CHICAGO – It’s a day to salute those students who take time out of their busy school and activities schedules to help out those who are in need in their community.
“Speak Up For Service Day” was Sunday as volunteers around America were honored for their support, and that included a few students here in the Chicago area and llinois.
Buddy’s Helpers, as part of their “Making A Difference On AND Off The Field” campaign, awarded ten students in the state for their efforts in their own communities to give back.
As part of this edition of the “Random Hawlight” on WGN News Now, we saluted two of those winners on our program: Wilmington High School senior Haley Dempsay and Rochelle Zell senior Oren Nochimowski.
Dempsay, a soccer and volleyball player, volunteers at Kuzma Care Cottage food bank, Caring Closet clothing donation center while also working with the Feed My Starving Children organization. She also takes part in a few activities for Wilmington Parks.
Nochimowski, a soccer and tennis player, is the director of Momma Chef’s Little Free Pantry Movement, which provides food to those in need. There are three pantries around the Chicago area with a fourth being created in October, and those original ones have provided more than 15,000 pounds of food.
Others who were honored by Buddy’s Helpers on October 30th include Qwaylin Miller, Urban Prep Academy, Noah Collins, Maine South, Cate McDonnell, Hinsdale Central, Anna Schelyhan, Springfield Lutheran, and Kate Killian-Johnson, Macomb.
Larry Hawley of WGN News Now spoke to both Haley and Oren about their contributions to the community and why they decided to spend time volunteering. You can hear parts of their interview in this week’s “Random Hawlight” in the video above.