Thanks to those who leave a legacy

Last night I sat at the Zach Foreman awards ceremony, an award given to an 8th grade young man who has demonstrated good character on and off the football field.

Zach passed away when he was in 8th grade; he made a positive difference. Kudos to Flames organization and Kevin Rogers for continuing this great honor.

Yesterday I sat in St. Francis for the funeral mass of Dave Anderson. It was packed with people and inspiring stories of a man who made a positive difference. A word to all coaches: Your attitude and approach to the game makes a huge impact on young lives. Thanks Dave for sharing your best. May you rest in peace.

One week ago I stood in the PAC at LZHS, Senior Award night. The Tom Moskal Caring Heart Foundation gave 3 scholarships to graduating seniors. The Scholarships: The Tom Moskal, Tom Kowalski, and Robert "Bob" Block Scholarships, all honor these men who made a difference in the lives of the people in the Lake Zurich Area.

In one week's time I stood witness to these celebrations of life. The sadness of their passing still hurts, but this community carries their names on with love. The people of the Lake Zurich area are simply AMAZING!

Ralph Waldo Emerson writes: "The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, and to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."

We honor their memories by asking the question: Are we being useful, honorable, compassionate, and are we making a difference? Thank you to Zach Foreman, Dave Anderson, Tom Moskal, Tom Kowalski, and Bob Block for showing us the way.

Steve O'Connor

Tom Moskal Caring Heart Foundation

Lake Zurich