department handled such a big incident. “We actually had to stop because it got to be too much,” he said. “It still affects me to this day.” It’s strange for Kreher to go to Cary-Grove High School, where he teaches CPR to sophomores, and realize that they weren’t even born yet when the accident happened. It’s such a part of the town’s history, he said. “Emotionally, the littlest things might make me think about it,” he said. Although Kreher should be recognized for his work that day, he went above and beyond both before and after that tragedy. Kreher began his career in fire service in high school, when some neighbors who were volunteer firefighters asked whether he wanted to get involved. He said “sure” and now has been with Fox River Grove Fire for more than 30 years. He serves as an appointed director for the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to fire safety and burn prevention through public education. Each year at YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, the organization runs Camp “I Am Me,” providing a nonjudgmental, safe environment for

Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com

Fox River Grove Fire Department Deputy Chief Jim Kreher has volunteered with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance for 35 years. For the past two years, he has been a director of the alliance, which works in the state of Illinois to support fire prevention, fire education, Bath Buddies, Juvenile Firesetter Intervention programs and “Camp I Am Me” for burned children.

The Kreher lowdown Who is he? Deputy chief at Fox River Grove Fire Department Age: 52 Hometown: Fox River Grove Family: Wife of almost 30 years, Angie; two sons; one grandson Favorite TV show: “Chicago Fire”

children who are burn survivors. Kreher also helps run an annual golf outing to support that camp, as well as scholarships. He also serves as a representative for the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and participates in Operation North Pole, in which children suffering from a life-threatening illness ride on the “Polar Express.” “Having served on our department for 30-plus years has not lessened his

passion for life and serving those in need,” EMT/firefighter Kimberly Holland said. “It is an honor to work with him.” Firefighters and paramedics don’t expect a thank you, but when they get one, it means a lot, Kreher said. “We always try to teach our young guys about being compassionate toward people,” he said. “A little hug or anything else we can do for that matter may help, that’s why we’re here.”

“We always try to teach our young guys about being compassionate toward people. A little hug or anything else we can do ... may help.” Jim Kreher

PEGGY GRASLEY

Woodstock woman driving force behind clinic’s annual gala By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

eggy Grasley tears up when she talks about how her love of volunteerism has caught on with her 12-year-old granddaughter. Grasley, 55, of Woodstock, had the young girl staying with her for a few days around the time of the annual Children’s Health and Safety Fair at McHenry County College. Grasley had signed up to help. “She went with me and at first she wasn’t sure if she wanted to spend three hours of her day helping direct people,” Grasley said. “After like the first Peggy Grasley 15 minutes, she was like, ‘Grandma, I can do this.’” Her granddaughter said she also signed up for a volunteering club at her school because she saw Grasley’s positive influence. “I just think that you pass it on,” Grasley said. “If other people see how it makes you feel, they want to get involved with it, too.” In 2008, Grasley was going through a job change and decided to spend her extra time doing some good. Family Health Partnership Clinic’s executive director is Suzanne Hoban, Grasley’s neighbor. And so Grasley started by helping set up the organization’s annual gala. “I’m one of those people that when I’m involved with something, I don’t just give 50 percent of my effort, I give over 110 percent,” Grasley said. “So I went and helped them out that morning and stayed to right before the event started.” With Grasley’s help, the gala transformed into one of the clinic’s top fundraising events, volunteer coordinator Kathy Rauch said. “Peggy has embraced the clinic these past four years, and we are so blessed that she chose Family Health Partnership Clinic to put [in] her energy,” Rauch said. Rauch said Grasley spends countless hours seeking donations, then combining them into baskets that are bid on at the event.

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘I just think that you pass it on’

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Peggy Grasley of Woodstock creates auction baskets while volunteering at Family Health Partnership Clinic in Woodstock. For the past six years, Grasley has helped with the annual gala and auction fundraiser. She creates the silent auction baskets and also helps organize the Care4 Breast Cancer Race.

The Grasley lowdown Who is she? Volunteer for Family Health Partnership Clinic Hometown: Woodstock Family: Husband of 37 years, Chris; two children; four grandchildren Part-time job: Substitute teacher in Woodstock District 200 Favorite TV shows: “NCIS” and “Grey’s Anatomy”

Grasley also helps with the Care 4 Breast Cancer Race signage. In that role, she is responsible for placing 200-plus signs that help route the 2,600 participants and 500 volunteers through Woodstock to the race site. “Peggy overflows with great, creative ideas and generates enthusiasm wherever she is,” Rauch said. Grasley took on an additional responsibility in picking up donated

bread – after 11 p.m. when the restaurant is closed – from Panera Bread, bagging it, and then repackaging it for patients to choose from. Volunteering is just part of who she is, Grasley said. “What Family Health Partnership is doing for the community, it’s much needed,” she said. “It just makes me feel so good that my talents and things that I do can benefit somebody.”

“It just makes me feel so good that my talents and things that I do can benefit somebody.” Peggy Grasley

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JIM LALOR

‘It’s kind of like a family’ Opportunities to aid others keeps longtime volunteer going By MEAGAN FLYNN editorial@shawmedia.com

nto the living room of Eugene Philipp walks Jim Lalor with a Saran wrap-sealed meal in one hand and a newspaper he found half-buried in the snow on Philipp’s driveway in the other. The couches are draped in quilted blankets, and the tabletop wood speaks 1970s. Born, raised, and still living in Woodstock, Philipp is 86 years old. Philipp’s doctor is finishing taking his pulse and checking his blood sugar in the kitchen when Lalor, 78, lets himself into the home with an ease and familiarity that any other deliveryman might not bring with him. He sets the veggies and thick slab of meat on the kitchen counter, and

the two men begin their weekly jokes. “I came so he can harass me,” Lalor says. “I don’t harass you,” Philipp says. “I just give you a bad time!” Philipp is the first of 10 stops Lalor will make this morning to deliver meals as part of his volunteer work for Meals on Wheels every Friday, which he began doing 5½ years ago. “Most of these people you take the food to are kind of homebound,” Lalor said. “So you’re doing a service. It’s something I enjoy doing.” The food is prepared in Geneva, Lalor said, and then delivered to the Woodstock Senior Citizens Center at Walden Oaks in Woodstock, where Lalor picks them up and begins his morning route.

