Plainfield South Student Wins Hero Award

Submitted by Plainfield School District 202

Photo: Plainfield South High School senior Caley Trepac, 18, with Kimmi Sorg, reading specialist at Ridge Elementary School, on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 during the Meet the Heroes reception at the Red Cross Regional headquarters in Chicago. Sorg nominated Trepac for the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois Youth Hero Award for Trepac’s annual stuffed animal drive. Trepac won the award and will be honored at a breakfast in Chicago on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

PLAINFIELD, IL — Not all heroes wear capes, leap tall buildings or fly an invisible jet.

Some, like Plainfield South High School senior Caley Trepac, gather and donate stuffed animals to children to comfort them while they in the hospital.

For three years, Trepac, 18, has collected more than 2,000 stuffed animals to give to children at Rush Medical University Center and Stroger Hospital.

On Thursday April 28, 2016 the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago will honor Trepac with its Youth Award at the Northern Illinois Heroes Breakfast in Chicago.

The annual heroes’ event honors individuals and groups for their acts of bravery, dedication and service to the community.

Trepac knows firsthand what it’s like to be seriously ill and hospitalized.

In 2011, Trepac was diagnosed with chiari, syringomyela and scoliosis, which required surgery on her brain and spine.

Trepac always had a teddy bear to comfort her during her hospital stay. She organized the toy drives to give other children that same comfort during their hospital stays.

Kimmi Sorg was Trepac’s first grade teacher at Ridge Elementary School. Sorg, now a reading specialist at Ridge Elementary School, nominated Trepac for the Youth Award.

Even in first grade, Sorg said, Trepac was extremely sweet, caring and never wanted anyone to be sad.

“This diagnosis has made a large impact on her life,” Sorg wrote in her nomination letter to the Red Cross. “However, she is still finding time and energy to give back.”

Trepac said it is a great feeling to know others appreciate that is she giving back but she doesn’t consider herself a hero. Trepac will continue her toy drives this winter even as she enters college to study early childhood education.

“I’m just trying to help,” she said.