Waukegan woman is named top volunteer

The Illinois Department of Human Services has presented its 2010 Volunteer of the Year Award to Kitty Shumaker.

The award was presented at a ceremony at the Ann M. Kiley Center in Waukegan April 16.

Shumaker has been involved with the Special Religious Education for Developmentally Challenged Adults, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago, since its inception in 1985 at Holy Family Church of Waukegan.

As parish chairwoman, she coordinates the entire program at the site, which involves getting the required number of volunteers needed to run the program, setting meeting dates, making all arrangements for the meetings and other special events for Anne Kiley Friends, with whom the group interacts on a bi-weekly basis.

Shumaker also oversees the tasks of the Leader Catechist and Activity Catechist, and acts as Catechist Helper during the sessions.

She is dedicated to serving the developmentally disabled. The fact the “Friends” continually improve both spiritually and socially is testimony of her determination to help others who are not always accepted in today’s society.

Shumaker’s outstanding work would not be possible without her longtime volunteer associates: Jo Dale, Lydia Martinez, Gary Martinez, Aurora Sermant, Lorrie Nacius and Susan Hoffman.

She also has been involved in the Holy Family Soup Kitchen since the first meal was served in December, 1984. The soup kitchen is in a former Catholic school building that also houses a 24/7 homeless shelter. Both facilities are sponsored by the Holy Family Site of Most Blessed Trinity Parish.

Shumaker is coordinator of this huge project, which has more than 300 volunteers from 14 churches involved. In 2010, 31,840 meals were served to the underserved of Lake County.