See VOLUNTEER, page 45

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Jim Lalor volunteers every Friday for Meals on Wheels, a Salvation Army program that delivers meals to families in need.

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Continued from page 44

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Jim Lalor volunteers every Friday for “Meals on Wheels,” a Salvation Army program that delivers meals to families in need.

The Lalor lowdown Family: He and his wife, who died in 2007, have five children: Laura, Joe, Mike and the twins, Chris and Tim. Favorite sports teams: Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs Favorite books: Historical nonfiction on the Cold War or World War II

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• Saturday, February 23, 2013

“He’s a good guy, a conversationalist,” Philipp said of Lalor. “This is a really nice service. If I didn’t get my food delivered here, someone would have to pick me up. I appreciate this service.” Lalor, who lived and worked on a dairy farm all his life – owning his own in Hebron for more than 35 years – retired in the late 1990s and moved to Woodstock recently. Along with Meals On Wheels, he also volunteers at Centegra Hospital – Woodstock three days a week on the transportation team. He escorts people being released from the hospital to their cars, helps nurses take patients from room to room if they need surgery, and even delivers flowers. “I work with some really good people,” Lalor said, “and I look forward to going to work every day. It’s kind of like a family.” Laura Gaydosh, who volunteers with Lalor at the hospital, said that she and her co-workers agree that

Lalor brings a certain positivity with him that makes him a pleasure to work with. “He’s just one of the nicest people you’d want to be around,” she said. “He is such a nice, gracious man who’s willing to pitch in to help out.” Lalor and his wife, who died in 2007, also were heavily involved in the Marian Central Boosters Club when their five children, who are all in their 40s now, went to high school there. They organized a bingo night once a month, and as Lalor’s four sons were all big athletes, Lalor pitched in for the athletic department, as well. “I didn’t want to sit around,” he said. “I wanted to do something. I was pretty active all my life.” And he doesn’t plan on stopping in the future. either. He plans to continue volunteering at the hospital and with Meals on Wheels for as long as he can. “I think there’s a few people in [Meals on Wheels] here that, if you can visit with them a few minutes,” Lalor said, “that might help their day out.” It’s what keeps him going.

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

‘I didn’t want to sit around; I wanted to do something’

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

SUE SCHUERR

Serving beyond self

Volunteering is cure for blues for retired schoolteacher By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com

ue Schuerr doesn’t like to be bored. But that’s not a common problem for the spunky retired Cary-Grove High School English teacher, who keeps herself busy with plenty of volunteering. The 66-year-old Fox River Grove resident is an avid skier, and alongside her husband, Larry Schuerr, who is an instructor at Wilmot Ski Hill, they have lent their talents to Adaptive Adventures. Through the organization, the Schuerrs help veterans from a nearby VA hospital get a needed adrenaline rush, and they also work with a cross-section of individuals with physical disabilities. “We both decided we wanted to spend our [retirement] years helping

other people,” Sue Schuerr said. “Our hearts just melted to see them.” Working side by side, Larry and Sue Schuerr are quite the pair, with his 6-foot 2-inch frame to hers at 5 feet. Sue Schuerr insists she’s only onehalf of a husband-and-wife do-gooder team. Still, she’s a fast follower and the first to jump up and offer help when it’s needed. “I feel empathy a lot for people,” she explained. “Like in the neighborhood, if I know someone has a problem, it weighs on me, I’ve got to do something.” She did just that when she helped out a single mother by taking four boys under her wing, teaching them piano, taking them on hikes, swimming or cross-country skiing, and otherwise opening her home to them.

See CURE, page 47

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Larry Schuerr (left) of Fox River Grove and his wife, Sue, help Chris Schaller of Momence ski while working with Adaptive Adventures at Wilmot Mountain in Wilmot, Wis.

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

‘If you reach out and help ... you can’t help but be blessed’ • CURE

Continued from page 46

The Schuerr lowdown

“I saw a sparkle in the boys’ eyes,” she said. Sue and Larry Schuerr also started a bicycle program and have repaired and given away more than 2,000 bicycles to local children. Sue Schuerr also volunteers with Bright Hope International, which works with the poorest of the world’s poor. With the organization, she is working on a project that will build a church school in Haiti. A bookworm by nature, Schuerr writes the Compassion and Justice blog for Willow Creek Community Church, where she attends in either Barrington or Crystal Lake. “I just feel like I’ve got this time now, and I’m going to use every day I can to try to make a difference,” she said. “... We’re quite active, and we want to use our energy while we have it.” Sue Schuerr was nominated as an Everyday Hero by her friend and neighbor Michele Holt, who men-

Who is she? Retired teacher who volunteers in her neighborhood and with Adaptive Adventures Age: 66 Family: Husband of 44 years, Larry; children Deborah, Julia (Geoff) and Aaron (Lynelle) and five grandchildren. Last book she read: “My Secret Daughter” by Shilpi Somya Gowda. Hobbies: Playing the piano or bicycle riding.

tioned Sue Schuerr’s work as president of a women’s club that helps keep their neighborhood safe and clean. “Sue is a difference-maker, and my hero,” Holt wrote in her nomination. With all her energy and lust for life, Sue Schuerr has uncovered the secret to living well. “I think [volunteering is] the cure for depression,” she said. “When people say they are depressed, I say, ‘If you get out of your-

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

At Adaptive Adventures, Sue Schuerr works with wounded soldiers, those with developmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy, and any other physical impairments and teaches them how to ski. self and give to someone else, you’ll feel a whole lot better.’ “People who are wrapped around themselves make a very small pack-

age,” she continued. “If you reach out and help someone that really has needs, you can’t but help but be blessed yourself.”

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

Larry Schuerr (left) of Fox River Grove and his wife, Sue, and Jeff Miller of Fox River Grove help Chris Schaller of Momence ski for the first time while working with Adaptive Adventures at Wilmot Mountain in Wilmot, Wis.

