Charity founder 'cared so much' about children
Volunteers with the Woodfield Area Children's Organization are grieving the loss of one of their co-founders and the agency's driving force.
Joe Sernett of Hoffman Estates brought a toy to a Christmas luncheon back in 1979 and came away determined to help disadvantaged children. The organization he helped create now assists hundreds of kids each year and draws more than 1,000 volunteers to help out at their events.
Sernett died Tuesday at age 82.
"He was the heart and soul of our organization," said Linda McGill of Barrington, a WACO board member. "You can't talk about WACO and not talk about Joe."
After that first luncheon, Sernett and fellow Schaumburg salesmen looked for children's organizations that needed help. Their first venture was to raise money for a scoreboard at a school for children with autism.
By 1993, they incorporated their services and expanded their reach beyond Schaumburg to organizations across the Northwest suburbs.
Geri McCall-Barrath of Schaumburg remembers Sernett telling her about a Head Start facility that had its playground equipment stolen.
"I still remember the day he recruited me to help," McCall-Barrath said. "When he told me about these children who had nothing, who had their playground stolen, that was it. I've been hooked ever since."
In a 2012 interview with the Daily Herald, Sernett shared his thoughts on how the organization was able to draw so many volunteers.
"The biggest thing WACO does is enable the average person to get involved with kids," Sernett said. "We're the vehicle which puts volunteers in touch with hands-on programs."
One of those hands-on programs is a holiday shopping spree which will celebrate 25 years of cheering local families this year. Last December, the organization took 500 children on the spree and drew more than 700 volunteers to help at Wal-Mart stores in Elk Grove Village and Elgin.
The organization helps children served by Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54's Children and Family Education program, the Children's Home & Aid Society's day care center in Schaumburg, the Early Childhood Development Enrichment Center in Palatine, and Two Rivers Head Start in Elgin.
"Joe just cared so much about all these children who needed help," McCall-Barrath said. "He would always say that they're living right here. They're our neighbors."
Sernett is survived by his wife, Lauren, and children, Michael Sernett, Timothy Sernett, Kelley Baz, Katherine Eichinger and Kristen Sernett, as well as five grandchildren.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Home, 330 W. Golf Road in Schaumburg. A 9:30 a.m. funeral Mass will be held Saturday at Church of the Holy Spirit, 1451 W. Bode Road in Schaumburg.