JHN/MDH_Everyday Hereos_091519 by Shaw Media

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com â&#x20AC;¢ Sunday, September 15, 2019

| Everyday Heroes 2

SM-CL1694878

In the time I’ve spent covering Will and Grundy counties, it’s become increasingly clear to me that this community is a humble one. That humble attitude is part of the reason why we at The Herald-News think the Everyday Heroes program is so important. The program is an initiative of Shaw Media that honors those who selflessly donate their time and talents to help those in need or to improve their communities. This year, we worked hard to ensure the call for nominations pervaded the community, and received an outpouring of applicants. The sheer volume of individuals who have inspired others enough that they took the time to sing their praises in an Everyday Hero nomination was astonishing. These 16 people are individuals we all know. Ranging in age from an

VIEWS Lindsay Gloor active young student to long-time retirees, they are volunteers, who leave their marks on everyone they touch, previously unsung – but always appreciated – community leaders and those shaping the future leaders of tomorrow. Because these individuals don’t ever seek recognition for the invaluable work they do, we feel it’s our job to do just that. As my coworker has gotten to know each of the honorees throughout the process leading up to the Everyday Heroes Awards Breakfast, she didn’t hesitate to share with the rest of us that each winner is incredibly humbled. They felt as though they didn’t deserve the acknowledg-

ment. I edited their stories and can attest, they certainly do. I’d like to give a special thanks to J.D. Ross for once again helping The Herald-News staff in selecting its winners and to those who took the time to nominate their heroes. I’d also like to thank Audra Crowther, who joined us to speak at this year’s breakfast event. Audra was a 2016 Everyday Heroes award recipient, and is the president of Team Make a Difference. Humility is certainly a valuable trait, but I think we all need to hear about the good in this world every once in awhile.

• Lindsay Gloor is the associate editor of The Herald-News. She can be reached at lgloor@shawmedia. com or 815-280-4090. Follow her on Twitter @LindsayGloor.

THE HEROES INSIDE Aurelio Paul Balducci .................. 4 Brayden Caraynoff-Huber .......... 6 Sam Chellino ................................ 7 Charlie Clemmons ....................... 8 Saul Garcia ................................... 9 Mike Gonda ................................ 10 Nancy Hackett ............................ 11 Mike Johnson ..............................12 Jacquie Kaegebein .....................13 Bill Kaplan ....................................14 Carolyn Kucinic ...........................15 Terry Kunze .................................16 Karen Schillings ..........................17 Joe Schmitz ................................ 18 Tracy Spesia ................................19 Joanna Veghts ...........................20

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Celebrating the 2019 Everyday Heroes

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

AURELIO PAUL BALDUCCI By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent Aurelio Paul Balducci has been given the nickname “Doc Paul,” but it’s not for his medical degrees, it’s for his mechanic degree — he’s been dubbed the car doctor. Balducci also had the title of founder of the Kiwanis Club of Frankfort, which he began in 1976. He is currently the last of the charter members. He said the idea to have a chapter of the Kiwanis stemmed from when he first moved to Frankfort. He met a family who owned a service station. “I saw the couple had two special needs children, and I saw what they had to do to take care of their lives as well as their children, and the children were in their 20s. With the special needs population getting larger and larger every year, I noticed there is not much help for the kids and families,” Balducci said. He started the group, and now it offers a scholarship program with six $500 scholarships; a breakfast at Camp Quality — a camp for young children and teens with cancer; student of the month awards, an Aktion Club partnership with the Lincoln-Way Special Recreation Association; donations to food pantries and meals to families in need during the holidays; and, for 40 years, the Kiwanis Games for children with disabilities. “This (Kiwanis Games) was one of my crazy ideas. Being a parent is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job, especially for parents of children with special needs. And, when somebody has a special needs child, they live longer than expected with the parents because of the physical and mental needs,” Balducci said. “This event gives the parents a break.” He said the Kiwanis Games consist of five games, then a relay race. And after, everyone gets a T-shirt, a trophy and lunch. Balducci said this event has become like family and just as many parents attend as participants. “I love to see the enjoyment, love to see that they love what they are doing. I accept them as a friend, and they accept me as a friend. If you befriend a child or adult with special needs, you will have a friend for life,” Balducci said. “He works so hard each and every year to help kids,” Kiwanis Club of Frankfort President Sam Giordano said. “He’s always the first one to ar-

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

rive to help and the last one to leave. At 81 years old, nothing stops him, nothing holds this guy back.” In 2018, Giordano bestowed the highest honor at the Kiwanis Club of Frankfort to Balducci, the first-ever President’s Award. “He was in tears, he was so humbled, so grateful and wasn’t expecting it. His true nature came out when he received it,” Giordano said. Balducci said his work with the Kiwanis Club of Frankfort was not his first stint in service. His desire

to establish himself as a volunteer began with his parents and continued through his military service. “My dad only had a fourth-grade education, my mom a high school education, and they taught us the neighborhood and family were important. If someone needed help, my dad would grab me and go fix it. He never took any money,” Balducci said. “In our society, we are all human no matter race, color or creed. A neighbor is basically family.” He said he began his volunteer

service when he was in the Air Force in France and Germany from 195659, where he and other servicemen worked with orphanages. “We started a program at the orphanage to give the kids something to do. Most of the GIs would donate their time instead of going out partying,” Balducci said. “He’s (Balducci) been a mentor to me, a guiding force and someone I look up to,” Giordano said. “He’s a good kind-hearted man who puts everyone else before himself.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com â&#x20AC;¢ Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

