The Brookfield-LaGrange Park Lions Club tonight presented Firefighters Matthew Dubik, Carlos Jimenez and Jason Baumruck of the Brookfield Fire Department and Bob McDermott of the LaGrange Park Fire Department with awards as Firefighters of the Year.
LaGrange Park Police Officer Tim Contois and Brookfield Police Officers Matthew W. Burke and David J. Harrison Jr. were honored as Police Officers of the Year for their departments. Each was selected for the award based upon his exceptional performance of duty and service to his village and department.
Lions Club President Todd Hitzeman presented each firefighter and officer with a plaque recognizing their achievement. Each was also presented with resolutions or certificates from the Cook County board and Village of LaGrange Park.
“This is the 14th year for these awards,” said Hitzeman “It is a privilege for the Lions Club to recognize the contributions of our communities’ emergency personnel. In addition, this year the Lions were proud to further serve our communities with grants to the fire and police departments for the purchase of needed equipment.”
I’d be honored
Former Riverside resident Randall Sisulak has received a distinguished alumni service award from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis.
Sisulak is a senior research analyst employed by the U.S. Department of Defense, and is stationed at Fort Meade, Md. Due to the sensitive nature of his position, many of his accomplishments cannot be fully described.
At Carthage, Sisulak helped establish the Carthage soccer team and served as its captain. He also wrestled and played tennis for the Red Men, was an officer of Delta Omega Nu fraternity, served in student government and was a residence hall advisor. He qualified for the dean’s list, and was a member of the honorary math fraternity, Phi Mu Epsilon.
After graduating in 1971 with a degree in mathematics, Sisulak served in the U.S. Army for five years active duty, 25 years in the Army Reserve’s military intelligence branch, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He also did graduate study in meteorology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sisulak’s most noteworthy volunteer effort is his support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He helped organize an annual benefit golf tournament, the Claxton Classic. The event has been held since 1982 and is the second oldest golf event in Maryland. He has been active in several other fundraisers for MDA.
Mr. Sisulak and his wife, Mary, have three children; Rachael, Erich, a 2004 Carthage graduate, and Christopher, a 2007 graduate.
On board
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel has been appointed to serve on the executive board of the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS), which represents a joint venture of suburban municipal police departments in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Fifteen police agencies created NIPAS in 1983 to ensure effective police mutual aid in times of natural disasters. The system has grown to include law enforcement agencies of 94 cities, villages and towns in five counties.
A governing board consisting entirely of police chiefs directs NIPAS and approves its annual budget, which serves as the basis for all NIPAS expenditures. Member agencies pay a set annual fee to participate, thus providing both the staff and the finances needed to manage the system.
Following his re-election for a third term, Jon Jansky will be sworn in as president of the Riverside Township Lions Club at the club’s annual installation dinner at 6 p.m. on June 9, in the Scottish Home, 28th Street and Desplaines Avenue in North Riverside.
Also elected were Jack Wiaduck, first vice president; Olga Sylvester, second vice president; Joe Dvorak, third vice president; Chuck Courtney, secretary; and Anthony Belcaster, treasurer. Elections were held at the club’s May meeting.
Also to be installed are Melissa Kotrba and Schofield Gross, tail twisters; Ron Bolda, John O’Brien, Ray Stuchly, Carmela Albachiara and Adam Yurkiw, Lion tamers; and Scott Jansen and Jansky, chaplains.
Elected to one-year terms on the board of directors are Kevin Frontone, Scott Schwarz, Joe Kosey, Dave Moravecek, Robin Mooney, Rich Olson, Cindy Rafield and Tom Sisulak.
Elected to two-year terms are Robert J. Lifka, Paul Martin, Wojciech Putz, Alan Ashby, Aldo Cardelli, Ralph Choutka, Bob Gruber, Shirley Misare and Mike Wimmer.
Permanent directors are Gross, Lou Heine, John Kiwiet, Jerry Kosik, Don McDowell, Walter Pierce, Dennis Sadilek and Bill Scanlon.
On campus
Katherine Delbecq, an Earlham College (Richmond, Ind.) senior and daughter of Mary and C. Eric Delbecq of Brookfield, received the Thomas Clarkson Grave and Anna Hubbard Grave Graduate Scholarship in Natural Science during Earlham’s awards convocation on April 3.
This award is given to students who are academically able and who exhibit devotion to the advancement of science, stability of character, and originality. These awards are to be used for a year of graduate study in zoology, biology, geology or chemistry.
Riverside resident Chelsea M. Hennessy was named to the Rhodes College (Memphis, Tenn.) honor roll for the 2009 spring semester. To qualify for the honor roll, a student must be enrolled full time and must achieve a semester grade-point average of 3.85 or better.
Three North Riverside Public Library employees have been recognized by the library’s board of trustees for celebrating their 20-year anniversaries in 2009.
Carole Brosseau, Helen Hanzlik and Carlene O’Brien, all North Riverside residents, were honored at the library district’s annual employee appreciation dinner on May 3. All three are circulation clerks, with Brosseau and Hanzlik also performing technical services duties. Brosseau is the longest tenured library employee, having celebrated her 20th anniversary in January. O’Brien will mark 20 years in June and Hanzlik in July.