Volunteers Honored by Palatine Twsp. at 169th Annual Town Meeting

Image: Palatine Township Supervisor Sharon Langlotz-Johnson is pictured with Patriot Award winner Patricia Boyd and Kenneth Boyd.

Recipients of the 2018 TOPS (Township of Palatine Service) Awards, and Patriot Award, were recognized by the Palatine Township community during the Township’s 169th annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at the Palatine Township Center. The evening was moderated by Township resident and family law attorney Christine Svenson, and awards were presented by Township Supervisor Sharon Langlotz-Johnson.

“I am always honored to present awards to those who give so selflessly of themselves,” Supervisor Langlotz-Johnson said. “This community has been generous with whatever they are able to donate, modest or substantial, physical or financial, to provide for their neighbors in need.”

The awards and their recipients include:

Outstanding School Volunteer(s): Several individuals representing Pleasant Hill Elementary School were recognized for contributing to the Palatine Township Food Pantry. Principal Dr. David Morris, PTA member Laura Kometer, and second grade teachers Kaitlyn Haran and Lindsey Contreras were recognized for the annual ‘Make A Difference’ campaign. Through this campaign, second grade students with their teachers, Kaitlyn and Lindsey, visited the Palatine Township Food Pantry and delivered the food donations, in addition to providing a monetary donation. Pleasant Hill PTA member Karen Siena established a food recycling program, in which unopened bagged veggies, yogurt and other food items were included in the donation.

Outstanding Community Service: Gautham Arun was honored for his Eagle Scout service project at Hillside Cemetery and the Township Center. Gautham planted a new bed of annuals with mulch and weed barrier around the electronic sign at the Township Center and stripped and painted the Hillside Cemetery sign and removed overgrown foliage. He replaced the area with native plants.

Outstanding Community Service: Residents of the Regency at the Woods of South Barrington have volunteered and donated to the Apple Tree and other Township programs for the last six years. The members gathered stuffed animals placed in each family’s bag for Palatine Township’s Toy Drive recipients this past Christmas. Sandy Garifo accepted the award on their behalf.

Outstanding Community Service and Outstanding Business: The Palatine Police Department, awarded “Outstanding Community Service”, partnered with Mariano’s Grocery Store in Palatine, awarded “Outstanding Business”, for the ‘Stuff the Squad’ event helping stock the shelves of the Township Food Pantry last summer, when food donations are typically low. Mariano’s provided pre-packaged grocery bags, which customers purchased during the “Stuff the Squad” campaign. The bags were then “stuffed” into Palatine Police squad cars and delivered to the Township Food Pantry. Palatine Commander Bill Nord, the program’s organizer, and Police Chief Al Stoeckel accepted the award on behalf of all members of the Police Department.

Outstanding Individual: Resident Pat Mazur coordinated and organized the school supply spreadsheets for the Apple Tree program. Mazur organized the roughly 100 lists by grade and school, allowing for inventory control to meet the needs of students of 15 elementary schools, four junior high schools and two high schools, positively impacting the program.

Outstanding Individual: Resident Chuck Adam has volunteered his time at the Township Food Pantry. Five years ago, Chuck had come to the Township to meet with the Veterans Service Officer when he saw the work and need of the volunteers. Chuck has been with the Food Pantry from that day forward unloading a weekly shipment from the Chicago Food Depository, sorting donations, assembling carts and performing maintenance on items in need of repair.

Palatine Township Patriot Award: This award is presented to an individual or group who has greatly contributed to the Palatine Township community. Patricia Boyd was honored for her devotion and dedication to the Township through volunteering at numerous local nonprofit organizations and BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding Center. Following the death of her son, Christopher, a Marine killed in action in Helmond Province, Afghanistan in 2010, Patricia initiated volunteering with these organizations as well as participating in many fundraisers benefitting veterans and their families, including Vet Fest, hosted annually in Palatine. Patricia is a member of the Palatine American Legion Woman’s Auxiliary and has committed time to Palatine Township outreach programs including the Easter Basket drive, Apple Tree School Supply Drive, Thanksgiving Basket Drive, Angel Tree Gift Drive and the Adopt-A-Family Program. Patricia is now a board member at BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding Center in Harvard, where she and her husband can often be found helping other families, veterans and disabled individuals.