BRAYDEN CARAYNOFF-HUBER By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent Brayden Caraynoff-Huber, 14, has decided to follow in his family’s footsteps and give back to his community, as well as perfect strangers. Kelly Caraynoff-Huber, Brayden’s mother, said her parents took her to various volunteer opportunities when she was a child, and has taken the importance of community service and instilled it in her children. But the family also has a personal connection to charity. Thirteen years ago, Brayden’s older sister Kaitlyn went over the handlebars of her bicycle, flipped and suffered a severe concussion. The family spent many days away from home while Kaitlyn was in the hospital recovering and were given the opportunity to stay at Ronald McDonald House Charities. The family has continued to utilize RMHC over a period of about 13 years. Brayden’s sister has endured 70 surgeries. The biggest project the Caraynoff-Huber family has taken on was a pop-tab collection to give back to RMHC. Brayden said his brother Alex began to collect pop tabs and started a big party called Pop Tab Dump Day at Kidz Korner daycare in Channahon. After his brother left for college, Brayden has taken on the role of running the fundraiser and is sometimes called the “pop-tab kid.” The family has donated over $15,000 back to RMHC. And Dump Day has become a year-long event in which restaurants, schools and other service organizations collect and give them to the family. Kelly said the family’s twocar garage has one side completely full of pop tabs from the year’s collection, until they recycle all of them. “Hopefully when I get a career, I can pass the job down to my cousins and keep this going for generations,” Brayden said. Author Phil Baisley met the family when Kaitlyn’s hospital matched celebrities with families for support. “Brayden always thinks of ways to help people, and it seems pretty heroic for a kid his age. I think he inherited a lot of it from his brother,” said Baisley, who has become a family friend over the years. In addition to the pop-tab project, Brayden and his 4-H group recently built a Little Free Library and placed it in front of the Minooka Police Department. “If parents don’t have money for books, kids can take a book, read it

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

and then leave a book. If people don’t have money for books, here is another option,” said Brayden, a reader of science fiction, books on video games and “Star Wars.” The 4-H group also received a grant and decided to buy fleece and make 200 scarves to hand out to the homeless living in the so-called “Tent City” in Chicago. Brayden said after that event, the family was in California, where he once again saw homeless.

“I didn’t know how bad the homeless problem was in America,” Brayden said. “It (making scarves) was a nice thing to do. It made me feel pretty good inside. I got a weird feeling in my heart like it was growing, like the scene in the movie ‘The Grinch.’” This year, Brayden hopes to once again ring the bells at Christmas for the Salvation Army. “It’s a good charity,” he said.

Brayden said he volunteers to make a difference. “It’s important to volunteer because it makes the world a better place. There is a lot of need, and I want to make a difference one scarf at a time, one book at a time and one ton of pop tabs at a time,” Brayden said. Baisley said he nominated Brayden as an everyday hero because “everyday means every day to Brayden – he’s doing something 365 days a year.”

SAM CHELLINO By ALLISON SELK Shaw Media correspondent In 1953, 17-year-old Sam Chellino walked into the Sears in Chicago and handed over $15 for a corduroy Santa suit accessorized by plastic shoe covers and a cotton beard. “It all started with my niece and nephew in 1953 and I’m still doing it,” Chellino said of playing Santa. Each Christmas, Chellino, now on his sixth suit, custom made with leather boots and belt, receives calls from people all over the Joliet area asking him to play Santa. Sometimes he goes out on paid gigs, other times he chooses to not take money for his appearances. It all depends on who may need a Santa that particular year.

He gives the money he makes play“My kids are now the ones sitting on his ing Santa to families in need. lap at Christmas. It’s magical.” “Many times people can’t afford Albert said Chellino has an amazing Christmas,” Chellino said. “If I do way with kids — not every adult can charge, what I make I spend on people. talk to kids and he does it very well, I usually find my families by word of Albert added. mouth. People tell me.” Chellino has been on the Richland Years ago, Chellino said, the post School District 88A Board of Education office gave him letters sent to Santa. since 1981 because, he said, “I make sure “I would read the normal letters from I can do everything I can to get the kids the kids, but some kids wanted somea better education. I love to get involved, thing for their brother or sister and and I can’t sit still.” nothing for themselves,” Chellino said. Three years ago he began a video Nate Albert said he has known Chell- club at the school district to teach the ino his entire life and remembers him as students how to use equipment and to the neighborhood Santa. highlight events at the schools. “It was one of the craziest feelings. “We can’t just always recognize the When I got older, I recognized a voice top players or the smartest kids in the and as time went on, I realized he was school. We need to recognize everythe Santa when I was a kid,” Albert said. body,” Chellino said. “So, I taught the

kids to record games and events within the schools and now everybody can get recognized.” Most of the time, Chellino said, he gives away copies of the videos to the students involved. But if he does charge, he puts the money back into the program. He also volunteers as a director and camera operator for Crest Hill Community TV in order to showcase local events. This year, Chellino will receive his 25-year pin from the Crest Hill Lions Club. Chellino keeps going, he said, because, “When you volunteer and constantly help someone, in gets in your blood. I like being myself and unselfishly help others, love others and not expect reward.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

CHARLIE CLEMMONS By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent Charlie Clemmons began boxing 60 years ago in his father’s gym. He was 6 at the time. But boxing continued off and on as he aged. A chance encounter with a boxing gym owner at church led him back into the ring, but, this time, to aid those who had trouble some days even putting one foot in front of the other. Clemmons began to work out with the Silver Gloves boxing class, and learned about a class Minooka K-Fit gym owners Anne and Kenji Kaneko hosted. It was called Rock Steady Boxing and is specially-designed for those with Parkinson’s. The couple underwent training for the course to help Anne’s father Pete, who had Parkinson’s. The progressive nervous system disorder affects movement and often includes tremors, according to Mayo Clinic. Clemmons had boxing experience. He once taught classes, and, for a couple of months he watched and helped here and there with the Rock Steady Boxing class, which has grown from two clients in its inception in 2017 to, at times, 25. He had never worked with people with Parkinson’s, but he did have a history of coaching high school athletics. He said his mother and father always instilled in him the need to help others. Now Clemmons volunteers three times per week for over three hours each day to assist with the Rock Steady Boxing classes. He researched the disease, and, once the Kanekos started a Parkinson’s support group in Minooka, he joined to learn more. Clemmons said he feels like he gets more out of the coaching experience than his clients do because he has seen them progress from coming into the gym in a walker or wheelchair to being able to get up and walk, jump rope and get through workouts. “I could never get paid for something like this, I have seen people come in having a terrible day, their legs are stuck, speech is hard and when they start to workout they work through it,” Clemmons said. “I just love it; I will do this until the day I die.” He has learned that, although these clients have a disease, he cannot take it easy on them in the gym because they mean business. “They get upset; they want to work hard, too, just like anyone else,” Clemmons said. His proudest moment was when he

