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of WOMEN distinction

Three area women recognized for making a difference in Grundy County October 2019

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of WOMEN distinction Grundy County

4. Introduction 5. Lois Darlington

haw Media est. 1851

est. 1851

Assisting those who need a helping hand

7. Abbey Fink

Guided by faith, to remain strong and help others

9. Nilsa Sochan

Giving back to the community that is close to her heart Publisher: Steve Vanisko est. 1851

909 Liberty St., Morris, Ill., 60450 (815) 280-4100 www.morrisherald-news.com

Advertising: Stacy Broske & Denise Pankey Shaw Media Correspondent: Jeanne Milsap Cover Photo: Sarah R. Peterson Photography

PAST HONOREES

Lois Darlington, Abbey Fink and Nisla Sochan now join the growing list of Grundy County Women of Distinction Alumnae:

Megan Bugg 2018

Brittney Kaluzny 2016

Alexa Rain 2018

Lori Cora 2015

Judy Miller 2014

Barb Rath 2013

Sandi Dransfeldt 2015

Cathy Milne 2017

Pam Simpson 2013

Andrea Gustafson 2017

Karen Nall 2016

Joan Sereno 2013

Marlee Harford 2018

Jeanine Petric 2015

Lori Watson 2014

Jan Hibler 2017

Jennifer Price 2016

Linda Wiesbrook 2014

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of WOMEN distinction For many the work they do is more than a job, it is a passion.

That is just one of the many reasons the Women of Distinction honors is so special. It celebrates the passion, the heart, dedication and the love for community, caring for others and a determination to make the world a better place.

The Morris Herald-News’ Women of Distinction honor represents the women of Greater Grundy County who give of themselves for the betterment of others. There are many women in our community deserving of this honor. From super moms to inspiring business leaders, it’s difficult to imagine the Morris area without these role models.

This award has highlighted some amazing members of the community. They are the stories of everyday people who are the fabric of the community making important contributions in Grundy County and beyond.

This year we received over 40 nominations of selfless, engaging and giving women to be considered for the honor. Our selection committee had a difficult time narrowing down the field to the three final recipients. All of these women are an inspiration.

They get up every day with the goal of finding ways to serve others. They use their time and

talents to bring awareness and support to others through causes that are near and dear to many in Grundy County.

They volunteer their time to help in more ways than we could count.

They run households, businesses, raise families and mentor local children.

It’s amazing how much one person can accomplish in a day, but just look around our community and you’ll see the fruits of their labor.

These women don’t give of themselves because they seek accolades for doing so - but every now and then, they should be recognized. There should be a day dedicated to thanking them for their efforts. And that is why we recognize these women.

They deserve a day of celebration.

So congratulations not only to our 2019 recipients –Lois Darlington, Abbey Fink and Nilsa Sochan, but to all of the women who were nominated. A nomination means at least one person in this community - but likely many more unnamed neighbors - feels that person’s efforts are worthy of recognition. To all of our nominees, thank you for your selfless service to our community. We are proud to call all of you our neighbors.

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2019 Women of Distinction

Lois Darlington

Photo By SARAH R. PETERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Assisting those who need a helping hand

By Jeanne Millsap

Darlington supports many local charities including Christmas in July and Toys for Tots. She also gives her time Lois Darlington teams up with her husband Scott in several to help Immaculate Conception School with its Octoberfest fundraiser. enterprises, including Clayton’s Tap and The Bigger Bite in “I can say from my own personal experience, that not only Morris. She also owns rental property in the area and is a commercial property real estate broker in Chicago specializing is she an amazing boss to have, but she’s a great friend and older sister figure for myself and many others,” Carey-Weaver in tennant representation. said. “She’s always there to lend an ear when you need her, But Darlington was not named as a 2019 Woman of Distinction for her business acumen. Rather, she was selected she will drop everything to be there for her friends and family, and she’s a wonderful mother to three great children. You for using her properties, organizing abilities, time and talents never see her without a smile on her face and a warm hug to to assist those who need a helping hand. give.”