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

TOM ERWIN

Helping handyman

Turning Point volunteer helps programs at agency flow By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com

olunteers are the heart and soul of Turning Point, and Tom Erwin is one of them. A jack of all trades, Erwin performs tasks including hanging blinds, taking out garbage and recycling, and replacing light bulbs for the Woodstock-based agency that helps victims of domestic violence. Executive Director Jane Farmer said Erwin, 80, of Cary, is one of the major arteries that helps make the organization’s programs flow year after year. He’s saved Turning Point thousands of dollars in repairs by recognizing an issue before it becomes a problem, she said. “Tom is very respectful and unintimidating to our clients, who may be coming from a place of fear regarding men,” Farmer said. In 2000, Erwin retired from his job in purchasing for a manufacturing company. For about 10 years, he’s been volunteering for Turning Point, with some breaks, such as when he had heart surgery. Tuesdays and Thursdays are “Tom Days,” Farmer said, which the staff looks forward to and appreciates. His daughter works there, too, and helped him get started. “She said, ‘Dad, you know, I told them there that you’re pretty handy,’” Erwin said. “So I went in and talked with them.” Just about anything that might come up, Erwin can handle, except for heavy-duty plumbing or major electrical work. He said he doesn’t want to get paid for his work at Turning Point – volunteering is just fine. It gives him something to do, no matter what it may be, including vacuuming or hanging a picture. “I try to keep myself busy; I try to keep myself active,” he said. Although he may offer them a hello, Erwin doesn’t work directly with Turning Point’s clients, but he said he believes in the organization and what it represents. Seeing them firsthand has shown him that his time spent there is meaningful. “It’s a very good cause,” he said.

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Tom Erwin of Cary volunteers his time as a handyman at Turning Point, a domestic violence agency in Woodstock.

The Erwin lowdown Who is he? Volunteer for domestic violence agency Turning Point as a jack of all trades Age: 80 Family: Wife of 40 years, Carol, who died in 2011; five daughters, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren Favorite TV shows: “NCIS,” “Castle,” and Perry Mason reruns “It’s amazing how it opens your eyes. You don’t realize how much domestic violence and abuse is going on. I think a lot of people can’t see and won’t admit what’s going on.” Erwin said he’s honored to be named an Everyday Hero. “It’s not really something I’m asking for,” he said. “That’s not why I do what I do, but I feel special to be one of the recipients.”

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Tom Erwin says that volunteering at Turning Point gives him something to do and allows him to stay active. He doesn’t work directly with the clients of the domestic violence agency, but he helps to keep the programs going by handling the organization’s repairs.

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

JANE HAGENOW

With a song in her heart Retiree returns to entertain residents of nursing home By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com

he may have retired years ago, but Jane Hagenow still goes back to her work several times a week. This time, she’s volunteering. For nearly 20 years, Hagenow, 77, of Woodstock, worked in housekeeping at Hearthstone Communities in Woodstock, a senior and assisted living center. She retired in 2000. “I took a few years off,” Hagenow said. “I didn’t want to blend my years. But after I retired, I wanted something to do, so I started volunteering.” She began by going back to Hearthstone, helping out with the mail once a week. Then she started tinkering around on the piano, which led to her being scheduled regularly. She began with Mondays, conducting a sing-along for residents in the assisted living unit where she plays the “oldies but goodies.” Now she also goes in on Tuesdays, where she plays during lunchtime for residents receiving nursing care or rehabilitation services. Playing piano was always something Hagenow did just for fun, never in front of anybody. “I used to do it for my own entertainment,” Hagenow said. “Now I do it because they enjoy it and I enjoy going in.” When she was about 7 or 8 years old, Hagenow took professional lessons for about three months, but the piano teacher said it was a waste of money. That’s when she developed her own style. “I play by ear,” Hagenow said. “I don’t read notes.” But she still has a repertoire of about 130 to 140 songs, such as “Tennessee Waltz,” “You Are My Sunshine,” and “Oh! Susanna.” She also can play some polkas. She doesn’t have a piano of her own at home anymore; that was handed down to her daughter. She also had an organ, but then she and her husband ran out of space. Hearthstone activities coordinator Virginia Campbell nominated Hag-

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Volunteer Jane Hagenow of Woodstock plays the piano for residents at Hearthstone Manor while they enjoy lunch in Woodstock.

The Hagenow lowdown Who is she? Volunteer piano player at Hearthstone Communities Age: 77 Hometown: Woodstock Family: Husband of nearly 59 years, Clarence; four adult children; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren

enow as an everyday hero. “The residents of Hearthstone appreciate Jane’s musical talent and the time she devotes to spreading joy to all she meets,” Campbell said. “After working there for so many years, Jane’s heart belongs to Hearthstone, and it shows with every visit.” Hagenow said she enjoys the people at Hearthstone, both the residents and the employees.

“I know some of the workers that are still there from when I was there,” she said. “Some of the ones I hired are still there.” As long as she can still hear, she plans on playing, Hagenow said. Plus, Hearthstone has her kind of crowd. “I’ve always like older people,” she said. “I can communicate with them really well.”

