$100 to thank a volunteer and help a widow

Today's recipients of a $100 bill through the Believe Project want to thank a church volunteer and help a widow with expenses.

• Rick Sabatka of Rolling Meadows:

"Marie is a widow in her 70s and has had bone and other cancers for the past several years. She has been a member of my church forever. She has served in many capacities at church, but I want to focus on Fellowship. She has helped with every event the church has held - parties, picnics, outings, pinochle club, etc. I cook for these events and she always comes with to help and learn how I do it.

"Even when she is in pain, sick from the medicine or just plain tired, Marie is always there to help. She sets the room, goes the extra mile by folding special napkins and making napkin rings, making a tiki bar and volcano that erupts for a luau - whatever it takes to make events special. She is also concerned that her crafts will be lost, so she hosts meetings to show the women how to fold napkins, make birds out of ribbons, make church banners, etc.

"She is my best friend and if I had $100, I would give it to her at church and say, 'Thank you!'"

• Kristin Kocan of Warrenville:

"We had a sad surprise late in October this year: our longtime next-door neighbor had just died on Oct. 23. Chuck Tadavich did have health issues, but his death at this time was unexpected. I would like the $100 so I could donate it to his wife, Carole.

"They have lived in Warrenville for over 40 years and were a big help to us when we moved in next door in November 1983. That is just how they were - helpful, good neighbors. Not long ago, they suffered a tragedy when their home burned down, but they got going and had a new house built.

"Carole and Chuck loved wildlife and they got permission to have a small 'prairie' of native plants that filled their yard. Carole tended this prairie lovingly, but now she must leave it, as she has to face life with less income. I would hope the $100 would help in at least a little way with her daily expenses and the moving costs she now will incur."

• The Believe Project is awarding $100 each day in December to two people with good ideas for how to use the money to do a good deed for someone else. If you'd like the chance to help someone, submit your idea at events.dailyherald.com/believe-project by Friday, Dec. 8.