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

saw a client who came to Rock Steady Boxing in a wheelchair work his way up to 64 jumps on the jump rope. “I get to witness miracles, and I see this every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The people who get through this every day are the heroes,” Clemmons said. Clemmons’ wife Pat agreed her husband greatly benefits from the role he’s taken on. “These people inspire him all of the time; this has changed him, changed his outlook on life,” she said. “I also

think this is a great cause for him. People always look at the gifts of other people and want to find their own purpose – this is his gift.” Anne said Clemmons makes all clients who walk through the gym door feel comfortable. So many might already feel uncomfortable because people with Parkinson’s are not always sure if the gym is the place they want to be, but Clemmons has become not only a coach, but a cheerleader. He also visits them in the hospital

if they become ill. He said it’s the right thing to do. Clemmons helps with the hour-long classes in a myriad of capacities, such as providing support when clients seem unsteady, watching for potential injuries and assisting them through the boxing class. Anne said volunteers like Clemmons allow them to take on more clients because they have both support and boxing expertise. “Charlie ... acts like an old-school boxing coach and turns them from a sick person to a fighter,” Anne said.

SAUL GARCIA

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent In the early 1990s Saul Garcia got wind of a local TV station called Joliet Community TV, and when he found out volunteers ran the channel, he said he was interested to see how he could fit into the equation. Garcia said he was always a behind-the-scenes man. That began when he bought a video camera to record the birth of his daughter. It later morphed into an interest in video happenings around the city of Joliet. Dick Schuster, a JCTV volunteer, said when Garcia first approached him about a volunteer position; he showed him a video he had made in Mexico. “I looked at it, and, holy cow, it was fantastic,” Schuster said. “He had two cameras and mixed the two. We hadn’t begun to do that stuff yet at JCTV.” Garcia said one of his first projects was to highlight different parts of Joliet, and he had a desire to find a hidden gem on the east side, showcasing the talented people and events going on in a part of Joliet that had a reputation for crime. “I found out that I had a talent. I’m not the person in front but the person behind the camera, and I had an interest to add more to the community,” Garcia said. Garcia told a story about a live music video show he ran in the 1990s, during which people would call in to make requests. The JCTV office was in city hall, and during the show they heard a knock on the door. Garcia said the show had so many calls come in, the switchboard stopped working properly, and other offices received phone calls. Now, Garcia can be found at city meetings as a paid job, but he also donates countless hours as a volunteer producer, director and engineer — someone who makes the channel work at any time of day or night. Garcia has stayed at JCTV since the early 1990s because he loves that he can use his technical skills to give back to his community. He taught himself about electronics and each leap in technology; he has been right there to research online resources or videos on how it all works. He then incorporates it into the station. “Back when I was a little kid, I wondered how things were made, how technology worked, how our TV worked. I wanted to find the logic of how everything worked. I work with

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

logic,” Garcia said. “I probably wouldn’t function too well without him,” Schuster said. “He is my right-hand man; what he does is a big commitment. If stuff breaks, we better have somebody who knows how to fix it; he’s a computer whiz kid.” Lately, with live-streamed shows having increased in popularity, Garcia tries to put many items live on the

channel. “It’s the reality of what’s happening in the moment,” Garcia said. Garcia still works a full-time job so he understands boundaries and knows he cannot cover everything in the city, but he wants to keep the channel local, which has great importance to him. In addition, Garcia has watched as other volunteer stations lose the volunteer

population, and, as a result, the channel runs government pages or bulletin boards only. He does not want to see that happen to JCTV. “The local stuff has to do with community. Everyone hears news on TV from Chicago and everywhere else, but what about the local stuff going on in Joliet. Local news is important to us,” Garcia said.

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

MIKE GONDA By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent After Mike Gonda of Custer Park retired, he began his volunteer career and now lends a hand in many different organizations. Gonda belongs to St. Rose Catholic Church in Wilmington and has been its handyman for years. If he sees a need, he will take care of it. He joined the Knights of Columbus organization and has been Grand Knight for a few terms. He said he noticed all of the need in the church when he joined the KOC. “A lot of people don’t think about how things get done. I don’t even think about it anymore; I make the time to do it and then it’s done,” Gonda said. Gonda helps his church as much as possible. He was on the KOC team to build nativity sets for inside and outside of the church, built doors for the confessionals, fixed and painted the baptismal fountain, fixed windows, helped plan a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and volunteers as an alter server and Eucharistic minister. “He can fix just about anything; he’s done a lot at the church — he’s always busy,” said Norma Vicich, Gonda’s sister-in-law. Gonda, an Army veteran, also began to place flags on graves at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery for Memorial Day. One year, he noticed the ground was too hard to push the flags into the ground, and he and other volunteers struggled. “I made 12 to 15 pokers to poke a hole in the ground, and then we can put the flags in the ground easier. The next year I probably had 100 to pass out to each group for free, and then Monday we take down the flags,” Gonda said. Gonda’s friend Bob Kulas said when people at the cemetery want to give the pokers back, Gonda tells them to keep them in hopes they come back to volunteer the next year. Gonda is a part of the Patriot Guard riders, who accompany veteran funerals, lead in welcome home caravans and bring soldiers home who lost their lives in service. “It’s the patriotic thing to do, and the families appreciate it. It’s my way to show support for the armed forces, and I hate it when only a few people can be there at the funerals so I try to show up,” Gonda said. Kulas wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle because he wanted to join the Patriot Guard riders, and he even got

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

Gonda into the group after he learned to ride a motorcycle. Kulas said Gonda had an extra motorcycle and let him borrow it for six months. “He took me to forest preserves to practice turns, starts and stops. He helped me learn all of the things I needed to learn, and, after awhile, I scratched his motorcycle with my boots. It was time to get my own motorcycle,” Kulas said. After that, Gonda offered to sell Kulas the motorcycle he had borrowed

because, “it’s scratched, and I can’t use it anyway,” Kulas said. Beyond the military and church volunteering, Kulas said Gonda has been a true friend. When Kulas and his wife moved to Arkansas in 2017, Gonda and his wife made three trips down – one to look around for homes, one to pack and move in 100-degree weather and last to bring Kulas’ 90-year-old father down from Wilmington. He has also been known to be an

amateur gardener. One time, his wife called him to say there was an intersection where bushes and trees were overgrown, and it impeded drivers’ line of vision. Kulas said Gonda trimmed them down so people could better see around the corner. Vicich said her brother-in-law has always been a modest, selfless, honest and helpful man. “You couldn’t find a more honest guy in the world; he would make a lousy salesman,” she said.