“The residents of Hearthstone appreciate Jane’s musical talent and the time she devotes to spreading joy to all she meets.” Virginia Campbell Activities coordinator

CHRIS NEWLON

Mother becomes tireless advocate for area GiGi’s Playhouse By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

hris Newlon had a two-word request when it came to writing about her as an Everyday Hero: “Child first.” Her 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, was in the next room getting help with reading at GiGi’s Playhouse, a resource center for people with Down syndrome and their families. Newlon wants her daughter to be seen as an ordinary person who happens to have Down syndrome and not be defined by it in the eyes of others. “I want her to be able to go to a store or a restaurant and not have people look at her like she’s an oddity. Part of that is building her confidence, too,” Newlon said. Newlon as a volunteer is a fixture at the McHenry playhouse. And when she’s not working to keep the playhouse going, she is out in the community raising awareness about Down syndrome and the local resources available for affected families. The center at 5404 W. Elm St., Suite A, caters to more than 75 families with loved ones with Down syndrome. It is the third GiGi’s Playhouse – the original is in Hoffman Estates. There are now 14 nationwide either helping families or planning to open soon. Newlon had heard of GiGi’s Playhouse when Rebecca was a baby and wanted very badly to participate, but the distance and the fact that the classes for children ages 3 and younger took place during Rebecca’s nap time presented a problem. Until, that is, a GiGi’s Playhouse opened up in McHenry. Rebecca was 4½ and soon would have the invaluable resource center much nearer. It started out on Route 31 before moving to larger accommodations at 5404 W. Elm St. three years ago. “I walked in one day, said, ‘Get me started,’ and I’ve been here ever since,” Newlon said. Newlon is one of about 100 volunteers who help at the playhouse – there is only one paid employee. Donations of funds and materials keep the playhouse going. A metal donation tree sits to the left of the entrance with notes listing the center’s needs, from juice boxes and toilet

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

A playhouse to call home

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Chris Newlon plays a game with her daughter Rebecca, 9, at GiGi’s Playhouse in McHenry. Newlon volunteers at GiGi’s Playhouse in McHenry as part of her tireless work raising awareness about Down syndrome.

The Newlon lowdown Who is she? Volunteer at GiGi’s Playhouse in McHenry Family: Husband, Shaun; children, Sarah, 25, Joe, 22, John, 18, Jessica, 13, and Rebecca, 9 Favorite food: Grandmother’s macaroni and cheese Favorite movie: “The Princess Bride” Fun fact: If you missed National Down Syndrome Awareness Month last October, World Down Syndrome Day is March 21. paper to a new couch to replace the aging one next to the table holding the tree. GiGi’s Playhouse now is looking for local businesses willing to sponsor fundraising events. Walking through the restrooms – painted several years ago by

McHenry High School varsity football players – Newlon showed off the private tutoring rooms where playhouse visitors can get educational help. Rebecca was in one of the two rooms working on her reading with a tutor. Newlon said the program has done wonders for her daughter, who attends third grade at Valley View School. “She’s reading on grade level because of our literacy program,” Newlon said. The playhouse is looking to create more programs – priorities include starting a teen program and helping children improve their math skills. “We’re always looking for tutors. We’d like to get our math program started. We have the program – we just need the people to do it,” she said. Family friend Kari Beres was one of several people who nominated Newlon as an Everyday Hero. She

called Newlon “instrumental” to the playhouse. “She devotes an inordinate amount of time,” Beres said. “I’m not doing Chris justice with the amount of volunteer work she does.” Newlon said she was “a little embarrassed” by being honored, and said she is only one of many who work to keep the playhouse going. “Everybody has something to offer. If you only have an hour a month, we can fit you in,” Newlon said. But in many ways, the most important thing the playhouse offers is acceptance, not just for people with Down syndrome, but for their families, as well. “No one is judging them to see if they can read at grade level or whether they’re crawling yet,” Newlon said. “Everyone who walks through that door is accepted for who they are. Doesn’t everybody want that?”

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

ROBERT BROWN

Influenced by the past Spring Grove resident pays it forward by helping seniors By LAWERENCE SYNETT lsynett@shawmedia.com

ithout a little help, Robert Brown might not be who he is today. The longtime Spring Grove resident took a nasty fall when he was a child, suffering injuries that required him to undergo more than four years of speech and physical therapy. Without the help of a former nurse who lived near the Brown family home in Ottawa, the now-65-year-old may have never been able to speak properly again. “Dora Sila was an angel to me,” Brown said. “She ran a paint and paper store after retiring from being a nurse. I would go over there and sweep up, and she would work with me on my diction.”

That experience inspired Brown some years later, thrusting him into volunteer work that started with helping close senior citizens and family members with odd jobs around the house. Now, the retired car salesman and experienced laborer pays it forward at Faith in Action of McHenry County, committing one day each week to assist seniors with home repairs. He also speaks to local groups about the needs he sees around him and the importance of volunteering. “Bob is an Everyday Hero because he doesn’t think what he does is extraordinary,” said Susan McCoy, volunteer coordinator at Faith in Action who nominated Brown. “He simply believes it is the right thing to do.”

See FORWARD, page 61

What’s important to me is being the hero they need. What’s important to you? Alice, Alex, and Emmie

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Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Robert Brown volunteers as a carpenter with Faith in Action, which helps older adults improve their quality of life and remain independent for as long as possible.

• FORWARD

The Brown lowdown

Continued from page 60

Who he is? Volunteer at Faith in Action of McHenry County Family: Married to Bayle Brown for the past 46 years Children: A 35-year-old son who lives in Denver Where he worked before retiring: Bob Jass Chevrolet in Elburn

Josh Peckler – jpeckler@shawmedia.com

Robert Brown has used his carpentry skills as a volunteer for Faith in Action. retired three or four years ago that need help, it’s the ones who have been retired for 15 to 20 years,” said Brown, who has been married for 46 years. “They are feeling the pinch, and when something goes wrong in their home, they just don’t have it in their budget.” As a volunteer, Brown takes

ownership over each assignment he takes on, making sure it is done with extreme professionalism, McCoy said. “Sometimes considered a perfectionist, the quality of his craftsmanship is of the highest degree,” she said. “He doesn’t strive to Band-Aid a repair, but to truly give seniors peace of mind knowing that they are safe

and able to preserve their most prized possessions, their homes.” Brown said his drive to do every job just right comes from his father and grandfather. “There was always only one way to do something, and that is the right way,” he said. “If you did something sloppy, you redid it on your own time.” Brown has no plans on slowing down with his volunteer endeavors. “I’ve never been in a senior citizen’s home I wouldn’t go back to,” he said. “A lot of times they just don’t know where to start, what to do and home repairs leave them out in the cold. I need to give something back.”

One of the most important resources any company has is its employees, those people who concentrate their efforts and abilities and strive to make their company successful. We are very fortunate to have many such employees at Aptar Cary and McHenry. Each year, through our Quality Improvement Process, Aptar seeks to recognize employees at each of our four McHenry County facilities for special effort, dedication, and achievements.

