Center singles out suburban volunteers
The Volunteer Center of Northwest Suburban Chicago honored their top volunteers of the year Tuesday, a mix of people who range in age from 16 to 75 and in experience from a few years to more than four decades.
The center is the largest volunteer matchmaking agency in the Northwest suburbs -- pairing eager volunteers with organizations that need the help.
This was the 39th giving of the Caring Hearts Awards, an annual event that celebrates the most dedicated among them.
The awards underscore what already has been a banner year for volunteers. Christine Smith, the associate director of the Volunteer Center, said the center matched 15,000 volunteers to opportunities in the past year -- fully 50 percent more matches than last year.
"What we've seen is a rise in groups and episodic volunteers," she said, "and youth involvement has increased dramatically in the past two years."
The involvement of suburban businesses is also notable, Smith added.
"We're getting more support from corporations," she said, adding those businesses want both to help the community and enhance their own "team building" among employees.
One Caring Hearts award is given to a local business or corporation. Others are awarded for youths and youth groups, adults, seniors and in education.
The 2008 winners are:
• Corporate Category winner Bill Anaya, of Palatine for his legal work at the firm of Arnstein & Lehr, on behalf of The Bridge Youth & Family Service.
• Senior Category winner Carol Murray, of Mount Prospect, for her work with the CEDA Northwest food pantry.
• Youth Category winner Christine Ninchich, 16, of Palatine, for her work as a member of the Justice and Service ministry at Holy Family Parish in Inverness and other volunteer efforts.
• Corporate Category winner Karen Hanson, of Rolling Meadows, represents Zurich in Schaumburg and The Giving Tree holiday gift program, among others.
• Twenty-six Maine East students in the high school's Gifted Lyceum Program won the Youth Group award for their work with Rainbow Hospice in Park Ridge.
• The Brandeis University National Women's Committee, North Shore chapter, honored in the Community Group category. After decades of running the Brandeis Used Book Sale at Old Orchard the committee (average age, 75) passed the fund-raiser to the Little City Foundation this year, but spent more than 100 hours a month helping Little City learn how to run it.
• Education Category winner Ann Grant, of Skokie, for her 2,000 hours at Oakton Community College's Volunteers in Teaching Adults program.
• Senior Category winner Georgiana Duffy, of Park Ridge, for her work with the Rainbow Hospice Widowed Persons Services and for running several of rainbow's programs besides.
• Adult Category co-winner Steve Dodge, of Cary, for his work with the Bridge Youth & Family Services.
• Adult Category co-winners Lee and Shirley Eilken of Des Plaines, for their work with the Des Plaines Self-Help Closet and Pantry.
• Volunteer Leadership Category winner Gil Fergus, of Morton Grove, who has had a long volunteer association with the Little City Foundation.
Youth Category winner Katelyn Jo Hofstetter of Glenview, a member of the Glenbrook South High School Interact Club. The Club has 225 students who volunteer all year long at various projects.
• Senior Category winner Alan Lifchultz, Prospect Heights, for his service to Resources for Community Living.