Good News Sunday: Special Olympics supporters take the ‘Plunge at Home’

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

Plunge at Home was this year’s theme for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge. Because of the pandemic, the 2021 statewide plunges were virtual, with participants taking photos and videos of their own dip in icy waters to share on social media.

The annual fundraiser benefits athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.

Events are normally held at 25 locations throughout the state, including Palatine, Fox Lake, Oak Brook and Rockford. Participants had to raise a minimum of $100, and Special Olympics Illinois had a $1.3 million fundraising goal this year.

In the past 22 years, 84,000 people have joined the cause and raised more that $23.5 million.

Alexandra McMillin with Special Olympics Illinois said they have been running virtual events since the pandemic began, including their Summer Games, Chicago Ducky Derby and Inspire Greatness Gala.

“While we look forward to return to in-person events, we’re thrilled at the success of our virtual events,” McMillin said.

While the Plunge at Home event ended March 14, donations are still being accepted through March 28. To make a donation, visit www.plungeillinois.com.

For the full story, click here.

Stevenson students donate supplies to CPS

Extending a helping hand — or four hands in this case — was on the minds of both Nandhini Nair, 17, and Caroline Mazursarocka, 18, students at Stevenson High School.

They already were part of The Girls Unlimited Education nonprofit organization, and decided to expand on an idea they had to collect school supplies and deliver them to students at Chicago Public Schools.

Nair heard on the news that CPS students heading back to class lacked basic resources to go back to school. She and Mazursarocka recognized their own privileges as part of the Stevenson community, and wanted to make others feel the same.

Their initial goal was 100 of each item and $1,000 in monetary donations. In total, Nair and Mazursarocka raised more than $2,800 in materials and money: more than 500 notebooks, folders, pencils, masks, binders and more donated to the John Spry Elementary School.

“It was pretty exciting,” Nair said. “We are thinking about not doing school supplies this next time. We might start focusing on masks, hand sanitizers, etc. It’s what students need, but they are on the pricey side.”

For the full story, click here.

Man donates 800 roses to hospital nursing staff

Sid Fey is spreading love and kindness one rose at a time.

The Warrenville resident started an initiative called “A Decade of Kindness,” in which he gives away live roses to people who make a difference, such as essential workers and health care workers.

On March 18, he delivered more than 800 roses to the nursing staff at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.

The roses come in a plastic box with a water tube and include a button that says either “love,” “kindness” or “I am loved.”

Senior leadership at the hospital delivered the roses to staff throughout the day.

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