'City of Good Neighbors': Arlington Heights honors 2023 Hearts of Gold recipients

The village of Arlington Heights recently held its 25th annual Hearts of Gold, Celebrating Community Spirit, event at the Doubletree Hotel in Arlington Heights.

Laurie Mitchell, chairwoman of the Arlington Heights Special Events Commission, delivered the opening remarks while Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes presented the welcome address. The Rev. Ed Pelrine, pastor of St. James Catholic Church, Arlington Heights, gave the invocation.

The 2023 Hearts of Gold recipients are citizens who, often without public notice, contribute their time and talent to better the world around them. Their names may not be well-known, but their hearts are.

The Hearts of Gold awards are not based on what these individuals did during any particular period of time - because, for most, their contributions are a lifestyle. Hearts of Gold recipients exemplify unselfish and extraordinary personal participation in community organizations and programs that continue to make Arlington Heights the "City of Good Neighbors."

The Arlington Heights Special Events commissioners presented the following Hearts of Gold Awards:

The Mentor Heart of Gold Award: Kent Borghoff

The award recognizes an individual or organization who inspires others to excel, serves as a role model and provides leadership and mentoring that helps improve behavior, performance, and/or employment skills.

Borghoff is a social science teacher at John Hersey High School who excels at teaching advanced placement level U.S., world and European history. His students benefit from his passion and love for teaching history, as well as his master storyteller skills. Borghoff's lessons provide a path for students to become critical thinkers, as well as to achieve some of the highest AP scores in the district and the state. Borghoff also coaches Scholastic Bowl, has sponsored Student Council for the past 20 years, grills at the football games, mentors the golf team on etiquette and rules of the game and coordinates homecoming events, not to forget the number of college recommendation letters he writes to help his students.

The Best Neighbor Heart of Gold: Mike and Sheri Haas

The award recognizes a resident of Arlington Heights who consistently goes out of his/her way to be a good neighbor.

The Haases - who, according to the many neighbors who nominated them, are shining examples of how going that extra mile for a neighbor in need has truly created a "family" of neighbors. They say the Haases have earned this title in their neighborhood for the genuine care and selfless giving of their time.

The Educator Heart of Gold: Chris Barnum

The award recognizes an educator who goes beyond expectations to teach others.

As director of bands at Prospect High School for 17 years, he has gone above and beyond to deliver education, opportunity and the gift of music to the community. His passion for music has been shared with thousands of students over the years and shines through in group achievement in events such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and through each individual student's success. Pursuit of excellence, pride in performance and building connections are the top focus in all that Barnum pursues.

Young at Heart Heart of Gold Award: Paul Kochendorfer

The Young at Heart Award recognizes a senior in Arlington Heights who continues to actively and enthusiastically contribute to the community.

As a Master Gardener, Kochendorfer has volunteered over 6,000 hours throughout the past 30 years, sharing his knowledge of horticulture with others. He teaches seminars on topics ranging from plant identification to issues that affect the environment. He has been honored at the county and state levels as Master Gardener of the Year and was inducted into the Lake County Hall of Fame for his efforts. Kochendorfer also serves the library and senior center. Devoting 4,300 hours over 24 years, he has coached thousands of seniors in improving their technology skills. He not only played a critical role in creating and improving classes offered at the senior center, but also developed an app to help manage their classes. The same skills were helpful to the library where Kochendorfer developed an app to help the staff schedule and coordinate book discussions. He also serves as secretary and treasurer of Luther Village.

Heroic Heart of Gold: Tony and Doreen Jannotta

The award recognizes a person whose actions changed the trajectory of another person's life.

Though many others choose to look away, the Jannottas have recognized the homelessness that exists for individuals and families in Arlington Heights, and have made it their mission to address the needs of those facing this difficult challenge. They roll up their sleeves to deliver home cooked meals late in the evening, visit local gathering places for unsheltered individuals, provide monthly rides to St. Edna's, and provide clothing, warm blankets and toiletries where needed. Beyond providing for the basic needs, the Jannottas provide dignity.

Young Champion Heart of Gold: Evan Watanuki

The award recognizes a person whose actions changed the trajectory of another person's life.

