Good hearts, good deeds: Lisle says thanks with Pillar Awards

Have you done your good deed for the day? Like all acts of kindness, one is often contagious and leads to all kinds of positive vibes.

The Lisle Community Character Alliance will bestow its Pillar Awards on two Lisle businesses and a resident who have a variety of good deeds to their credit.

A Character Counts Pillar Award is a Lisle-style "thank you" for those who contribute to making the community a place where character counts. Lisle Mayor Joseph Broda will award the following recipients a Pillar during the village board meeting at 7:30 p.m. today in the village hall, 925 Burlington Ave. Lisle home viewers may watch the proceedings live on its local government access Channel 10.

Pieceful Heart Fabrics

Gina Ellingen, owner of Pieceful Heart Fabrics, 2723 Maple Ave., will receive a Pillar for citizenship in the business category. The popular Lisle quilt shop is a regular contributor to a variety of causes.

"In talking with customers, I found a lot of them want to help (because) quilters are typically very giving people," Ellingen said. "So we band together to make a difference because many of us can only do a little bit, but when we put all those bits together, it snowballs into something wonderful."

One day each month, the store turns over its cheery workroom to the ConKerr Cancer volunteers who make fun-looking pillowcases for children hospitalized with serious illnesses.

"My part in all of this is relatively small," Ellingen said. "I knew I had a space to provide, along with materials, but the many people who contribute their time to produce the totals are the real stars."

Sue Abraham, ConKerr Cancer Chicago coordinator, delivered 4,500 pillowcases this year to three area hospitals, a generous portion assembled and sewn at Pieceful Heart Fabrics.

Other volunteer groups that meet at the store have donated 225 baby quilts, a dozen twin-size and queen-size quilts to The Sharing Connection, a grass-roots organization helping those in need. Twenty-seven quilts went to Hines Veterans Hospital and roughly 2,500 Christmas stockings were made for Operation Care Package for distribution to servicemen and women. The next date to sew supply bags for the military is the afternoon of Dec. 12.

From noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, volunteers will cut, sew and press pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer. Everyone who can sew a straight line, cut or press may come to help.

Powers Construction Group

Powers Construction Group Inc., 4900 Reilly Place, which has served Lisle for 30 years, will receive a business Pillar for responsibility.

Owner Michael Powers took his talents as a remodeling contractor and homebuilder into Pat Hurt's fourth-grade classroom at Schiesher School. Powers helped students in the school's gifted program create their dream house.

Students formed two crews and each group devised a dream house they would like to live in.

"The students put in rooms and hallways, and I transferred exactly what they designed into my CAD three-dimensional drawing system," Powers said.

Powers then embellished the basics, adding a roof and exterior facade.

"Then I do a presentation in the classroom, all in three dimensions, rotating positions and showing the students everything they put in their drawings," Powers said.

Participating in the creative thinking project allows students to stretch their imaginations, develop intuitive skills and practice teamwork.

Not everything works, but its all part of the learning process. Each student receives a binder of their floor plan along with 3D designs and a personalized tape measure.

"Kids are our future, so the more information we give them, the better they are," Powers said. "This project may strike a passion in one of them."

Cathy Nettleson

Lending a hand to help children is the reason Cathy Nettleson will receive the Pillar for caring in the adult category.

As a second-grade teacher's aide at St. Joan of Arc Elementary School, Cathy Nettleson interacts with many children on a daily basis. For those who may be shy, Nettleson is encouraging; for those who may have a special need, she is supportive.

Nettleson has a history of helping children far and above what is required in her position at the Lisle school. If needed, she may transport children to extracurricular activities, pack an extra lunch and tutor a child who would benefit from a little extra help. No task is too big or too small. She has done laundry and found a winter coat for a child who needed one.

"Cathy sees the potential in all children, but more importantly, she sees the good in each child at all times," read the nomination. "Cathy has been doing these things for years because she genuinely cares about each and every child."

Nomination process

Anyone may nominate someone for a Character Counts Pillar Award by completing the nomination form. The only requirement is that the recipient live, work or attend school in Lisle. Twice a year, the award committee selects nominees who model one or more of Character Counts' six pillars: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

The nomination process is ongoing. Forms are available on the village of Lisle Web site, www.villageoflisle.org, at the village hall and at Lisle Library, 777 Front St. Your nomination may someday inspire others by a single good deed.

Do a good deed

The Lisle Community Character Alliance is collecting gently used shoes for Save Your Soles and new pairs of socks for Sock Smiles in special bins at the Lisle Village Hall and Lisle Township offices, 4711 Indiana Ave. A small donation to either would qualify for today's good deed.

• Joan Broz writes about Lisle. E-mail her at jgbroz@yahoo.com.