Happy Valentines Day! Sunday is the 14th, of course, but it’s never to early to spread the love. Each year at this time, The Hinsdalean extends “valentines” to those helping to make the community a little more loving place. With a focus on Hinsdale’s nonprofit agencies, we present this year’s honorees as nominated by those organizations.
• Charlton Gronlund has been a tireless supporter of Candor Health Education’s mission and has leveraged his position as a leader in the Hinsdale community to continuously advocate for the Candor Health programs as well as fundraising efforts. Charlton always has creative ideas that help to move the organization forward.
• Linda Hatcher spends 90 to 100 hours a month with the Hinsdale Humane Society, helping clean and socialize cats, putting together cat kits and even decorating the shelter. She spends several days a week working with adoptable felines as well as those who are not quite ready for adoption yet. Linda has helped many new and nervous kitties come out of their shell and find their forever homes. She also makes special adoption goodies for new pet parents.
• Jeffrey Deutsch has been a Wellness House volunteer since 2015 and a Volunteer Ambassador since 2017, spreading the word about Wellness House to potential participants in the Chicagoland area. He enthusiastically supports Wellness House through special outreach initiatives and shares his talents at special events. He is a skilled musician who has performed virtually for the organization’s holiday events and, in costume, for its kids’ parties.
• Jerry and Carolyn Burjan, Moira and Paul Naffah, and Jeff and Corlyn Simmons are sponsors of Community Memorial Foundation’s youth philanthropy program YC2, inspiring the next generation of west suburban changemakers by supporting the program’s expansion into two additional schools, including Hinsdale Central. Through their support, 60 local high school students are able to identify social needs in the community, learn about philanthropic theory and grant-making and, ultimately, award up to $30,000 to nonprofit organizations.
• Joel Pundmann has leaned in to support HCS Family Services in every sense of the word, volunteering weekly distributing food to the community’s most vulnerable as well as serving on the board of directors as chair of the building project team and on the volunteer committee and program committee.
• Carrie Rozich, Hinsdale Historical Society Board member and president of the Women’s Board is an efficient, hard worker who seems to always have time to do more. She never complains and is able to keep the rest of the society on task in a unique way that is supportive and motivating.
• Janet Miller has volunteered in the Hinsdale Historical Society’s archives since 2001, fielding requests from the public about archival materials and helping maintain the collections. She has a nearly endless collection of stories and memories of Hinsdale history to share.
• Natalya Lisa Amond and Tracy Fussaro are the benefit chairs of this year’s Tablescapes event for Infant Welfare Society Hinsdale Auxiliary. They’ve worked tirelessly to put together exciting raffle and silent auction packages, take care of existing ticket holders, and handle all of the many details going into putting an event on for the first time virtually.
