Education Center honors five Naperville leaders who help kids succeed

The Naperville-based Education Center is celebrating its 35th year of helping thousands of area children overcome obstacles and gain success academically, socially and within their families.

"Our kids may be struggling with a learning disability, the loss of a parent or sibling, or just need a helping hand to get through a difficult situation," Executive Director Michael Litow said. "The mission has never changed for the Education Center since its inception in 1979 - that of helping every child succeed in school and in life."

The program features a "life-coaching" method that creates an individual approach for each child and meets their specific needs.

At this year's Kids' Best Friend Benefit and Awards Dinner, on Friday, Oct. 17, at the Lisle/Naperville Hilton Grand Ballroom, the Education Center will honor five leaders dedicated to the well-being of children and families. Several award winners have been working with youth for more than 40 years.

The winners are:

• Kids' Best Friend Award: Tom Miers, president, Naperville Bank and Trust;

• Business Leader Award: Bill and Vilma Paus, Braconi's Restaurant and Pizzeria;

• The George and Pat Pradel Humanitarian Award, a new honor: Mayor A. George Pradel and Pat Pradel, his wife, are the first recipients.

The benefit and awards dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville, and includes cocktails, dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $125 per person. For information or tickets, call (630) 420-7807.

Here's a closer look at the honorees:

Tom Miers

Miers has made enormous contributions to youths through his service on numerous boards and through his support of youth programs as a bank executive, Litow said.

The president of Naperville Bank and Trust, Miers has been a leader in Naperville since he moved to Illinois in the early 1970s. He started his youth service work in 1966 with the YMCA in his hometown of Norwich, New York.

"I discovered I enjoyed leading kids," he said. "The director encouraged me to become a youth leader, and that was the beginning of a lifetime of work with them."

Miers shaped his education around a career with the YMCA, working as the Naperville Y's youth program director and, after graduating from college, as its senior program director.

Based on his community involvement through the Y and the Naperville Jaycees, Miers was recruited to manage MidAmerica Bank's Naperville location. Still, he stayed connected to the YMCA even while becoming involved with the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and helping to launch the Edward Hospital Foundation, the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and the city's Sunrise Rotary Club.

In 1996, he was elected to carry the Olympic Torch for a one-mile stretch in Chicago. He was selected for his community involvement.

After MidAmerica Bank was sold, Miers became president of Naperville Bank and Trust. Under his leadership, the bank sponsors local events such as Ribfest and Special Talents America, and its employees volunteer.

Miers and his wife, Pati, have four children: Jennifer, Sarah, Becky and Jonathan.

Bill and Vilma Paus

Since Bill and Vilma Paus first opened Braconi's in 2005, giving back to the community and supporting its youth have been guiding principles of their family business. They have donated free pizzas to school and nonprofit events, sponsored fundraisers, purchased ads in programs, created and hosted fundraisers, and participated in community events such as Soup's On to benefit Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Hesed House and DuPage PADS, and Rockin' for the Troops to benefit Operation Support Our Troops-America.

"We are proud to honor Bill and Vilma Paus, who included service to the community as part of their business plan," Litow said. "They provide wonderful examples of the ways small businesses can support our youth and positively impact our community."

George and Pat Pradel

"Everyone in town knows how dedicated George and Pat Pradel have always been to families and children," Litow said. "We really wanted to honor both of them for the commitment and caring they have shown to youth throughout the 54 years of their marriage."

Growing up in Naperville, George Pradel's goal was to become the director of an orphanage like the one he and his family volunteered at in Lisle. Instead, he became a United States Marine, met and married Pat, and together they became parents of three children: George, Carol and Gary.

In 1966, George Pradel was chosen to become a Naperville police officer. Offering to take the midnight shift so he could go to schools during the day, Juvenile Officer Pradel began to teach schoolchildren about drugs, "stranger danger" and safety. The children nicknamed him "Officer Friendly." In 1977, the city started Safety Town, and Mayor Rybicki named George Pradel its first teacher. Pradel ran for mayor after he retired and has been in office 19 years.

The mayor, with Pat's support, devotes much of his time to organizations that strengthen children and families. He reads to children in the elementary schools, participates in events through DuPage Children's Museum, Little Friends, Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, Our Children's Homestead, the YMCA, Safety Town, Boy Scouts, Samaritan Interfaith, and other groups. During the holidays, Mayor Pradel is widely seen as Santa's "helper" and is involved in Toys for Tots.