Mount Prospect lights up the night at annual Shining Stars Gala

The stars were out Saturday night — only they were indoors at Mount Prospect’s Crystal Palace Banquets.

Nine individuals and organizations were recognized for their exceptional service to the community at the village's annual Shining Stars Gala, joining more than 300 honorees celebrated over the past three decades.

“These are the people who give selflessly to others, because it's in their nature,” Mayor Paul Hoefert told attendees at the event, sponsored by the village’s Special Events Commission. “What makes these individuals so special is not what they do, but who they are. They lead by example, and they inspire others to get involved.”

Karolyn Marabotti, a 17-year Mount Prospect resident and teacher at St. Emily School, was nominated by one of her own students. She moderates the school's pep club, which does a Veterans Day tribute and holds “Fist Bump Fridays” with Mount Prospect police.

“I am so blessed to have had each and every one of my students in my life. I don't think you realize that you make a difference in our lives,” she said.

Bob and Alison Burdick were recognized for their 40 years on Pine Street, where they've organized Fourth of July celebrations. When the village brought a water main replacement project to Pine Street, Bob, who is retired, helped smooth out the process for his neighbors by texting regular updates. Alison said he helped point out issues, including a cracked sewer basin.

Christmas is always a big event on the block.

“We put up a five-foot tree in front of the house,” Bob said. “Everyone participates.”

Alison said the block is lit up with luminaria during the celebration.

Pure Elite Fitness was honored for transforming lives through fitness while giving back to the Mount Prospect community. The gym focuses on helping clients completely shift their identity, co-founder and head coach Mike Dragovich said. That includes every aspect of one’s life.

Team members assist people recover from injuries, train children for different sports, and work to help people lose weight, gain strength or lead a healthier lifestyle.

One client, Dragovich recalled, could barely walk when she first started.

“Now she’s riding horses, and she’s actually doing a cattle drive,” he said.

Prospect High School student John Ciok raised nearly $70,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society — Illinois, earning the organization's Advocacy Mission Pillar Award. He and his team met with businesses, legislators, and activists and sent out hundreds of emails, letters, and texts in the effort. The cause was personal.

“In my family, we’ve had people pass away from cancer,” he said

Ciok’s extracurricular activities include Academic Bowl and the debate club. Among his achievements is serving as a Senate page in Washington, DC., and living in the Capitol with 29 people from across the nation.

Frank Mirandola, an associate principal and social studies teacher at Prospect High School, created the first Prospect Gives Back day of service in 2016, which has resulted in an estimated 10,000 hours of service. He also started the first Multicultural Fair in 2022, which has featured as many as 40 cultural groups.

He helped promote the Every Knight experience, including, engaging and empowering students.

“We want to make sure every student's story is honored, but to make sure that they're part of our shared or collective story in that process,” he said.

Open Arms Award

Lemons of Love has distributed more than 40,000 care packages to cancer patients since 2014, while offering free classes and resources to patients and caregivers.

It was started when founder Jill Swanson was going through chemotherapy, Community Outreach Director Julie Kapustka said.

“She received a care package while she was in the chair receiving her treatment. Jill wanted to pay it forward,” she said.

Swanson’s connections in motor sports soon helped with fundraising. Now Lemons of Love has two centers.

Mike Mokate and Maura Reschke were honored for their work at the PADS homeless shelter at the St. Mark Lutheran Church Center. The shelter provides meals, shelter and dignity to guests. The interdenominational effort involves 13 churches, led by Reschke of St. Raymond Parish and Mokate of St. Mark’s

“I felt that they were coming into my home,” Reschke said. “I wanted to treat them as a guest, as if they were in my home.”

Jill Friedrichs has been a mainstay of the Mount Prospect community. She is president of the Mount Prospect Lions Club, was a longtime member of the Special Events Commission, and spent 28 years organizing the village’s Fourth of July parade. She also worked with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and its burn camp for child survivors.

“Volunteering is a great thing to do, knowing that you're giving more to somebody else and they're going to benefit from it,” she said.

Ron Vlcek, a 30-year Mount Prospect resident who spent four years in the US Air Force, initiated the village's veterans banner program and coordinates the annual Veterans Day program with local schools. He also participates in the TAPS Across America program, playing taps at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day at St. Paul Cemetery to honor 80 veterans buried there.

He said it is especially satisfying to work with the schools.

“It doesn't make any difference who a person is or where they come from. It's just they're another human being that either needs help or wants to help, and we accept them as what they are,” he said.