DuPage lawyers give a hand to founder of Lend A Hand

Ten years ago, Edna "Eddie" Wollenberg retired from the DuPage County Bar Association.

Then the Wheaton woman really got busy.

Wollenberg continues organizing a charitable group in which DuPage County lawyers volunteer their time to do good in the community.

One decade and about 120 community service projects later, Wollenberg has led volunteers as they served meals, cleaned creeks, painted walls, cared for animals, set up a resale shop for battered women, and collected winter coats for the needy. In fact, the bar association's Lawyers Lend a Hand has doled out more than 10,000 coats.

On Thursday, Wollenberg showed up at the Wheaton courthouse to celebrate the 10-year anniversary and, hopefully, cajole a few more people to sign on as volunteers. Instead, the legal community in a surprise ceremony honored Wollenberg for her commitment to help those less fortunate.

"She's one of the most dynamic, positive people I've ever met," said DuPage Associate Judge Paul Marchese, who long ago co-founded the group with Wollenberg. "She's impacted so many lives, from disadvantaged kids to the elderly to a homeless person who now has a coat because of her efforts."

For more information about volunteering, e-mail Wollenberg at ednawollenberg@aol.com.