NANCY HACKETT By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent Seventy years ago, Nancy Hackett was a Girl Scout, and when she started her first permanent job, she called the Girl Scout office and said she wanted to be a leader. Nearly 60 years ago, Hackett moved to Romeoville and assisted her minister’s wife in a troop, which she eventually took over. “She is dedicated and passionate about what she does. She has been a Girl Scout volunteer over 50 years and when she gets involved in something, she stays with it. She’s very creative,” said Debbie Newara, a staff member for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. “My favorite part of Girl Scouts is camping. When I was a kid I went to summer camp for two weeks and

that was my favorite part of the year besides Christmas. I took troops camping with leaders and then started camping on my own with my dog,” Hackett said. As a history buff, Hackett’s next favorite volunteer task was to join the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Council Historians in 1987. “I love seeing old stuff and collecting old stuff,” she said. “It’s a surprise when boxes come to me. I just received one a week or two ago of patterns to make uniforms and patterns to make uniforms for American Girl Dolls.” One of Hackett’s favorite finds was an old khaki uniform with 20 badges sewn on it. One patch on the uniform was the highest award, the Golden Eaglet award, which was used into the 1930s before its name was changed to the gold award.

Hackett then saw a picture in the Herald-News of a girl with a uniform on. “I looked at the picture and the sleeves, pulled out the uniform I had, enlarged the picture and knew the woman in the picture was the one who had owned the uniform,” Hackett said. “It’s the thrill of the hunt.” Newara said Hackett even has her own Girl Scout museum in her house. “She makes Girl Scout history come alive. It’s not like reading information in books. The girls can touch and see the things. Nancy is a good story teller,” Newara said. In addition to her involvement in Girl Scouts, Hackett remains active in the Romeoville Area Historical Society and has been president for 15 years. She also co-authored a book with others in the community, writing seven of the 10 chapters and the photo

captions. “With the Romeoville Area Historical Society, it’s wonderful when old timers come in and know history more than I do,” Hackett said. “It’s also fun to do. I tell myself I’m not going to go to the museum three to four times per week, but I do.” As a librarian, she joined the board of directors of White Oak Library and is currently in her second six-year term. “I have been reading since I was 5,” Hackett said. “I always have a book in my hand, so what other profession do you go into?” When asked what sparked her passion to volunteer, Hackett said she was taught to volunteer in the Girl Scouts. As an adult, the only way to get involved with Girl Scouts was to volunteer. She then passed those values on to the kids she mentored.

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

MIKE JOHNSON By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent Mike Johnson wears many different hats, including memorial squad member, Santa Claus and prison guard tour guide. When Johnson retired, he decided to use his time and volunteer around Joliet. In 2007, he saw an article in The Herald-News that the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery needed volunteers for its memorial squad and thought it would be a good fit. Johnson is an Army veteran. That was his first step into the volunteer world, as he joined the Friday memorial squad. These daily squads, mostly military veterans, attend funerals at the cemetery, and Johnson said the two squads on Fridays alone can attend anywhere from 12 to 22 services, about 700 a year, in the rain, snow or sweltering heat. “Everybody gets the same service whether prince or pauper; we have seen funerals with hundreds of people and some with no one,” Johnson said. “I am fortunate to do it; it adds a lot to the funeral, and the families appreciate it. It’s a good way to say goodbye – let the family know their loved one’s service was appreciated.” Mike Mahoney of the Friday memorial squad said Johnson tries to keep the squad going, as Fridays at the cemetery have historically been among the busiest days for burial services. “From fatigue of doing so many services, to witnessing how families deal with their loss, it can be exhausting some days. Mike’s personality keeps the spirits of the squad up. He can relate to almost anyone and is constantly watching his squad for signs of fatigue, whether it’s weather-related or medically-related,” Mahoney said. “Mike is someone I would call a patriot, in the true sense of the meaning of the word. He’s not flashy, and he’s definitely someone who does his task at Abraham Lincoln for all the right reasons.” Johnson, a history lover, also became a docent and tour guide at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, and, when the Old Joliet Prison began tours, Johnson was asked to be a guide there as well. As a former guard at the prison, Johnson said he would add his own spin to the information, including a little history of what he experienced. In 2019, he was asked to lead specific guard tours twice per month. JAHM Executive Director Greg Peerbolte said those tours sold out each time. “We were trying to strategize ways

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

to get return business and customers, so the guard tours offered a different perspective of the prison. Mike helps diversify tour offerings,” Peerbolte said. “At the museum, we have people specifically request Mike to lead or present; he’s an in-demand person.” Johnson said he always liked history, and that’s what has interested him most with the Old Joliet Prison. “I feel fortunate that people listen

to the history but also my part of my history from the 1980s and 1990s when I worked there,” Johnson said. “Just about every building I walk by, something happened and it goes through my brain.” During the holiday season, the Army veteran and former prison guard transforms into Santa for various animal charities and pet rescues. His wife, a photographer, travels with

him to take photos. Johnson said when he retired young, he knew he would give back. “I knew I was very fortunate and in a good position, where I was able to volunteer and give back to the community. I volunteer to do things I really like, and everything I do is a team effort. There are a lot of great people involved in the cemetery, museum and animal rescues,” Johnson said.

