Good News Sunday: Elgin funeral home collected valentines for veterans
This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week:
An Elgin funeral home is trying to make Valentine's Day a little rosier for area veterans.
Symonds-Madison Funeral Home's Operation LOVE Network held a Valentines for Vets drive. Community members were invited to drop off handmade and store-bought valentines for local veterans.
The valentines will be delivered this weekend to local veterans service organizations, nursing homes, hospitals and senior living facilities.
"The Elgin community cares so much about our veterans, and Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to show that love," said Joy Symonds, owner and director of community engagement at Symonds-Madison.
Symonds launched Operation LOVE Network after the home hosted a funeral last year for "unclaimed" veteran John James Murphy. The event drew so much public attention that "we wanted to find a way to connect all these people who care about veterans with opportunities to serve," Symonds said.
For the full story, click here.
Cal's Angels gala helps kids with cancer
In June 2005, Cal Sutter of South Elgin was a 12-year-old Little League All-Star.
Then life changed when he was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. Cal lost his battle with leukemia in August 2006, but the courage he showed during his battle inspired the start of Cal's All-Star Angel Foundation, Inc.
The 501(c) (3) foundation aims to grant wishes, raise awareness and fund research to help kids fighting cancer. Since its start in April 2007, the foundation has raised more than $13 million to help families of pediatric cancer patients.
One of the ways it does this is with its annual Got Hope Gala. This year's event will be held virtually Saturday, Feb. 27.
The event will feature an inspiring program of hope, extravagant live and silent auctions, raffles, and live music and entertainment. Highlights include a virtual after-party with Prizefighters playing live.
Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at one.bidpal.net/gothopegala/welcome. An exclusive link to the virtual event will be sent to all ticket holders.
For the full story, click here.
Alum makes donation for new radio studio
The Maine Township High School District 207 radio station is getting a new studio as part of a $240 million, districtwide construction project - and a man close to the operation is donating some equipment for the effort.
The Park Ridge-based district's school board formally accepted a gift of radio gear from Gary Horn, a Maine East High alumnus and the chief broadcast engineer at WMTH, 90.5 FM.
Based at Maine East, the station is shared by all three Maine Township campuses, including Maine West in Des Plaines.
Horn is donating amplifiers and other audio equipment worth more than $7,000, officials said.
"Gary has been instrumental in the design process for our new facility and is working closely with our faculty, architects and network specialists in the school to launch what will be a superb new and visible space for our student broadcasters," said Ed Eubank, the fine arts department chair at Maine East.
For the full story, click here.
Seniors donate meals, cash to homeless fund
On Feb. 4, the Villa St. Benedict Chef's and Culinary Team prepared 90 meals for the residents in the emergency housing program with DUPAGEPADS.
The meals were handed out with volunteers from First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove.
The children received laminated place mats filled with games made assisted living residents at the Benedale Assisted Living Center at Villa St. Benedict's in Lisle.
Addition to the meals, the outreach and marketing staff and residents held a fundraiser and collected more than $2,600 for the Emergency Housing Relief Fund. The need this year has been overwhelming due to COVID-19.
For the full story, click here.
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