Arlington Heights honors 'hearts of gold'
Parameswari Gopalan, a nurse at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, was about to start her shift July 4, 2008, when she noticed a man in a wheelchair trying to find his daughter. Both were in a serious car accident.
The man spoke in Tamil, which happened to be Gopalan's native language.
After calming the man down, Gopalan and her husband figured out a plan. They invited the man and seven members of his family to move in Gopalans' Arlington Heights home. The group stayed three weeks while the man's daughter recovered.
"I'm amazed one act of kindness could get so much attention," said Gopalan at the Arlington Heights Hearts of Gold dinner Saturday. Besides Gopalan, 13 other people were honored at the annual event that honors people who quietly made a difference in their community in 2008.
There other honorees included:
Kathie Hahn
Despite her own diagnosis, Hahn is a breast cancer mentor and survivor who works with the Northwest Community Hospital's breast cancer foundation and marketing department and is also on the center's advisory board.
Steve Patzke
A St. Viator junior, Patzke recently received the Eagle Scout award for building a garden area on the grounds of St. James Catholic Church.
Dee and George Bigham
When neighbors of the Bighams were having difficulties, they organized a team to help maintain their neighbor's yard.
Nancy Abruscato, Christie Brennan and Melba Gustafson
The Westgate Elementary School team helped an Arlington Heights student who suffers from a rare neurological disorder by showing compassion and commitment. Today the student is back on track academically and socially.
Betsy Ward
Since moving to Arlington Heights in 1951, Ward has volunteered for the PTA, Red Cross, Arlington Heights Nurses' Club and more.
Erin Kaiser
Kaiser is a Hersey High School junior who is involved in the Make-A-Wish foundation and organizes monthly visits to the hospital. She's also active in the Hersey Service Over Self group and volunteers with the Special Olympics.
Jerry Klopp
For the past 28 years, Klopp has committed his time to run the Saint Viator's scoreboard clock, managed the Viator's girls' basketball feeder programs for two years, coached and served on the St. James Athletic Board and more.
Jim Bertucci
Bertucci helped start and now leads the Arlington Heights Dollars for Scholars program, and he is active in Arlington Heights Crime Stoppers, Chamber of Commerce, Arlington Heights Historical Society and the Noon Rotary Club.
Derek Hanley
The owner of Peggy Kinnane's Irish Restaurant & Pub. Hanley helped raise more than $25,000 for the Ed Dillon Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of the Arlington Heights police officer.
Sue Burlini
Burlini is the former director of senior and disability services for Wheeling Township. Besides the dedication to her professional role, Burlini is a strong advocate for those with disabilities.