JACQUIE KAEGEBEIN

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

By ALLISON SELK Shaw Media correspondent Most days, Jacquie Kaegebein sits in her quaint living room, which looks into her lush backyard, as she crochets blankets or sweaters to comfort someone in her community during cancer treatments. The Channahon resident knows how it feels to be diagnosed and endure treatments for cancer, and has made it her mission to make others feel loved. “I wanted to bring comfort to those battling cancer because I know what a horrible battle it is. I want to give people the comfort and knowledge that other people are thinking of them,” Kaegebein said. The former first-grade teacher underwent open-heart surgery in 2010 to remove a tumor on her heart and was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma. In October 2016, she experienced repeated illness, partially because chemotherapy had damaged her heart and lungs. When she was still in therapy for bronchial infections in March of 2017, her doctors advised her to stop working. She medically retired from her position at Jones Elementary School in Minooka School District 201. Kaegebein said she had always worked and was left with a hole in her life. She loved the children she taught and needed to fill that void, but she had to be careful being out in extreme heat, cold and humidity. She took her gift and passion for crocheting and began to create pieces to sell in her Etsy store. She then took those funds and began to make blankets and sweaters for people she knew who were undergoing cancer treatments – her organization, Cozy Hugs Against Cancer, was born. In the past 16 months, she has made 50 pieces to give to people. Kaegebein said each blanket takes up to 10 days and a sweater about seven days, if she works 12 hours per day. Cost, if she sold the items, would range from $100 to several hundred dollars, but she does not do it for the money, she does it for her soul, she said. “Hugs are good for the soul,” Kaegebein said. Preston Klug received a German Shepherd blanket from Kaegebein when he had cancer. Klug was one of Kaegebein’s former students. “I went to her house to get the blanket. I was shocked; I hadn’t seen her in forever, and I didn’t know what happened to her when she left (Jones

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

Elementary School). I knew she had cancer, but I didn’t understand much in first grade,” Klug said. “It meant a lot to me that she remembered who I was and made a blanket. It was a comfort to know she cared about me.” Angie Lenahan of Joliet had children at Jones Elementary School. “She (Kaegebein) was patient and kind with her students, and my daughter still talks about how wonderful that school year was for her. Now that Jacquie is out of the teaching profession, she goes above and beyond by

creating Cozy Hugs Against Cancer,” Lenahan said. Jack and Emily Rasmussen of Joliet both had Kaegebein as a teacher, and when their mother Tanya asked the pair to describe the former teacher, they used words such as courageous, brave, kind and helpful. “She goes above and beyond to buy the yarn, crochet the blankets/sweaters, then hand-deliver them to those in need,” said Rebecca Mireles, another student parent. Kaegebein has a Facebook page

with an application and has teamed up with nonprofits such as Pink Heals of Joliet and Shorewood HUGS to find recipients. She takes private donations, but the majority of the funds come from her Etsy store and personal finances. “I have a drive in me to help others; maybe that’s the teacher part of me. I miss being in my classroom and the interaction with the students and parents. I have a compassion for people, and I understand the journey,” Kaegebein said.

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

BILL KAPLAN By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent As a young attorney in Joliet, the first board of directors Bill Kaplan was asked to join was with the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, where he served as treasurer and president. “This was the first organization I was asked to join,” Kaplan said. “I cut my eyeteeth on that organization. I learned from many astute individuals on that board.” From that time until the present, Kaplan has been involved in several organizations in the Will County area. “I thought it would be neat to volunteer for organizations and that grew,” Kaplan said. “My reputation grew and I was asked to be on other boards, it was like a springboard, one and then another comes along.” In addition to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA board, other past boards include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Guardian Angel Home and the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Most often, Kaplan used his law expertise to guide these nonprofits. Current volunteer work includes Will County Habitat for Humanity, where he has provided free legal help since 1976. He began their when Lee Hanson, one of the founders of Will County Habitat for Humanity, met with Kaplan for legal advice for the nonprofit. He said he was happy to do it, and began to quickly understand the challenges of the business. Today, acquisitions and sale of real estate consumes Kaplan’s work with Will County Habitat for Humanity. “People really don’t know what he is doing in the background to help us,” said Executive Director Nicole Murray. “The workload he carries is priceless. I don’t think, unless affiliated with habitat, people would know how much work he carries for us.” Murray said she was at lunch with Kaplan and told him every time she had to email him for another task, she would cringe. “These were his words to me: ‘If you continue to think that way, you are single-handedly going to cripple that organization, let me know what you need.’ He took so much weight off of me,” Murray said. Kaplan has been involved with the Rotary Club of Joliet for over 23 years and serves as the chairperson of the bylaw committee. He was recently the president of the Joliet Jewish Congregation.

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

“It was very nice to belong to a group of caring and religious individuals,” Kaplan said. As an active member of the Joliet Junior College Foundation, Kaplan has witnessed a small endowment fund reach $25 million in donations. He helps to manage and provide scholarships and items for departments. He said in 2018, the foundation

offered $700,000 in scholarships. “This is where the future of our community is,” Kaplan said. He is also a part of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Will County Bar Association. Kaplan landed his first job at a law firm in 1968 and volunteering has given him a purpose. “It’s both educational and fun for

me. I can now make contributions to guide somewhat. There are always some difference of opinions which way to go, but I can contribute. Otherwise I would wither away,” Kaplan said. Murray said of Kaplan, “The word thorough sums him up. He’s a great watchdog – the kind of person you want protecting you.”

CAROLYN KUCINIC By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent

Carolyn Kucinic said she currently has five days a week booked for her volunteer work and wants to look for something new to fill her Saturdays. “There is something to do every place I go. I haven’t had anything to do on Saturday’s for the past couple of months. I’m not one to go out and go shopping. I need to find something to do,” Kucinic said. Kucinic has aligned herself with the United Way of Will County and its various programs. She claimed that was how she found her volunteer opportunities. In 1976, the law firm Kucinic worked for incorporated United Way

of Will County, so the employees volunteered with them and visited organizations to help set up campaigns through the United Way. Mike Hennessy, President and CEO of United Way of Will County said Kucinic has been a very generous personal contributor for 30 plus years. “If we need help, Carolyn is there to assist us. We are blessed to have her involved and dedicated to helping people in need,” Hennessy said. “When you talk about leadership and volunteering by example, there should be a picture of Carolyn.” Kucinic has been with the Trinity Counseling Center, a division of Trinity Services, for 15 years. It is a volunteer position she began while she still worked as a paralegal. She

was contacted by the United Way of Will County to see if she could spend three hours each Friday at the office to answer phones and file so staff at the counseling center could take Spanish lessons. Her time at the center grew to more days and various jobs. “She is a very good volunteer. She has a big heart and is willing to do anything,” said Janis Runyan, the office manager for Trinity Services. “She is giving, knowledgeable, intelligent and helpful.” Over 30 years ago, Kucinic began to help with the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic and currently runs the billing and medication program reports. The reports show the dollar amount the patients would be responsible for if they had to pay for services offered at

no cost to qualified patients. When she retired, Kucinic added several volunteer days to her resume to include Senior Services of Will County, where she worked in the gift shop and reception desk, and now tackles various chores. Kucinic said her upbringing, her career and restless nature all led to her being so active in the community. “I just can’t sit at home. Also, my father was a minister and did a lot of volunteer work. The law firm I worked for, attorney Stuart Kroesch volunteered in the community as he incorporated many nonprofit organizations in Joliet, usually at no charge,” Kucinic said. “It makes me feel good to do something for somebody who needs help.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

