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Northwest editioN reachiNg seNiors iN illiaNa: cook, lake & Porter couNties
February 2025
Vol. 28, No. 11
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com
HANGING OUT TOGETHER — Members of the Evergreen, Ill. Fire Department take a group photo during a Guardians of Valor event. Photo provided by Guardians of Valor.
LOOKING FOR WAY TO GIVE BACK — Gina Iovino, founder of Guardians of Valor, is shown at the organization’s fist event. Through the all-female group that meets monthly in Northwest Indiana, she hopes ot welcome female first responders, military and their family members to help avoid feelings of isolation. Photo provided by Guardians of Valor.
Combating isolation and creating community —
New organization providing support, friendship for females, first responders, veterans By CARRIE STEINWEG Staff Writer There are certain occupational lifestyles that can really only be understood by those who live it. It’s definitely true of military and first responder families, so they often go through their lives feeling like there’s no one in their circles who understands. A new non-profit organization based in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland is aiming to create a community to help combat isolation among those in these professions and their families. Although new to the region, the group is under the umbrella of a New Jersey-based non-profit called “Project Refit.” According to Co-Founder James Corbett, combating isolation is its main function. “Project Refit is executing this mission by reminding veterans and first responders they don’t need qualifications to listen to their
friend and talk to them. Having a love and understanding for the person across from you, being a person that cares, is qualification enough. From there if more assistance is needed, you guide your friend to the support.” Gina Iovino of Chesterton was looking for a new way to give back after an organization she had long been involved with, the Heart of a Marine Foundation, closed and she found herself without a volunteer outlet. “My three Marine brothers have been the driving force and inspiration behind my unwavering passion to give back and support those who risk their lives for us every day,” she said. “Having grown up in a family of service— my oldest brother became a Chicago police officer after his time in the Marine Corps, and I have many family members who are officers, firefighters, detectives, veterans, and
paramedics—I understood the immense stress and demands of these roles.” A police officer suicide prompted her to find a new way to help and she founded “Guardians of Valor” as part of Project Refit. She currently organizes two groups. One operates in the Evergreen Park area in Illinois serving military and first responders and families in Chicago and the suburbs. The other is an all-female group in Northwest Indiana and was launched last year with plans to offer monthly activities in 2025, the first being an open house event at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chesterton that took place Jan. 28. “This is the first all-female group and we are stoked. We have been working to find a leader who would step up to put a team together to make it happen. Gina took the torch!” Continued on page 2
HELPING EACH OTHER — Franklin Maldonado, left, and Dominic Iovino prepare food for a Project Refit/Guardians of Valor event in the Chicago area. It is one of two groups founded by Gina Iovino to help combat isolation among first responders/military and their families. Photo provided by Project Refit/Guardians of Valor.
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County 1st Office: Lake Plum County Office: 409Porter E. Lincolnway, Floor Creek Center Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 57 Street, Suite 203 409Franklin E. Lincolnway, 1st Floor Creek Center Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 222Plum Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 207 Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 222 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 207 Phone: (219) 548-0980 Phone: (219) 548-0980 Schererville, Indiana 46375 Schererville, Indiana 46375 , LLC Phone: (219) 548-0980Fax: (219) 548-0993 Fax: (219) 548-0993 Phone/Fax: 227-4884 Fax: (219) 548-0993 Phone/Fax: (219)(219) 227-4884 *Certified as an Elder Law Attorney the National Elder Law Foundation *Certified as an Elder Lawby Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation
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