Heifer Project through bake sales and other hard work. As a result, animals will be donated to families throughout the world, for whom farming will supply needed food and cash. The Euclid children provided a heifer, goat, sheep and pig, two tree seedlings, two bee hives, six rabbits and two starter flocks of chickens or geese.
Sullivans get the Johnson
On April 29, Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park will present Fran and Moe Sullivan with the 2005 Rita Johnson Humanitarian Award, in honor of their dedication to Family Service and the community. The Sullivans will accept the award at the spring benefit, “Bridging the Gap to Mental Wellness,” at the Oak Park Country Club. The award was established in 1988 to memorialize the woman whose vision, strength and kindness had a tremendous impact on Family Service, and to honor those who carry on her spirit. For tickets to the benefit, call Jeff Fenwick, 383-7500 ex. 117.
Faring well with health and welfare
Eric Parmenter, who lives in Oak Park with his wife and three children, has joined Towers Perrin, a global professional services firm, as a senior consultant in the health and welfare consulting practice. He’ll focus on working with middle-market companies in the Chicago area to manage their overall health care costs. Parmenter most recently has been a practice leader at Grant Thornton LLP, and has 19 years of consulting experience, including work with hundreds of employers in designing and implementing total rewards strategies. His professional designations include chartered life underwriter, chartered financial consultant, registered health underwriter, registered employee benefit consultant from the American College in Bryn Mawr., Pa., and senior professional in human resources from the Society of Human Resource Management. He holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of Illinois.
Specially able volunteer
Meghan Eddy has been named the 2004 Volunteer of the Year by West Suburban Special Recreation Association, which serves individuals with disabilities who live in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. Eddy donated 248 hours of volunteer service last year, assisting with preschoolers and beginning athletes, working in the summer day camp program, and helping to keep the toy library clean and in order.
Naperville’s loss is Oak Park’s gain
Roderick and Martha Evans of Naperville and Jean and Russ Barganski of Chicago announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Evans of Oak Park, to Darren Ferguson of Naperville, son of David and Luanne Ferguson of Morris. The bride-to-be holds a B.S. in education from Illinois State University and an M.Ed. in administration and leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She’s employed as a program supervisor of the math and science department in Cicero Public Schools District 99. The groom-to-be holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is enrolled in the MBA program at DePaul University. He is a controller with MAS Consulting in Chicago.
The couple plan a July wedding in St. Charles. They will reside in Oak Park.
Gen. Vessey to speak at Concordia
Concordia University’s May 7 commencement speaker will be General John W. Vessey, Jr. (Ret.), national chair of “For the Sake of the Church,” a Lutheran fundraising program. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under former President Ronald Reagan, Vessey is a veteran of World War II and the Vietnam War. He has also served as the commander in chief of the U.S.-Republic of Korea Combined Forces Command and the United Nations Command, and in 1979 became the vice chief of staff of the Army.
Five individuals will also be honored at the commencement. Jeffrey E. Burkart, associate dean of the College of Vocation and Ministry and professor at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn., and Robert Sylwester, emeritus professor of education at the University of Oregon in Eugene, will receive the Doctor of Letters. The Doctor of Laws will be awarded to Charles W. Dull, a graduate of Concordia’s Director of Christian Education program currently consulting for the Mahler Company and other clients on optimizing organizational performance, work-family balance and transformational leadership. The Spiritus Christi Medallion will be given to Mary Nelson, founding CEO of Bethel New Life, a faith-based community development corporation. The Alumna of the Year Award will be presented to Keturah (Kay) Thunder Haab, who has taught in Lutheran elementary education for over 30 years and has been continuously active with Concordia University since her student days.