TERRY KUNZE By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent In the late 1980s, it was not customary for women to be a part of Kiwanis Clubs, but once bylaws were changed, Terry Kunze said she held her ground, stuck around and became the fifth woman to join the Kiwanis Club of Joliet. “She helped pave the way for the rest of us, meaning women, after Kiwanis International changed its bylaws in 1988 to provide admission for women in Kiwanis,” fellow Kiwanis Club of Joliet member Karla Guseman said. In 2006, Kunze was elected president of the club. It was through that position that she learned of another group, Aktion Club. Kunze worked for Trinity Services, a service provider for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or mental health needs. She also had a daughter with a disability. Therefore, she was determined to start an Aktion Club in Joliet. Aktion Clubs within the Kiwanis organization are clubs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, Kunze said. She said she knew it would be a good way for others to see people with disabilities differently and be more aware of their needs in the community. The club mimicked the Kiwanis Club, as it allowed these individuals opportunities to be active members of society. “I saw the need for the club because as people with disabilities graduate out of the school system at age 22, they no longer receive services. There are agencies, but the need is so huge, and state funding has not yet matched the need,” Kunze said. “I know a lot of people with disabilities are sitting at home, and they lose skills they developed over the years in school, so the Aktion Club gives them somewhere to go.” The Aktion Angels of Joliet club meets twice per month or more for social activity and community service events. But Kunze did not stop there; she decided to move into the high schools in Joliet. She created the Transition in Aktion of Joliet, a club within the transition programs in the high schools, with combined projects with the adult Aktion Angels of Joliet. This creates a seamless transition after graduation, and the former students move into the adult club. The groups accomplished activities such as Feed My Starving Children,

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

Northern Illinois Food Bank, social events, planting flowers at Bicentennial Park and more. Kunze went even further and became an administrator of the Aktion Clubs in the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District of Kiwanis, where she travels throughout the states and starts new Aktion Clubs. One town wanted an Aktion Club and did not have a Kiwanis chapter, so one was created in order to host the Aktion Club. “Working with disabled people, I

see the joy they find in it,” Kunze said. Kunze said she cares for her daughter with a disability, but she herself has Multiple Sclerosis with varied times of strength and energy levels. When asked what keeps her going, she responded, “I don’t know; only thing I can think of is it’s a miracle. It’s my faith, a prayer, before I do anything I take it to the Lord, and he’s taken me this far. I also have a wonderful support system in my husband.” Guseman, who described Kunze as

caring, genuine and a leader and advocate, said Kunze does not know how to say no, and she makes sure each event goes off without a hitch in order to better the lives of the 130 Aktion Club members in Joliet. “She’s an everyday hero because she is aware of what people with disabilities are up against, and makes sure to have safe place in the world (for them) and helps them to become productive members of society,” Guseman said.

KAREN SCHILLINGS By ALLISON SELK Shaw Media correspondent As an educator, Karen Schillings could see her girls learn skills in Girls Scouts that they did not learn in school and watched them thrive in an all-girl environment. Thirty nine years ago, Schillings volunteered to be a leader for her daughters’ troop and remained involved in Girls Scouts. “Research has shown that girls need to gain confidence and can do that in an all-girl environment, then go out and in the world to make their mark,” Schillings said. “I also want to get the girls outside in nature. They need to experience the world of the outdoors.” Through her time in Girl Scouts,

Schillings has been a leader for her daughters and granddaughter, chair of the steering committee of the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Council Historians. She creates and showcases traveling historical displays Schillings is also the chairwoman of the Council of Volunteer Recognition and a national delegate of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Schillings is most proud of creating the Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation in honor of her daughter. The foundation offers scholarships to Girl Scouts who have earned their gold or silver award and plan to study a foreign language and cultures in college. Schillings said there are two

categories of awards, one academic and one for travel. Schillings said on March 6, 2004, her daughter Corinne, 26, and Corinne’s boyfriend died in a water taxi accident. After Corinne died, donations to the newly created foundation came in from across the country. Schillings and her family attend St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Homewood. Through Girl Scouts, she was trained to help girls earn a religious award. She also volunteers as a communion minister on Sunday mornings and has helped with the Elizabeth Ministry since 2005. The ministry includes Masses a year where pregnant women are blessed, a Mass of remembrance to

remember a child who passed and a women’s retreat. “The Mass of remembrance means a lot since we lost a child, if I could help other mothers deal with loss, I want to help them. It’s not easy,” Schillings said. Debbie Newara, a staff member for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, described Schillings as committed, dedicated, passionate and thorough. “She does so much for us in Girl Scouts,, even when she was a teacher. She dedicated her life to volunteer with the children. If anything were to happen to Karen, we would need about a dozen volunteers or more,” Newara said. “I would love to have 10 Karens if I could.”

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

JOE SCHMITZ By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent In 1952, 10-year-old Joe Schmitz crept out of his room to look out the window when he heard the toot of a car horn in the alley. There was his father, decked out in a Santa suit, and there were some other men with him in a Ford truck. Schmitz recalled asking his father if he was Santa, which his father denied, but his father did say Santa could not bring food and toys to everyone by himself. That night, Schmitz rode along with his father and friends and took toys and food to families in need at Christmas, which left an impression on Schmitz – he wanted to be giving like his father. In 1979, Schmitz had $250 and bought food for a family at Christmas. That was when his nonprofit Operation St. Nick began. He was going to name it Operation Teddy, after his father Ted, but decided on a Christian name, St. Nicholas. He continued to give food to a family until 1981, when attorney Paul Root gave him $500 to go bless one family with food and gifts. Now in 2019, the Morris resident has a board of directors and multiple programs under the Operation St. Nick umbrella. Schmitz operates with a $209,000 budget to bless the under-served in Grundy County. Programs include $8,000-worth of bicycles for children with special needs; Operation St. Nick partners with Ambucs Grundy Area to accomplish the task. Eleven bicycles were given to children this year. “It’s a joy to see the sparkle on their faces when they see they have a first bike, whether they are 6 years old or 26 years old,” Schmitz said. The military program has a Christmas in July theme, and $45,000 was used to help 15 active personnel or veterans. The Back-to-School program used $40,000 to give each of the 300 approved children $150 to spend on clothing and $50 for school supplies. Each Christmas season, approximately 160 children received $250-worth of gifts, and the families received $300 to $600 in food, depending on their size. The last of the larger programs included the Family Assistance program, which helps families who are working through a crisis and need help. There was $40,000 budgeted for 2019. Smaller programs include filling Grundy County food pantries, gas cards and a literacy program.