George Marotta

A great many employees are nominated throughout the year to be recognized for this special award and we are proud to have such dedicated talent and loyal employees on the Aptar team. This year, we are honoring three employees, one from each of our facilities, as Employee(s) of the Year! These employees, selected by their peers, are the Aptar recipients of this award for the extraordinary qualities they possess and have demonstrated over the year!

David Rokusek

Our congratulations to the EOY Winners for the year 2012!

Our congratulations to the winners for the year 2012!

1160 N. Silver Lake Rd. • Cary, Illinois 60013

Mark Neuhalfen

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

Brown became proficient in electrical work, carpentry and plumbing while mentoring under his father and grandfather as a young man. He later joined a car dealership in 1971 after having trouble finding work. He has sold cars ever since. Brown recently retired from Bob Jass Chevrolet in Elburn after nine years. “I had to figure out a way to make money,” Brown said. “I started selling cars and never looked back. I’ve held about every seat in the chain of command over the years. It’s an everchanging business.” Looking to give back locally after helping familiar senior citizens, Brown found himself on a volunteering matching website last spring that steered him toward Crystal Lakebased Faith in Action, which provides assistance to county seniors in need at no cost. Brown has performed more than 20 jobs as a volunteer, his most recent was repairing a pantry for a 75-yearold McHenry woman. “It isn’t just those seniors who

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Faith in Action volunteer has drive to do every job just so

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

LAURIE SELPIEN

Planting seeds of charity Lake in the Hills woman aims to grow garden for everyone By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com

ive a struggling family groceries, they eat for a week. Teach a struggling family to garden, they eat for life. That’s the message spread by Laurie Selpien, of Lake in the Hills, who last year headed up an effort by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Food Pantry to grow produce for their customers. The effort yielded nearly 4,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, and Selpien thinks they can double that effort this year. But her aim goes beyond feeding the hungry. She wants to teach lowincome families how to cheaply feed themselves. “There’s no excuse for hunger in the United States,” Selpien said. “We

can take land that’s sitting idle and convert it into food – all it takes is a little bit of training. ... Anybody can do this.” A lifelong gardener, Selpien eagerly agreed to take on the project last year. When she noticed that people were unsure about how to prepare some of the vegetables, Selpien printed out recipes to go with each variety. This year, she wants to take the education a step further, having customers come in when she’s gardening so they can learn the trade. “A lot of people are intimidated by it. They’re afraid to put the money into the gardens because they don’t know if they can do it,” Selpien said. “There’s a lot of tips and tricks we can do that make it easier.”

See GARDEN, page 63

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Laurie Selpien poses for a portrait next to her winter garden at the wastewater treatment facility in Algonquin.

• GARDEN

The Selpien lowdown

A couple of donations helped get the project off its feet last year. The local Rotary Club donated wood, and Greco Exterior Improvements built raised beds at the pantry, 1113 Pyott Road, Lake in the Hills. But with 300 families to feed, the pantry decided to start an additional garden in a small space at an Algonquin wastewater treatment plant, where Selpien used a fence to grow plants vertically. Workers at the plant maintained the garden and called Selpien when they needed help. “We were seeing her at least once a week, many times twice or three times,” said Andy Warmus, Algonquin utilities superintendent. “It inspired me and some of the folks at the wastewater plant. ... It kind of renewed some interest to get into gardening.” Between the garden at the wastewater treatment plant and the more labor intensive garden at the pantry, Selpien worked nearly full time on a

Hometown: Carpentersville Family: Daughter, Heather Selpien, 25; Husband, Kinney Selpien Favorite movie: “Transformers” Favorite vegetable: Tomato (“I know there’s a controversy.”) Favorite fruit: Cherry

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Laurie Selpien volunteers her time year-round to maintain the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Food Pantry’s gardens. The gardens produced nearly 4,000 pounds of food in 2012. volunteer basis. And she did it while dealing with reactive airway disease – an ailment that forced her into an early retire-

ment. About 20 years ago, Selpien was injured when she inadvertently breathed in harsh chemicals at work. She now has to avoid situations

that could trigger the disease, such as being around certain types of chemicals or being out in the heat of the day. She was at the garden each morning before 7 a.m. “You can either have your handicap dictate your life, or you find ways of working around it,” she said. “I’d rather find ways of working around it.” Selpien was assisted along the way by her daughter, Heather Selpien, who said her mother always has had a heart for the hungry. “She’s always wanted to feed people,” Heather Selpien said. “Gardening is the easiest way to go about it.”

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• Saturday, February 23, 2013

Continued from page 62

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

Food pantry volunteer also deals with own chronic illness

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

HOW TO HELP Want to get involved? For information on how you can volunteer, visit the United Way of McHenry County’s clearinghouse site at volunteermchenrycounty.org Would you like to become an Everyday Hero? Many organizations work to improve the lives of people in McHenry County. Here are a few of the groups in the area and how to contact them:

• Free Guitars for Future Stars Classes take place in Woodstock and McHenry 815-975-7989 scottn728@comcast.net http://fg4fs.org/wordpress/

HELPING CHILDREN

• The Garden Quarter Neighborhood Resource Center 4508 Garden Quarter Road, Apt. 36, McHenry 815-322-2357 gardenquarter@gmail.com http://gardenquarter.org

• School District 47 Project Story Boost 815-459-6070, ext. 5040 Volunteers needed to read with students. • Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County 4318B W. Crystal Lake Road, McHenry 815-385-3855 www.bbbsmchenry.org Volunteers needed to serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. • 4-H McHenry County Unit 1102 McConnell Road, Box 1430, Woodstock 815-338-3737 http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ mchenry • The Alexander Leigh Center for Autism 9109 Trinity Drive, Lake in the Hills 847-458-6802 kelly@alexanderleighcenterforautism.com www.alexanderleighcenterforautism.com • The Challenger Learning Center 222 E. Church St., Woodstock 815-338-7722, ext. 10 www.challengerillinois.org Volunteers can work with children in educational programming, but also can assist with reception work, fundraising and maintenance.

