With 'a heart as big as Palatine' volunteer loves working with children

Summer days and summer camps go hand in hand.

Something else that goes hand in hand is Palatine's Rich Tyack and helping children including a stint at the Northeast Palatine Summer Camp.

Each summer, the Township of Palatine partners with its police department, park district, School District 15, and the Palatine Opportunity Center to provide under-resourced youth in the area with summertime fun. The camp offers social, educational and recreational activities.

"I worked the community service day, which gives the kids a chance to give back to the community by picking up trash and spreading mulch along an area on Northwest Highway," Tyack said.

Tyack got the somewhat lethargic group of older teens to enjoy the experience even though it was a lot of hard work.

"I really feel I have a big connection with these kids that are underprivileged and some of which come from a bad situation," said the 47-year old.

Kathy Millin, executive director of the Palatine Opportunity Center, agrees wholeheartedly with that statement.

"He took on the more challenging older kids. They just loved him and he made it a powerful experience for them," Millin said. "After he volunteered at the summer camp, he called to thank me for having the experience because it truly meant a lot to him to spend the time with the kids at camp."

His camp involvement was not the first volunteering Tyack did for Millin. She said at the beginning of their relationship, about two years ago, Tyack would call a few times a week just to check in on how he could help with the needs of the Palatine Opportunity Center.

"He has a heart bigger than Palatine," Millin said. "He would call me and help me with whatever we needed, even winter coats or glasses. He's a guardian angel."

Indeed, Tyack arranged with Wal-Mart and Sears to provide some of the children in need with free eye exams and glasses. He also pulled together supplies for fire victims.

In the beginning, monetary assistance came out of Tyack's own pocket, including providing snacks for the children at the Edgebrook Community Center. However, Tyack eventually sought help.

"As I would hear stories of families and kids at risk, and hear about them losing a job, or a kid in a bad situation at home, or a kid living on his own with no food or clothes, I would go out and tell acquaintances," Tyack said.

"They couldn't believe the stories I told, and they started to help."

Tyack even enlisted the aid of such groups as the District 15 PTA, and using its coat closet to supply necessities to some children determined by the Palatine Opportunity Center to be in need.

"In winter, I found kids going to school in T-shirts when it was 20 degrees outside," Tyack said. "Hearing about more severe crisis situations where basic human needs were not being met, I just had to become more involved."

"More involved," catapulted Tyack toward forming the nonprofit 501C-3 Palatine Assisting Through Hope.

Starting the wheels in motion in October 2006, PATH was formally recognized as a nonprofit in March 2007. It's headed by Tyack, Andy Konopka and Debbie Rohrwasser. The group has established an e-mail network, securing aid for necessities posted on the site.

In addition to soliciting supplies via e-mail, Tyack and his group will pick up items and distribute them. Currently, they are looking for a storage facility, other than Tyack's garage, so they do not have to turn down any donations due to lack of space. A future "wish" involves a food pantry on wheels.

"He spends a lot of time thinking about people in need, and he cares so much for them," Millin said. "When I think of a good Samaritan, I think of Rich Tyack."

For more information or to be added to PATH's e-mail wish list, contact PATHnonprofit@comcast.net.