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

Brittany Koch received funds at Christmas in 2018 when she came up short due to a shoulder surgery and complications. Koch said she could not work and still cannot work due to multiple surgeries over the past eight months, and Operation St. Nick was the only way her three girls would have had gifts under the tree. “They took great care of us, and told me not to worry – that my kids would be taken care of. During a circumstance like that, I cannot express how much it helped. Without Operation St. Nick, I didn’t know what I was going to do for them; it was a bless-

ing,” Koch said. Operation St. Nick board member Missy Durkin has known Schmitz for 25 years, and described him as genuine, authentic and dedicated. Durkin also recalled a time when Schmitz went beyond one-time assistance. “One family struck a chord with him, and he followed up when they needed more assistance with medical and financial assistance,” she said. “He continued to keep in touch, not just at Christmas each year, and this happens time and time again.” Durkin said Schmitz has also been

a role model to the board. “We watch him, and try to emulate what he does. He encourages us to dig deeper to help others,” she said. Schmitz said the success of the nonprofit rests solely on the board and the people of Grundy County who offer support each year. The main annual fundraiser in December at radio stations WCSJ-AM 1550 and FM 103.1 consistently brings in over $100,000 in a few hours. “I only wish my dad was here to see all of this; he was my inspiration, and I know he’s smiling down on me,” Schmitz said.

TRACY SPESIA

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent

Beyond her job in the College of Education at the University of St. Francis, Tracy Spesia has woven herself into the fibers of the Joliet community purely for the betterment of its people. “She is so humble; everything she does is behind-the-scenes without fanfare. She always has her hand up to volunteer,” Larry Wiers said. “She is humble without a doubt.” She has served on the Joliet Township High School District 204 Board of Education for eight years, and was elected president in April 2019. “I believe schools are the heartbeat of the community,” Spesia said. She sits on the education committee for the Joliet Chamber of Commerce on behalf of University of St. Francis, acting as a community leader to brainstorm how to support education in Joliet in that role. The chamber each year awards scholarships to middle-school-aged students who can later use the funds for college tuition. But Spesia saw a need. Once the scholarships were given, follow-up contact was not made with the students. “I created and facilitate an annual opportunity for scholarship winners to meet with the chamber of commerce, principal, parents and talk about college plans to maintain momentum on going to college,” Spesia said. She also works with a sub-group of the education committee called Joliet Partners in Education, where businesses and schools come together twice per year to swap resources to support education. In the College of Education at St. Francis, Spesia works with pre-service teachers who are just starting out in the field. She partners the pre-service teachers with schools and community leaders to describe the community footprint, so they understand the area as a whole, not just the school atmosphere. “This shows the pre-service teachers assets in the community. The students they will work with in the schools are a part of the community, so these community leaders are people who also work with the students,” Spesia said. A twist was added this year, Spesia said, pre-service teachers shadowed a leader to experience what the individuals do for Joliet because “students don’t operate in a vacuum; these students are a part of the community.”

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

Spesia also sits on the advisory council with the YMCA Teen Achievers Program, where she listens to teen achievers each week from Joliet Township High Schools as well as Plainfield South High School as she facilitates mentoring experiences. “One kid at a time,” Spesia said. She sits on the board of the Spanish Community Center, and, with the 50th anniversary in 2019, she said she recognizes the power of good governance, which leads to influential work in

the community. For the second year, she will be involved with Will County Take Back the Night event, which remembers women and children killed by domestic violence. It also offers a place for local organizations to showcase programs in this field. Spesia has taken on a newer role in a grassroots organization called Bridges out of Poverty – a local initiative in which those in poverty work through a 16-week curriculum to become self-sufficient.

“This is a personal and profound way to be a part of someone else moving themselves to a better place. The ripple effect of moving out of poverty has an effect on the children and family future,” Spesia said. Wiers said Spesia builds bridges in the community. “It’s a volatile time in our communities, and we need builders, bridge builders, to create inclusivity. She is a beautiful human being with a sole focus to improve her community.”

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

JOANNA VEGHTS By ALLISON SELK

Shaw Media correspondent When 8-year-old Nicholas Veghts was diagnosed with leukemia on July 4, 2011, he underwent treatment and was in remission by November of the same year. On Dec. 5, he came down with a fever and was admitted to a hospital and later the intensive care unit, as an infection developed in his lungs. Meanwhile, his parents, Joanna and Bart, had to drive back and forth. With medical and travel expenses quickly increasing, parents from Nicholas’ elementary school began a support group for the family. “They had book sales to help pay our medical bills and supplied us with meals and items to have at home,” Joanna said. Nicholas died on Feb. 28, 2012. After his death, the Veghts family trademarked the name “Team Nicholas” for their new nonprofit to help other children with cancer. Since that time, Joanna has not stopped giving in her son’s name. “We were in the hospital during the holidays, and a lot of donations came in during November and December. But when it came to January and February, the hospital would run out of things,” Joanna said. The first donations Joanna put together were Easter baskets, since that was the next holiday after Nicholas’ death. They spoke with Child Life Teams at the hospital to determine what was needed and created baskets with specific ages in mind. The highest-demanded items yearround, according to the Child Life Teams, were Legos or block sets, so in 2013, Joanna launched a toy drive. “Legos were near and dear to Nicholas’ heart; those were the toys he loved at the hospital, and they never had enough,” Joanna said. “We collected 100 sets the first year, and, in 2018, we collected 925 sets. Our kick-off for the 2019 fundraiser will be in October.” Team Nicholas designed Father’s Day and Mother’s Day baskets for the parents and guardians who had to stay at the hospital. Dads received coffee mugs and coffee gift certificates, while the moms opened care packages of nail polish and toiletries, just something to know they are not forgotten. Additionally, they donate gifts for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Halloween. “The Veghts family is simply

Eric Ginnard – eginnard@shawmedia.com

tremendous. They are committed, passionate, generous and loving individuals who have made it their mission to help other families during their most difficult times,” said Amy Carter, lead child life specialist and donation coordinator for University of Chicago Medicine. Another of Joanna’s passions is to provide meals to the Ronald McDonald House Charity’s family room, which offers a small room with a couch, chairs and a kitchenette.

