The Riverside Junior Woman’s Charity has announced that Lisa Gaynor is the group’s Junior of the Year for 2005-06.
A member of the RJWC for six years, Gaynor is a lifelong Riverside resident. For the past five years, she has spent countless hours publishing a monthly newsletter which is a key communication tool within the organization. Her other past key roles within the Juniors include co-chairing the preschool event “Musical Morning with Susan Salidor,” co-chairing the KitchenWalk and co-chairing the Bike Rodeo, which provided biking safety lessons to over 200 children. Gaynor has also created ad books for multiple RSJW events such as the Bootleggers Ball, the wine tasting and the KitchenWalk.
Quite a fellow
The Lions Club International Foundation has honored Riverside Township Lions Club Past President Jerry J. Kosik as a Melvin Jones Fellowship award recipient. A resident of North Riverside, Kosik has lived in Riverside and North Riverside since 1951. He has been a club member for 11 years and has served on the Lions Club District 1A Governor’s Council since 2002. He’s also District 1A eyeglass chairman, a position he’s held since 2002.
The Melvin Jones Fellowship is the Lions Clubs International Foundation’s highest form of recognition to acknowledge an individual’s dedication to humanitarian service.
Survivor
Brookfield Village President Michael Garvey will serve as master of ceremonies at the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivor Day at 1:30 p..m. on July 23 in the Corral on the south campus of Lyons Township High School, 4900 S. Willow Springs Road in Western Springs. Sponsored by the society’s West Cook Regional Office, the event is designed to recognize cancer survivors from around the western suburbs and celebrate their success. The event will include refreshments and a survivor recognition ceremony. Registration, which is free but required, can be made by calling 484-8541.
Shall we dance?
Riverside resident Andrea Donovan won a Platinum Award at the Statewide Dance Competition held June 15 at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Over 500 dancers from five states participated in the event. Donovan, 48, was the winner of the Top Five Soloist designation in the 20-over age category and won two silver medals for jazz and ballet solos. She won a Platinum Award for her tap dance solo title “Long Tall Sally.” Donovan is a student at the Peggy Rose Academy of Dance in Berwyn.
On Campus
Brookfield resident Heather Rolewicz was recently honored at a Brookfield village board meeting for winning the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association Scholarship. A recent graduate of Riverside-Brookfield High School, Rolewicz received the award from Dan Babich, Lyons Police chief and president of the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association; Chief Tim Griffin of the Berkeley Police Department, and retired Western Springs and Downers Grove Police Chief George Graves.
Rolewicz was recognized for her academic achievements and for her volunteer work and involvement in extracurricular activities. She will attend Loyola University, where she intends on studying criminal justice and psychology.
Brookfield resident Andrew Viscariello, a sophomore Latin major, was named to the dean’s list at Monmouth (Ill.) College for the spring semester of the 2005-06 school year. Students on the dean’s list must achieve at least a 3.66 grade-point average on a four point scale while carrying a full course load.
Trinity High School in River Forest has announced that North Riverside residents Marijo Boskey, Marissa Felder and Emily Sitton as well as Riverside resident Gabrielle O’Connor were named as First Honors students (3.75 GPA and above) for the fourth block of the 2005-06 academic year. Riverside resident Alissa Hartnett was named Second Honors (3.3-3.74 GPA).
The Brookfield Kiwanis Club handed out six scholarships and honored six others during its annual scholarship banquet on June 14 at Brunetti’s restaurant in Brookfield.
College scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000 were awarded to Riverside-Brookfield High School graduates Jacqueline Alamillo, Anna Patterson, Heather Rolewicz, Julia Smrt and Jessica Szadciewicz and to Lyons Township High School graduate Thomas Vyskocil.
Funds to support the scholarships came from fundraisers such as the annual Peanut Day in September. The scholarship program has been conducted by the Brookfield Kiwanis for over 30 years. Each year there are 15 to 20 applicants, with five or six chosen for scholarships.
In addition, the Kiwanis honored five eighth-graders as part of the club’s Great Eight program, which recognizes one eighth-grader from each school that serves the Village of Brookfield. The students are all Brookfield residents and selection factors include academic achievement, responsibility, cooperation, personality and respectfulness. The program is in its eighth year, and selections are made by the schools.
Among those honored this year were Grace Ballesteros (George Washington Middle School), Emily Furjanic (Park Junior High), Michelle Michaud (S.E. Gross School), Jessica Montalvo (St. Louise de Marillac School) and James Scigala (St. Barbara).
Finally, the Brookfield Kiwanis honored S.E. Gross School student Patrick Gurschke as the representative for the 2006 Brought Up Grades (BUG) Program. The BUG Program is administered by the Kiwanis Club in Gross and Congress Park schools and provides awards for students in fifth through eighth grades. This year, 60 students brought up grades at Gross School and 20 at Congress Park. As in prior years, one of the students is selected to attend the Kiwanis dinner and awards ceremony.
