The Herald-News • Sunday, August 30, 2015
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Sharing the good news As much as my adrenaline goes into overdrive during breaking news, it’s never been my favorite subject to cover. That’s because whatever the situation, it’s usually not pleasant. Often, it’s reporting on the worst moments of someone’s life. While I take pride in covering those moments with compassion while still reporting the facts readers need to know, it’s a draining experience. What I do love reporting on is everyday people and what makes them unique. So it’s been great this past week to edit the stories of the 16 Everyday Heroes chosen as part of our initiative of the same name. Because these people – your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers – are doing amazing work right here in Will and Grundy counties. Everyday Heroes is an initiative of Shaw Media. Several of our sister publications have for several years bestowed this honor on deserving residents in their markets, and we were thrilled to bring it to The Herald-News and Morris Herald-News. Everyday Heroes honors those who selflessly donate their time and talents to help those in need or to better their
VIEWS Kate Schott community. For our first go-around, we received more than 50 nominees. We chose 16 as our first recipients – and let me tell you, it was difficult to narrow down that pool. There were people who raised money for everything from cancer research to Special Olympics. A young man who collected gently used school supplies to give to children who couldn’t afford their own. A man who takes the Eucharist to those who cannot make it to Mass. A woman who mails care packages to troops overseas. I could go on (and on and on), but I’ll stop now. I will say, though, that we are a lucky community to be the beneficiaries of this generosity and giving. But narrow it down we did. Our recipients for 2015 are: the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Squad, Derek Breen, Madisen Dobbs, Sami Henderson, Vince Hernandez, Maddy Holloway, Jeremy Hylka, Virgil Kemp, Joseph Kokoszka, Kristen
Koppers, Karen Looper, Darlene Purler, Allie Rios, Debbie Schnek, Dick Schuster and Debbie Smothers. I’m excited to share their stories with you, which we will do in a special section that will be inserted into the Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015 edition of the newspaper (and posted online too). The magazine will have a story on each of our recipients; online, we’ll post video of interviews from them as well. We’d also love for you to join us when we celebrate the recipients in person, which we will do at a breakfast Sept. 11 at the Joliet Country Club, 1009 Spencer Road. Doors open at 8 a.m., with a breakfast buffet starting at 8:15 a.m. and the awards ceremony beginning at 8:45 a.m. Cost is $20 a person; for more information on tickets, call 815-280-411 to talk with Marketing Director Sarah Dilg. I hope to see you there. Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
• Kate Schott is editor of The Herald-News, the Morris Herald-News and Herald Life. She can be reached at kschott@shawmedia.com or 815-280-4119. Follow her on Twitter @Kate_Schott78.
QUICK NEWS Foster to host money management workshop JOLIET – U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, will hold a money management course Sept. 3. Foster will host Finance 101: Living on a Fixed Income from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Joliet Public Library’s Black Road Branch, 3395 Black Road. In conjunction with the Center for Economic Progress, the free event will focus on ways families and individuals on a fixed income can plan effectively to make sure every dollar stretches as far as it can. To register, visit foster. house.gov/finance.
Manley to offer evening appointments
JOLIET – In order to provide working families with an opportunity to share their thoughts on issues facing the state, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is encouraging her constituents to make an evening or weekend appointment if they are unable to visit her office during regular business hours.
Manley said in a news release that as the budget impasse continues, residents in her district are concerned about the impact it will have on their lives. “I need to know how my constituents are being impacted and pass that information on to the governor’s office,” she said in the news release. Manley’s constituent service office at 2701 Black road, Suite 201 in Joliet, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Manley also will be available by appointment in the evenings and on weekends. To make an appointment, call Manley’s office at 815725-2741 or email RepManley@gmail.com. In addition to having evening and weekend availability, Manley also hosts meetings and seminars throughout her district to answer any questions constituents may have, and walks door-to-door to talk directly with residents on an individual basis.
–The Herald-News
Area schools required to expand concussion injury response By FELIX SARVER fsarver@shawmedia.com MORRIS – Schools throughout the state are required to help students, especially athletes, recover from concussion injuries as they return to the classroom – something state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Peru, says she went through with her own son. That’s why Rezin co-sponsored legislation signed into law Aug. 3 by Gov. Bruce Rauner that aims to help students who experience concussion injuries such as her son, Zach. When he suffered concussions while playing football in high school and college, he had a hard time going back to class because his cognitive healing was slower than most, she said.
“I saw firsthand how Zach struggled to get back into the classroom,” she said. “When you’re siting in a classroom, your symptoms would re-occur again, such as the headaches. He had problems remembering, and as a result your grades could fall.” According to the state law, public or charter schools with students participating in interscholastic athletic activity are required to appoint or approve a concussion oversight team. Each oversight team – consisting of coaches, trainers and medical professionals – shall establish a return-to-play protocol, based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence and prevention guidelines, according to the law.
Medical professionals would have to clear a student before they could return to the classroom or participate in athletics. An emergency plan would need to be in place if a serious injury occurs. Morris Community High School already has people in place to handle concussion or other athletic-related injuries, said Alan Thorson, the school’s head football coach. “We try to teach players how to play the game safely, and if a player does get injured, for us it’s simple: We got great trainers, and we’re fortunate to have a couple of doctors on the sidelines. If there is an injury or anything like that, it’s in their hands,” he said. He said the coaches defer to trainers and medical staff
to do what’s best for injured students. If the trainers say the student cannot return to the field, there’s no “second guessing that,” he said. The law is long overdue, said Michael O’Connell, who coached football at the former Joliet East High School, as well as other sports for the Joliet Township High School District. He said football has changed over the years because players are bigger, stronger and faster than before, and it’s hard to protect them from injuries. “It’s pretty dangerous,” O’Connell said about concussion injuries. “Studies are showing the effects as you get older.” Thorson said concussion injuries has been a heightened subject in recent years.
“It’s definitely a hot subject,” he said. “It’s definitely something I understand why it’s being looked at the way it is.” Rezin said the most important component of the legislation is the oversight team that helps a person who suffered an injury recover and re-enter the classroom. Cognitive healing is something that people cannot see like a physical injury, but the team will help everyone involved in the recovery understand. “It’s creating this awareness that kids have a hard time re-entering the classroom. You put a plan in place and make sure everyone is on the same page with the teachers and put the student on the positive path to heal,” she said.