Watanuki is the catcher on his baseball team - the all-seeing play caller and on the field coach. A good catcher is smart; Watanuki is a straight-A student, challenging himself with high school level courses as an eighth grader at Thomas Middle School. A good catcher knows how to motivate and unite his teammates, Watanuki's ability to unite and guide his teammates carries over to his desire to include classmates in the Partners in Athletic Club and Adaptive Physical Education classes at school. His four nominating teachers and coaches call his humble actions something else - leadership.

Volunteer Heart of Gold: Frank Lesniak

The award recognizes an individual with a true volunteer spirit, who contributes his/her time to one or more charitable or civic organizations in the village.

Lesniak can be found everywhere around town, planning a park district golf fundraiser or at a major Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce event. Lesniak has an extensive background in leadership and volunteering positions that have significantly impacted the community in Arlington Heights. This includes serving as a member of the St. Joseph Club of Italian Americans for over 15 years, volunteering to coach his sons' baseball and soccer teams, longtime volunteer for the Mane/Taste of Arlington, board member of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, and forming a new Business Builders Group. Lesniak joined the Arlington Heights Park District Foundation board about six years ago. After two months, he accepted the chairman position for the annual golf fundraiser. During that time, he and his team raised over $116,000 to help support the park district.

Community Spirit Heart of Gold: Theresa Schultz

The award recognizes an individual or group who sets a high standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspires others with their community spirit.

Schultz is a community organizer and nonprofit fundraiser. She is an active board member of the Arlington Heights Parks Foundation; a founding board member and secretary of the nonprofit Hearts for Hope; is the Arlington Heights community coordinator for the nationwide youth running program, Healthy Kids Running Series; and in 2024, will launch her new business, Cardio Kidz, a nonprofit organization that will work with youth to have positive engagement with others, self-confidence, good sportsmanship and a charitable approach to living through participation in local sporting events and athletic activities.

Business Leader of the Year Heart of Gold: Becky Reel - For Papa's Sake Home Care.

The award recognizes a business or organization that makes the village a better place to work and live through participation and/or philanthropic support of community organizations and programs.

Reel's parents, Ellen and Robert Simon, started For Papa's Sake Home Care in 2011, and she became executive director eight years ago. Together, they built a business that helps connect families with a caregiver to help those wanting to live at home. During the early days of the pandemic, Reel partnered with local organizations to help drive business to them. These initiatives included holiday dinners from Scratchboard for the families of seven first responders, matching cupcake purchases for Sweet T's, family portraits for "Grandparents Day" from Something Blue Photography, and an educational speaker series at CoCo & Blu, to name a few. For Papa's Sake provides funds to aid these endeavors with a focus on helping the other organization. Reel is also a board member for the nonprofit Family Forward, and held a gift card drive which raised $13,500 for the nonprofit. For Papa's Sake matched this amount for a total of $27,000.

Kenneth M. Bonder Beautification Heart of Gold: Michelle Derochowski

The award, named for a former village manager, recognizes an individual or group that has created a sustained visual enhancement to the village.

Derochowski has been helping beautify the village since 2008. She has served as chairwoman of the Environmental Awareness Committee, as well as the co-chairwoman of the Garden Committee for the PTA at Ivy Hill Elementary School. In these roles, she worked closely with Ivy Hill staff to create environmental awareness through activities such as shoes and plastic bag collection, walk to school day and the Ivy Hill Garden Day. With the help of the Ivy Hill PTA, she is committed to the long-term success of the project. She waters and takes care of the plants throughout the summer, and in fall the vegetables are harvested for Ivy Hill's very own farmers market.

Pam Stocking Heart of Gold: Kari Resch.

The award recognizes an individual whose passion and spirit has impacted the village in a unique and special way.

Resch is known to teachers and staff of St. James School in Arlington Heights as a champion of her students, a sharing teammate to fellow teachers and a shining example to the community. Resch's passion for helping others often leads her to students who are experiencing difficult times in their lives, and she provides a nurturing presence in moments when it is needed the most. As a kindergarten teacher, Resch has tutored many students at low or no cost, helping them to gain confidence in themselves through academics. During COVID-19, Resch rose to the challenge by doing what she could to ensure that her students would continue to pursue learning at their highest level. When she became the teacher to a student who spoke by using sign language, she began using sign language in her classroom to help foster inclusivity and compassion in her students.