• Light Center Foundation 17421 Marengo Road, Union 815-923-2613 www.tlcinunion.org • Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program 6919 Keystone Road, Richmond 815-653-9374 www.mstrp.org • BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center 7319 Maxon Road, Harvard 630-834-1827 www.braveheartsriding.org • Community Action Agency for McHenry County (McHenry Head Start Program) Main office: 100 N. Benton St., Woodstock Other locations: Cary, Crystal Lake, Harvard, McHenry 815-338-8790 • The Children’s Center for Autism 3941 Dayton St., McHenry 815-344-1230 • Hearthstone Early Learning Center 350 Christian Way, Woodstock 815-338-1954 www.hearthstonewoodstock.org

• McHenry Area Youth Commission 815-790-2968 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg www.mayc.net • Midwest Center for Children’s Development 4701 N. Oak St., Crystal Lake 815-788-1020 www.mccdtherapy.com • Northern Illinois Center for Autism 1300 Cunat Court, Lake in the Hills 847-658-5607

HELPING SENIORS • Faith in Action 815-455-3120, ext. 223 www.fiamchenrycounty.org • Senior Services Associates 815-344-3555 or 815-356-7457 www.seniorservicesassoc.org • Family Alliance 815-385-3590 www.familyalliance.org • Salvation Army Golden Diners 630-232-6676 Main office, or any of the remote sites where meals are distributed • Cary Senior Center 441 W. Main St., Cary 847-639-7224

• Walden Oaks Apartments 1155 Walden Oaks Drive, Woodstock 815-338-7772 • Hearthstone Communities in Woodstock Joni Fisher, volunteer coordinator 815-321-4030 • McHenry Villa Linda Baldacci, activities director 815-344-0246

• Sunrise Assisted Living of Crystal Lake Jamie Murphy, activities director 815-444-6600

• Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA) Contact: Kara Repsys, krepsys@ nisra.org or call 815-459-0737.

• Valley Hi Nursing Home 2406 Hartland Drive, Woodstock Linda Barrett, activity director 815-334-2834, or email LRBarrett@co.mchenry.il.us • Crossroads Care Center of Woodstock Pat Menzimer, activities director 815-338-1700 • Crystal Pines Health Care Center Linda Kieffer, activity director 815-459-7791

• First Congregational Church of Huntley 11628 Main St.

• Fountains at Crystal Lake Gina Alessi, community life director 815-477-6582

• Island Lake Village Hall 3720 Greenleaf Ave. 847-526-22169 • Harvard Senior Center 1200 N. Division St. 815-943-6844

• GiGi’s Playhouse - McHenry County To help: Visit www.gigisplayhouse.com/volunteer and fill out the online volunteer form, or call 847-885-PLAY (7529).

• National Alliance on Mental Illness – McHenry County (NAMI) Contact: Cindy Ratchford, NAMI administrative coordinator, cratchford@sbcglobal.net, 815-344-8300

• Bickford Assisted Living and Memory Care of Crystal Lake Jan Carlson, director of nursing 815-477-4200

• McHenry Township Senior Center 3519 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg 815-385-8260

SPECIAL NEEDS

• Fair Oaks Health Care Center in Crystal Lake Sharon Idstein, activity director 815-455-0550

• Marengo United Methodist Church 119 E. Washington St. 630-232-6676

• The Salvation Army 290 W. Crystal Lake Ave., Crystal Lake 815-459-4261

dinator 815-344-2690

• Heritage Woods of Huntley Lynn Mortensen, activities director 847-669-5185 • Eastgate Manor of Algonquin Candie Hitchins, activity director 847-458-2800 • Paradise Park Assisted Living and Memory Care, Fox Lake Karen Smith, director of Resident Life 847-973-8800, ext. 9 • Heritage Woods of McHenry Janet Michel, resident life coor-

• Pioneer Center Contact: Barb Swanson at 815759-7144 • Special Olympics Contact: Visit www.soill.org for more information or to download a volunteer registration letter and general volunteer form, or call interim area director Anne Carroll at 847-478-0935.

HELPING VETERANS • McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The VAC’s office is at the McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. To help: For information or to donate or volunteer, call 815-3344229, email veterans@co.mchenry. il.us, or visit www.co.mchenry. il.us/departments/vac/Pages/ index.aspx. • NASA Education Corp. To help: For information or to volunteer or donate, call 866-3384968, visit www.nasaeducation. org, or email Amy_Johnson@ nasaeducation.org. • Transitional Living Services To help: For information or to donate or volunteer, visit www. tlsveterans.org, email info@tlsveterans.org, or call 815-334-0540.

• Continued on page 65

HOW TO HELP

65 HELPING THE NEEDY

• Marine Corps League of McHenry County To help: For information or to donate or volunteer, visit www. mchenrycountymcl.com, or email commandant@mchenrycountymcl.com. The website of the corps auxiliary can be found at www.mchenrycountymcla.com, and it can be reached by emailing president@mchenrycountymcla. com.

• Algonquin - LITH Interfaith Food Pantry 600 E. Oak St., Lake in the Hills 847-854-1904 www.alith-foodpantry.org

• Veterans Network Committee of Northern Illinois To help: For information or to donate or volunteer, call President Randy Granath at 847-875-0159 or visit www.veteransnetworkcommittee.com. • VietNow McHenry County To help: For information or to donate or volunteer, visit www. vietnow-mchenrycounty-il.org or call Chapter President Joe Lewis at 815-568-8939. • American Legion To help: For information or to volunteer, a complete list of the county’s Legion posts can be found at the McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission website at www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/vac/Pages/index.aspx, or by calling 815-334-4229. • Amvets To help: For information or to volunteer, contact Woodstock Amvets Post 269 (P.O. Box 742, Woodstock, IL 60098, 815-338-0269) or Cary Grove Post 245 (P.O. Box 741, Cary, IL 60013, 847-639-3936). More information on volunteering for Amvets can be found at www. ilamvets.org/prog_action.cfm.