Sarah Carey-Weaver works for Darlington, and said she is “It’s super humbling,” Darlington said of being named a always on the go with her family, businesses, and above all, Woman of Distinction. “I was completely blown away. I’m charity endeavors. so thankful. I hope the people who read this article decide “Lois constantly offers up those venues to people who need spaces for benefits and fundraisers,” Carey-Weaver said. they want to help other people, too. There are so many things people can do, even if they don’t have money to donate.”

“Not only that, she often donates food and drink to these Darlington said she was raised by parents who taught her fundraisers, staffs them and attends and works during the the lessons of hard work by the way they lived. As an adult, events.”

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she emulates her parents’ example.

“I just do,” she said of her busy life. “It’s natural for me. I’ve been fortunate in my life. I feel like I had a great childhood and have been successful in real estate, and I want to reach out to people who need help.”

The Darlingtons have owned Clayton’s Tap for about 15 years, after it was passed to them by Scott’s father. The fundraisers held at the bar have been going on for several years, beginning with a benefit for Morris resident and business owner Jim Feeney.

“This really kind of started when Jim Feeney passed away,” she said. “The turnout was phenomenal. He was a big (Immaculate Conception School) supporter.”

From that, a scholarship fund was started for ICS students.

She began helping with Operation St. Nick fundraisers, following in the steps of the charity’s founder and one of her personal mentors, Joe Schmitz. She also draws inspiration from one of the founders of Grundy Community Volunteer Hospice, Joan Sereno.

With each passing day, Darlington continues to find more ways to help others in the community. She now has plans to start a junior pool league at The Bigger Bite as part of her American Pool Players Association. The association itself holds tournaments for charity.

Congratulations to the 2019 Women of Distinction!

Lois Darlington Abbey Fink Nilsa Sochan 700 N. Division St. Morris IL 60450 Email: cityhall@morrisil.org • (815) 942-0103

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2019 Women of Distinction

Abbey Fink

Photo By SARAH R. PETERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Guided by faith, to remain strong and help others

By Jeanne Millsap Young Gardner mother Abbey Fink was happily raising her children and living life as a stay-at-home mom when she noticed a progression of something peculiar that had been happening with her vision.

She had always had bad vision, getting her first pair of glasses in second grade. She still remembers that day, noticing all the things she was never able to see well before.

When she started driving at the age of 16, she noticed she was having trouble seeing well at nighttime.

Then one night, just after giving birth to her son, she said she actually walked into her car because she didn’t see it as she was approaching it.

“It was a huge eye-opener to my family that I couldn’t see at night,” she said.

Fink said she finally found a doctor who listened to her about her vision problems, and she went in for testing. The problem

was worse than anyone thought.

Fink was diagnosed in 2018 with Usher Syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa. The two often go hand-in-hand.

Usher Syndrome is a rare inherited disorder that causes gradual vision loss by affecting the rods and cones in the retina.

The syndrome also affects nerve cells in the ear’s cochlea and leads to deafness.

There is no cure.

Fink was shocked at the diagnosis and thought first about her future as a mother to her children.

“I was mad, scared,” she said. “I think the biggest thing was going home from that appointment. I looked at my boys and I just started crying because as a mom, that’s what I want to be for the rest of my life, and I prayed that both of my senses wouldn’t be going.”

And then something struck her.

“After I got over my feelings of sadness and anger,” she said, “I realized that God is using me to live out his story, and if I had to Thursday, October 10, 2019 | Women of Distinction | 7

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go blind or deaf, it will be okay because he will guide me in every direction.”

And then she got to work.

She organized a fundraiser for The Foundation Fighting Blindness and raised more than $57,000 for research and clinical trials for Usher Syndrome. Hopefully, she said, others won’t have to go through this in the future.

“Abbey has become a warrior fundraising for a cure,” Tessa Hammons said. “She has rallied her friends and family and is fighting every day.

She is the strongest person I know, and her faith in God is unbelievable.”

