Second-grade scouts in St. Giles Cub Scout Pack 18’s Wolf Den recently helped unload more than 2,000 pieces of gently used bedding donated by Hyatt Regency Chicago to support the St. Giles Sleeping Bag Project, a program whereby 15 parish women called “The Sleeping Bag Stitchers” sew sleeping bags for Chicago’s homeless.
Salon speaker service
Margaret Childs of Oak Park has been honored with Dominican University’s Exemplary Service Award, given annually to volunteers for extraordinary service to Dominican and the wider community. Childs earned the award for her role as a leader, organizer and participant in the university’s Salon Speaker Series. Currently studying toward her master’s degree in organizational leadership, Childs also volunteers with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Life Source, Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon and the Laura Southwick Foundation.
Ristau recruits
Oak Park and River Forest High School graduate Meghan Ristau recently won a Department of Defense contest along with four other University of Illinois Chicago students. The prize was awarded for coming up with a recruiting program for civilian jobs within the Defense Department. The students were recognized at a Pentagon ceremony for marketing plans which suggested that web-based social networking and video-sharing sites such as “MySpace” and “YouTube” may be the best place to turn to entice the nation’s best and brightest young people to work for the Defense Department.
Callaway collects
The Oak Park Township Board recently appointed Lee Callaway as new Township Collector, a position without specific statutory duties that serves as a non-voting participant with the board. Callaway is a marketing executive with Baxter International and holds degrees in mechanical engineering and marketing. He will complete the unexpired term, ending December 2009, of Trevor Agard, who resigned to accept new employment on the East Coast.
Harrington’s heroism
Oak Park native Matt Harrington was recently the subject of a City Council of Chicago resolution recognizing his heroic actions over the past 15 years. Currently director of Democratic Citizens of Berwyn, Harrington has provided CPR three times, rescued an individual from a burning building, donated a kidney and come to the aid of a man whose car caught on fire. On Mother’s Day 2007, he also came to the rescue of a young man being attacked by four assailants in front of CTA headquarters.
Entrepreneurial achiever
Oak Park businesswoman Tia Harrison was recently honored for her professional achievement, leadership and community service with a national award from Women in Management, Inc. Harrison, co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Oak Park, received the Charlotte Danstrom Woman of Achievement Entrepreneur Service award during the national Women in Management annual conference at the Carleton of Oak Park.