• Crystal Lake Area CROP Hunger Walk Hosted by First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake www.crystallakeareacropwalk. org • Crystal Lake Food Pantry 257 King St., Crystal Lake 815-455-0961 www.clpantry.org • Faith Community Church Food Pantry 10547 Faiths Way, Huntley 224-569-6501 www.faithcommunityhuntley. com • FISH of McHenry Food Pantry 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg 815-344-4717 www.fishofmchenry.org • Grafton Food Pantry 11481 Allison Court, Huntley 847-495-0922 www.graftonfoodpantry.org • Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County 5141 W. Bull Valley Road, Suite B, McHenry 815-759-9002 www.habitatmchenry.org Volunteers can register online. • Helping Hands Food Pantry 2502 Spring Ridge Drive, Suite B, Spring Grove 847-437-4705 www.springgrovevillage.com/ Business_Dir/food_pantry.htm • Harvard Food Pantry 1200 N. Division St. (Route 14), Harvard 815-943-6844 www.harvard-food-pantry.com • Home of the Sparrow

• The M.O.R.E. Center (Marengo-area OutReach Enterprises) 829 Greenlee St., Marengo 815-568-7950 www.marengomorecenter.org • McHenry County PADS 14411 Kishwaukee Valley Road, Woodstock 815-338-5231 www.mchenrycountypads.com • Northern Illinois Food Bank 600 Industrial Drive, St. Charles 630-443-6910 www.northernilfoodbank.org • St. Paul Episcopal Church Diaper Bank 3706 St. Paul Ave., McHenry 815-385-0390 www.stpaulmchenry.com • Wonder Lake Neighbors Food Pantry Nativity Lutheran Church, 3506 E. Wonder Lake Road, Wonder Lake 815-355-5459 www.wlfoodpantry.com • Woodstock Bible Church Food Pantry 770 E. Kimball Ave., Woodstock 815-338-3006 www.woodstockbiblechurch.com

HELPING THOSE IN CRISIS • CASA of McHenry County 518 S. Route 31, Suite 205 McHenry, IL 60050 815-363-5920 www.casamchenrycounty.org • Child Advocacy Center of McHenry County 1780 S. Eastwood Drive Woodstock, IL 60098 815-334-9597 www.mchenrycac.org • It’s Our Little Secret 12201 Sinnett St. Huntley, IL 60142 312-445-8742 www.itsourlittlesecret.org • McHenry County Crisis Program P.O. Box 1990

Woodstock, IL 60098 800-892-8900 www.mchenry-crisis.org • P.E.A.C.E. 4 All 44 N. Virginia St. No. 1A2 Crystal Lake, IL 60014 815-455-7233 www.peace4allonline.org • Turning Point of McHenry County P.O. Box 723 Woodstock, IL 60098 815-338-8081 www.mchenrycountyturningpoint.org • VOICE Sexual Assault Services 4001 Dayton St. McHenry, IL 60050 815-344-3815 www.pioneercenter.org/ newvoice

HELPING ANIMALS • No Splitting Hares Rabbit Rescue A no-kill rabbit shelter at 2912 Cary Road, Algonquin. For information or to volunteer: www.nosplittinghares.com or call 847-458-0202. • Animal House Shelter Inc. A no-kill shelter for cats and dogs at 13005 Ernesti Road, Huntley. For information or to volunteer: www.animalhouseshelter.com or call 847-961-5541. • Animal Outreach Humane Society Based in Crystal Lake, the organization relies on volunteer foster homes to take in cats. For information or to volunteer: myanimalshelter.info/ or call 815385-0005. • Assisi Animal Foundation McHenry County’s first no-kill shelter for cats and dogs. Animals shelter in basically a cageless environment. Shelter is in Crystal Lake, but those interested in visiting are asked to call for directions. For information or to volunteer: www.assisi.org or call 815-4559411. • Helping Paws Animal Shelter A no-kill animal shelter for stray and abandoned dogs and cats at

2500 Harding Lane, Woodstock. For information or to volunteer: www.helpingpaws.net or call 815338-4400. • McHenry County Animal Control and Adoption Center Located at 100 N. Virginia St., at the corner of Route 14 and Woodstock Street in Crystal Lake. For information or to volunteer: www.petfinder.com/shelters/ mcac.html or call 815-459-6222. • On Angels’ Wings Inc. No physical shelter. Abandoned domesticated animals are placed in volunteer foster homes while they are rehabilitated and retrained to lead full and productive lives. Thrift store that supports the organization is located at 5186 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake. For information or to volunteer: www.onangelswingsinc.org or call 815-356-8170. • Pets in Need Midwest Animals boarded in foster care and adopted out at area PetSmart locations. Mailing address is P.O. Box 58, Ringwood. For information or to volunteer: petsinneedmidwest.org or call 815-728-1462. • Animal Services and Assistance Programs Inc. Cats and dogs in need of temporary homes are placed in foster homes. Marengo-based program also distributes food and supplies to animal welfare organizations and offers Trap-Neuter-Return, Barn Cat, Sunset Companion and Guardian Angel programs. For information, to volunteer or to make an appointment: www.asap-usa. org or call 815-568-2921. Monetary donations sought for all programs. • Hooved Animal Humane Society Based at 10804 McConnell Road, Woodstock. Group works to promote the humane treatment of hooved animals through education, legislation, investigation, and if necessary, legal intervention. Animals that have endured severe neglect and abuse given physical rehabilitation, then adopted out to homes. For information or to volunteer: www.hahs.org or call 815-3375563. • Continued on page 66

• Saturday, February 23, 2013

• Veterans of Foreign Wars To help: For lists of upcoming events and information, contact Woodstock VFW Post 5040 (240 N. Throop St., 815-338-5040, www. vfw5040.org), McHenry VFW Post 4600 (3002 W. Route 120, 815-385-4600, www.mchenryvfw. org), Johnsburg VFW Post 11496 (P.O. Box 222, Ringwood, IL 60072, www.johnsburgvfw.org), Harvard VFW Post 8249 (1205 Fourth St., Harvard, 815-943-6733), or Crystal Lake VFW Post 12014 (P.O. Box 446, Crystal Lake, IL 60039).