“Instead of letting this defeat her,” friend Brittany Cochran said, “she has chosen to rise above. She recently just started fundraising for The Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Through bake sales and an amazing fundraiser that 400 people attended, she was able to raise over $50k to help find a

cure. She will help find a cure and I am proud to call this woman my best friend.”

“Abbey is 27 years old and is going blind and deaf,” Julie Preisch said. “When she was diagnosed less than two years ago, it rocked her world. . . She

Holiday Open Houses in Nostalgic Downtown Morris.

was determined to start raising funds to go to The Foundation Fighting Blindness. . . It’s the ultimate pay-it-forward. She was the top fund raiser for the entire Chicagoland area. She remains positive and focused on helping find a cure for

herself and other people like her.”

Her sister, Samantha Tyler, said that by refusing to think of herself as a victim and by being a part of the cure, Fink is making a difference in the world.

and Women in Business are proud to support the 2019 Women of Distinction.

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wishes to meet other women and share in the daily issues and challenges faced in the workplace and in life.

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8 | Women of Distinction | Thursday, October 10, 2019

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2019 Women of Distinction

Photo By SARAH R. PETERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

By Jeanne Millsap

Nilsa Sochan Giving back to the community that is close to her heart

Nilsa Sochan has always had a heart for children.

Growing up, she planned on being a teacher. When that didn’t pan out, she babysat and then worked at Morris Community High School as a janitor, hall monitor, parking lot attendant, study hall monitor, lawn mower and ticket-seller for the school’s sporting events.

She worked at the high school for 27 years and retired in 2010.

“I loved that job,” she said. “I’ve always loved kids. I really miss it.”

And there a lot of people who miss her. Retired teacher Judy Miller is one.

“She was our mom, sister, friend to everyone - teachers, students, staff, and parents. As a new teacher, uncertain of my ability, I would hear her greeting, ‘Good morning, teacher,’ and know that it was her highest compliment. It was her reassurance that she had faith in me and helped me feel more confident.

As years went by, her friendship was a constant encouragement and daybrightener.” Miller said.

Miller said the students also loved Sochan. One year, she said, a student gave her his school photo. Sochan put it on her door. Soon after, every student wanted to be on that door, and it quickly became covered with their photos.

“She loved all the students whether they were popular or not, perhaps especially the ones who didn’t quite feel like they fit into a group,” Miller said. “She would love and encourage them to feel better about themselves. My son jokes that she probably loaned half of the students lunch money at some point. She was unfailingly upbeat and caring. She made MCHS feel like family.”

Sochan’s caring heart might have begun with inspitation from her parents, who volunteered their time helping the homeless and the needy.

Her sense of empathy grew when

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Ladies - it’s time to Make YOUR HEALTH a Priority.

her family moved from Puerto Rico to the United States, leaving her homesick for her friends, other family members and her home country.

Making special friends here helped her adapt to her new life. She was grateful for them and learned important lessons through their friendships.

Morris resident Cindy Hecht and her mother Linda Pecka said Sochan has a heart of gold, and is a great friend to many.

“She has done so much for me and my mom as friends,” Hecht said. “But it’s more about the community. She’s been a part of so many things that help the community. She lives for doing what she does, helping others.”

Sochan fills her days in retirement by helping others and giving back to the community that she holds close to her heart. She delivers meals to the homebound for Mobile Meals and is a dedicated

volunteer at Morris Hospital.

She also sells tickets at Morris football games, volunteers with her church, Bethlehem Lutheran, and is a member of the Morris Women’s Club, where she makes weighted blankets and picks up trash along the river, among other community service.

Every Sunday she visits Reagency Care of Morris, a rehabilitation and long-term care facility, with her brother Luis. They visit with the patients, help feed them, and do whatever they can to connect with the patients and help the staff.

“It makes me feel good to help others,” Sochan said, “maybe I can make people happy so that they feel good.”

Hecht feels that Sochan is worthy of recognition for all she has done for others and the community. “If you ever need her, she tries to help.” Hecht said, “It’s plain and simple she is a Woman of Distinction.”

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