Home Depot volunteers, Lisle veterans create 'serene' park at Benedictine

Every day for the past two weeks, you could find Don Smith at Lake St. Benedict, a hidden gem tucked away on the south side of Benedictine University's Lisle campus.

Along with a few buddies, he assembled a floating dock, with each section requiring eight hours and 1,000 bolts to build.

Smith is the type of person who seeks out hard work, especially if there's a higher purpose.

In his mind's eye, the Vietnam veteran wanted a place for Benedictine students who are veterans - men and women who have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq - to find some peace and quiet. He envisioned them fishing at the lake or spending a moment in solitude as they adjust to civilian life.

But Smith also is the type of person who knows he can't do the job alone.

"He's just one of those people who likes working with a lot of different people and his neighbors and associates and just achieving a big project like this," says Brett Nila, an Army veteran and commander of VFW Ross Bishop Post 5696.

The "big project" came together Tuesday with the help of nearly 100 Home Depot employees who volunteered on their own time to build upon Smith's preparations and transform the lakeside spot into a park intended for veterans and anyone looking for natural beauty.

"It's going to be a serene place. There's a lot of fish out there. There's a lot of turtles out there. We're just beautifying it. This is my way of giving back," Smith said as the project ramped up Tuesday morning.

He helped secure a $23,000 grant from the Home Depot Foundation for the building materials. Employees from stores in Carol Stream, Elk Grove Village, Darien, Downers Grove and Naperville provided the free labor, working efficiently and with no breaks except to enjoy breakfast and lunch donated by about 25 Lisle-area restaurants.

"Don is really the guy behind all this because he's able to do all that work to bring it all together and get it ready, so that when all the volunteers come out on the big day all is magically done, and everybody can leave and it's a finished product at the end of the day," Nila said.

Indeed, they had finished their work by Tuesday afternoon, marking the seventh time Smith has worked on Lisle projects funded by the Atlanta-based foundation. Two years ago, he successfully applied for a $20,000 foundation grant to repair the Lisle home of a Korean War vet.

"He's so engaged, and he wants to give back, and he fights for every project. There's a multiple-step process for us to request money, and Don's always involved with it," said Kevin Lind, the manager of a Carol Stream Home Depot who facilitates grant requests as a Team Depot captain.

About a year ago, former Lisle Mayor Joe Broda put Smith and Nila in touch with Benedictine's former president about working together on a veterans tribute. That led to input from Student Senate leaders who suggested the dock and other improvements along the lake.

Roughly 40 veterans are enrolled at the school, and the park will offer a space for reflection so they "feel honored by the Benedictine community and the larger community," said Marco Masini, vice president of student life.

Before volunteers started arriving at 7 a.m. Tuesday, you couldn't do much of anything from the shoreline. But by the afternoon, they had installed benches in the shade and placed rowboats in the water.

"We did all the beautification with all the flower areas, and then the walkway benches and the arborvitae kind of divide that property from the actual lake itself," Lind said. "The flagpoles are going to be the big piece that's going to be dedicated to veterans."

Near the three flagpoles, Lisle Mayor Christopher Pecak helped construct one of the elevated flower beds as a show of gratitude for those who serve.

"It's a place for them. It's a place for everybody," he said. "It's a place for people to get together with veterans and thank them and recognize them, and we should do that every day, but this is a special place for that."

The project went so smoothly, Pecak said, because of Smith's planning.

"Don Smith had this all laid out, had this all prepared, ready to go for everybody so that was tireless, tireless work by him," he said.