• Cary-Grove Food Pantry Parking lot of St. Barnabas Church, 8901 Cary-Algonquin Road 847-516-3602 www.cgfoodpantry.org

5342 W. Elm St., McHenry 815-271-5444 www.H-O-S.org

Everyday Heroes | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

• Continued from page 64

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Saturday, February 23, 2013

| Everyday Heroes

HOW TO HELP • Continued from page 65

HELPING WITH HEALTH CARE Here are a few of the groups working to provide health care in McHenry County: • Family Health Partnership Clinic Responsibilities of volunteers: While all the doctors and many of the nurses are volunteers, the average volunteer will do clerical work, such as chart filing or making sure the office has the proper medical records. The clinic also is looking for bilingual volunteers capable of translating for Spanish-speaking patients. Contact: Kathy Rauch, 815-3348987 • Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois Responsibilities of volunteers: Volunteers do home visits with patients to give their families a break once a week, as well as performing vigils in the hospital for actively dying patients to ensure someone is in their company as they near death. The hospice also needs clerical volunteers and volunteers for special events. Contact: Janice Farrell, 224-770-2477 • Centegra Health System Responsibilities of volunteers: Volunteers transport patients around the hospital, work reception desks, help clear patients through Medicaid, work providing comfort to emergency room patients, and perform a variety of other tasks around the hospital. Volunteers greet and discharge patients Contact: McHenry, 815-759-4203; Woodstock, 815-334-3187 • Mercy Health System Responsibilities of volunteers: Volunteers escort patients and families around the hospital, administer the home personal medical system Lifeline, visit residents of the hospital’s Care Center, and perform clerical duties. Contact: 815-943-3989 • Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Responsibilities of volunteers: Volunteers work in 70 divisions of the hospital, from patient care to support jobs in surgical services and cardiac facilities, as well as pharmacy, lab and other tasks around the hospital. Contact: 847-381-0123, ext. 5094 • Gavers Community Cancer Foundation Responsibilities of volunteers: The foundation is entirely volunteer-run, up to the board of directors. Nearly all of these are involved in the foundation’s annual Barndance fundraiser event which raises money for cancer research, setting up, working and cleaning

up the event. Contact: Sue Pearson, 815-7598020 or 815-455-1049

HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT Many groups work to improve the environment in McHenry County. Here are a few that are eager to welcome new volunteers: • The McHenry County Division of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program. Contact Chalen Daigle at 815-334-4970 or cldaigle@co.mchenry.il.us. • The Land Conservancy of McHenry County and Oak Keepers. Contact Lisa Haderlein at 815-337-9502 or lhaderlein@ conservemc.org. • The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. Includes subgroups that focus on water resources protection, waste management and recycling, living green and more. Call 815-338-0393 or email mcdef@ owc.net. • The Friends of the Fox River. For information on how to protect the Fox River and its tributaries, visit www.friendsofthefoxriver.org. To learn how to get your feet wet at a Fox River Cleanup event, contact Jenni Kempf at 815-356-6605 or jkempf@ friendsofthefoxriver.org. • The McHenry County Conservation District also offers a variety of field and classroom workshops which teach restoration philosophy and best practices in the management of natural communities. Citizen scientists who monitor plants, birds, butterflies, insects or frogs also can attend workshops to learn about scientific protocol and species identification. For information, call 815-338-6223, ext. 229, or email volunteers@mccdistrict.org.

HELPING WITH SERVICE GROUPS Many service groups work to improve the lives of people in McHenry County. Here are a few of the groups in the area and how to contact them: • JAYCEES Algonquin / Lake in the Hills Jaycees: www.facebook.com/ALJaycees Crystal Lake Jaycees: www.cljaycees.org

McHenry Area Jaycees: www.mchenryjaycees.org

Cary-Grove Rotary Club: Susan Mayfield at 815-354-0328

Cary-Grove Jaycees: www.carygrovejaycees.org

Carpentersville Morning: 224-795-8040 Crystal Lake: Carl Davis at 815-459-2685

Huntley Jaycees: www.huntleyjaycees.org Woodstock Jaycees: hollysuperstar@ yahoo.com

Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers: Gary Rigler at 815-459-3232 Dundee Township: 847-742-3264

• KIWANIS Crystal Lake Kiwanis Club: www. kiwaniscrystallake.com McHenry Kiwanis Club: www. mchenrykiwanis.org

Harvard Rotary Club: 815-670-3910 Huntley Rotary Club: Scott Mitchell at 847-459-3501 Lake in the Hills: 847-854-3213 McHenry Rotary: 815-451-0644

Barrington Area Kiwanis Club Meets at: The Garlands of Barrington, 1000 Garland Lane Meeting time/day: 6:30 p.m. first and third Tuesdays

Richmond-Spring Grove Area: 815-6784424

Kiwanis of Richmond-Spring Grove: www. kiwanisofrichmondspringgrove.org

Woodstock Rotary: Sue Krause at 815-759-7106

McHenry Sunrise: jbatt3@yahoo.com

Woodstock Morning: 866-666-1117 • LIONS Algonquin Lions Club: www. lionsclubofalgonquin.org Barrington Lions Club: treweek@aol.com Crystal Lake Lions Club: Roger Weiss, 847458-0897 Fox River Grove Lioness Club: darlas417@ yahoo.com Hebron Lions Club: pjacks6056@aol.com Huntley Lions Club: pkahl4@aol.com Island Lake Lions Club: www.islandlakelions.org or Tom Stiegler at 847-604-1709 Marengo Lions Club: jrussell@ rockfordcenter.org Richmond Lions Club: mrsmd3@yahoo.com Woodstock Lions Club: uncron@stans.com • ROTARY CLUBS Algonquin-Lake in the Hills: 847-809-8508 Barrington Rotary Club: 847-304-5933

• MOOSE Moose Lodge 1329 (Woodstock): 815-3380126 Moose Lodge 691 (Johnsburg): 815-3859770