‘You knew that you mattered to her’: Community meal honors Barrington teen’s memory
Barrington High School students and their parents honored the memory of Marin Lacson on Thursday by engaging in one of her favorite activities: volunteering.
They served at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Barrington, which hosted an event for The Community Meal to pay tribute Marin, who was fatally struck by a train Jan. 25 while walking to classes at Barrington High School.
“One of the things about Marin was how much she volunteered. We just wanted to keep her volunteerism alive,” said Wendy Chau, who was Marin’s Girl Scout leader and whose daughter was Marin’s friend.
The Community Meal, which provides free meals in Barrington and surrounding suburbs, was one of several agencies where Marin gave of her time. She also volunteered at the Cuba Township Food Pantry, which her mother, Bridget Lacson, once managed, and the SOUL Harbour Ranch, which provides animal therapy for those in need at hospitals, nursing homes and retirement communities, schools, libraries, veteran facilities, homes for the disabled and elsewhere.
Those organizations were represented at Thursday’s event. Collections were taken for the food pantry and SOUL Harbour provided therapy dogs for those who attended.
High school student musicians performed during the meal and Barbara Floyd, who taught Marin’s second grade class at Countryside Elementary School, spoke to the guests.
“She loved to volunteer,” Floyd said of Marin. “She believed in a lot of philanthropic work and giving of her time and helping others. You knew that you mattered to her.”
“Marin has left a lasting legacy with all of the people that she has touched. For having a short life, it was a full and beautiful life,” she added.
Among the students who attended were several of Marin’s teammates on the Barrington High School lacrosse team.
“She always loved people for who they were,” said junior Avery Ciaglia. “She would never judge anyone. She accepted you for who you are.”
Marin Lacson was fatally struck at the Hough Street crossing near Main Street. In the wake of her death parent volunteers have taken to serving as crossing guards at crossing students pass while walking to school and Barrington officials are exploring safety measures ranging from additional warning signs to pedestrian gates.