Joanna said they bring in free meals a few times per month at the Ronald McDonald House at Edward Hospital in Naperville. On top of all of this, donations of art supplies, toys, games and comfort items for children and teens are made monthly to UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, Edward-Elmhurst Health, Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, UIC Children’s Center, and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital’s

Child Life Department. “It (these gifts) means the world to these families. Their gifts provide an opportunity to normalize the environment, to allow kids to be kids despite what is going on medically,” Carter said. “The impact is equally as powerful for the families. Parents often become tearful when we deliver a gift bag – tears of joy that others are thinking of them during this time. The stories and the impact are endless.”

SUBMITTED REPORT Volunteering often is its own reward. But helping others can be just as beneficial to the people doing the helping as it is for the people being helped. Though it sometimes can be hard to find time to volunteer, a look at some of the health benefits of volunteering might just compel someone to find the time they need to volunteer. Many veteran volunteers have stated that they’re happier when they volunteer. A study from researchers at the London School of Economics that was published in the journal

Social Science and Medicine found that the more people volunteered, the happier they were. The researchers compared people who never volunteered to people who did, finding that the odds of being “very happy” rose by 7% among people who volunteered monthly. Those odds increased by 12% among people who volunteered every two to four weeks. Social interaction also can improve mental health. While volunteering is a selfless act, volunteers may be benefitting in ways that can improve their lives in both the short- and long-term.

! S N O I T A L U CONGRAT CKETT NANCY HA INGS L L I H C S N E R KA Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana congratulates you on being our

Everyday Heroes!

www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

2019 EVERYDAY HEROES!

CRAFT BEER, GREAT FOOD, GOOD TIMES! Heroes West offers entertainment from your favorite area cover bands and original music, to broadcasted sports events on our 70 High Definition flat screen TV’s, sports tournaments, a kids gaming area and more. There’s never a dull moment!

1530 Commerce Dr., Joliet IL (815) 725-1234 www.heroeswest.net Mon.- Thurs. 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

EVERYDAY HEROES | The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

Volunteering affects health in a good way

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| EVERYDAY HEROES

Award recipients give of their time and talent Once again this year, Shaw Media presented Everyday Hero Awards to 16 people selected from a group of more than 50 who were nominated by friends, co-workers and family members. The award recipients, residents of our two-county area, were chosen because of their unique contributions and efforts to help those in need or to better the quality of life in their respective communities. Each of these recipients gave time and talent without expecting recognition or accolades for their service.

VIEWS J.D. Ross As a member of the team who reviewed the nominations and participated in the selection process, I am in awe of the people chosen. Though of different ages, backgrounds and interests, each of these people saw opportunities to make contributions and they stepped up to do so in a big way. I hope you will read and enjoy their stories. If

you do, I am confident you will be both impressed and grateful that we live in a community that produces and nurtures people who give so much to help others I compliment Shaw Media leadership for providing this recognition program annually. While there are many opportunities for major movers and shakers in our community to be celebrated, Shaw Media has chosen to recognize individuals whose scope of service may be narrow, but whose impact on an area of need is significant and, in some cases, life-changing. We live in a community that has

challenges, but also a community with people of many talents. I hope the stories of this year’s recipients inspire you to get involved and be an Everyday Hero who sees an opportunity and responds.

• J.D. Ross has served the Everyday Heroes program for five years, including two of those as keynote speaker. He was the sixth president of Joliet Junior College and has served on numerous boards, including the Kiwanis Club of Joliet, The United Way of Will County and the University of Saint Francis.

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2019

Aurelio Paul Balducci

Michael Gonda

Sam Chellino

Michael Johnson

Brayden Caraynoff-Huber Charlie Clemmons Saul Garcia

Terry Kunze

Nancy Hackett

Karen Schillings

Jacquie Kaegebein

Tracy Spesia

William Kaplan

Carolyn Kucinic

Joe Schmitz

Joanna Veghts

It is an honor to recognize people in our communities who selflessly give their time and talents for others. Will and Grundy counties are a better place to live and work because of their efforts.

Everyday Heroes|The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com â&#x20AC;˘ Sunday, September 15, 2019

Need a warehouse near major transportation nodes? The CenterPoint Intermodal Center is connected to it all.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go.

The Herald-News / TheHerald-News.com • Sunday, September 15, 2019

| Everyday Heroes

There is Safety in (our) Numbers.

Largest Robotic Surgery Program in the Chicago Area If you are considering surgery, you can count on The Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital to have you feeling better in no time. Home to some of the most experienced surgeons in the nation, we perform more robotic-assisted surgeries — including hysterectomies and complex procedures to treat colorectal cancer — than anyone else in the Chicago area. Some procedures are even performed through a single, tiny incision in your belly-button for virtually scar-less results. Surgeons from around the world train with us. Our vast experience means better outcomes for you such as less pain and risk of complications, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery. Learn more at midwestroboticsurgery.org

Robotic – assisted Surgical Procedures to Treat:

• • • • • • • • • •

Cervical & Endometrial Cancer Colorectal Cancer Endometriosis Gallbladder Disease Gall Stones Heartburn Hernia Hip Pain Kidney Cancer Knee Pain

• • • • • • • • • •

Lung Cancer Ovarian & Uterine Cancer Pelvic Pain Pelvic Organ Prolapse Prostate Cancer Sleep Apnea Chronic Back Pain Throat Cancer Urinary & Fecal Incontinence Uterine Fibroids

MIDWEST INSTITUTE for

ROBOTIC SURGERY at Silver Cross Hospital

1900 Silver Cross Blvd. • New Lenox Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.