Good News Sunday: Libertyville teen digitally connects food pantries with volunteers

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:

Growing up in Libertyville, Tavish Sharma habitually volunteered with local charities such as Feed My Starving Children and Northern Illinois Food Bank because his parents encouraged him toward service.

In February 2020, Sharma was volunteering with local food pantries when he had an eye-opening experience.

“I vividly remember one day, I went to drop off food, and I saw, literally, a milelong line of cars (waiting to pick up food). That image is still in my head,” said Sharma, now 18 and a senior at Libertyville High School.

“(It) changed how I thought about hunger, and I realized that this was, again, a bigger issue than I ever thought it was going to be.”

It led Sharma to create Solve Hunger Corp for people who want to help but don’t know how. The free mobile app connects users with food banks, pantries and soup kitchens in their communities, allowing them to donate money, food or their time.

Food banks also can post sign-ups for volunteer shifts and fundraisers. The app now helps people connect with roughly 60 food banks, pantries and soup kitchens serving more than 85,000 people in 13 states, Sharma said.

For that, Sharma was named a 2022 Prudential Emerging Visionary and Ashoka Changemaker. He is among 25 young people ages 14 to 18 from across the country selected for Prudential’s inaugural class of visionaries for their innovative solutions to pressing financial and societal challenges in their communities.

For the full story, click here.

Model ships a new calling for former priest now living in Naperville

Greg Zimmerman has found a new calling at Monarch Landing senior living community in Naperville, where he builds intricate model ships. – Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Passion pours into every model ship that 85-year-old Greg Zimmerman builds in the wood shop of Naperville’s Monarch Landing senior living community. But painstakingly crafting a dozen intricate miniature, wooden ships isn’t Zimmerman’s first calling.

“When I was in sixth grade, I wanted to be a missionary,” says Zimmerman, who grew up in a family with 11 children in the St. Viator parish of Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood.

“I’m one of the few Catholics who has received all seven sacraments,” says Zimmerman, who was baptized, gave confession, took communion, was confirmed, was ordained, was given the so-called last rites when he was sick, and got married in 1974. He resigned the priesthood in 1973 when he felt that the progressive momentum of Vatican II had faded.

He was in his late 30s when he received his first model — a 19th-century clipper called the “Flying Fish.” He spent six months completing the project, and immediately took on the greater challenges of “plank on frame” models, where the planking on the hull is laid piece by piece on the frame, as was the method used by the actual builders of ships.

“I get great satisfaction looking at a section I just completed. It looks great, and I move on to another section,” says Zimmerman, who also waxes all the strings used in his models to keep them from rotting. “You’re building something that had been structured years and years and years ago, and now it’s come to life again.”

For the full story, click here.

Tour of new South Elgin Boys and Girls Club gives glimpse of future

Elgin Boys and Girls Club CEO Cathy Russell gives a tour of the progress at the club’s new clubhouse in South Elgin Tuesday. They plan to open this summer. – Rick West | Staff Photographer

Boys and Girls Club of Elgin CEO Cathy Russell couldn’t contain her enthusiasm as she addressed a group gathered last week in South Elgin’s former public works building to see the progress they’ve made as the building is transformed into their new clubhouse.

“I freaking love this place,” Russell said. “It’s so exciting.”

Russell walked a group of about 20 board members, local business owners and community members around the floor plan and talked about the goals for the club.

“All I see here is opportunity,” she said. “There’s so much opportunity and so many great things that are gonna happen here.

“I can’t wait to see it full of kids.”

The 20,000-square-foot facility at 735 Martin Drive will provide daily education, meals and activities for more than 250 children from kindergarten through eighth grade. The layout features a gymnasium in the middle surrounded by classrooms.

The club plans to be ready and open in time for the new school year. It will include a large learning and reading room, a STEM Lab sponsored by DeVry University, an arts and crafts room, a sensory room designed for kids with autism and a separate social and study area for teens.

For the full story, click here.

These Arlington Heights residents all have a Heart of Gold

Betsy Kmiecik is one of Arlington Heights’ 2022 Heart of Gold honorees. – Courtesy of Village of Arlington Heights

The village of Arlington Heights recognized its 2022 Heart of Gold recipients at a recent ceremony. The 11 honorees are community members who have made a positive impact on other residents.

Among the honorees are Jeff Javurek, known as the “Ambassador of Math” during his tenure at Thomas Middle School; Jody Schaaf, a NICU nurse at Northwest Community Hospital who plans block parties, holiday events and drive-by parades in her neighborhood; Anne Murra, who has volunteered 3,000 hours at the Arlington Heights Senior Center; and Betsy Kmiecik, former Daily Herald director of human resources, who in her retirement has served in leadership and volunteer roles in seven local nonprofits.

For the full story, click here.

• Good News Sunday will run each weekend. Please visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter.