DO-GOODER SPIRIT OF SHOREWOOD VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers Capture the Spirit of Shorewood Submitted photo
Spirit of Shorewood award winners from left: Mariann Maris, David Banaszynski, Debbie Eder and Lenore Young. Not pictured: Sam Knox.
By Karen de Hartog
The Village and School District of Shorewood honored five dedicated volunteers whose service this year enriched both organizations and whose work has exemplified a commitment to community service. At the annual Volunteer Appreciation event on April 30, the five honorees — Debbie Eder, Sam Knox, Lenore Young, Mariann Maris and David Banaszynski — received the Spirit of Shorewood awards for exceptional service. Debbie Eder Eder has been a dedicated District volunteer since her now-college-age children were in elementary school. She has volunteered in the classroom, organized book fairs and picnics, served on the Shorewood Intermediate School (SIS) Parent Advisory Council and as Shorewood High School (SHS) Parent Association President, and edited the SHS newsletter. Parents describe Eder as someone who cheers on Shorewood students and also supports their parents. Sam Knox Knox demonstrates a zeal for mathematics development in the Shorewood schools. He volunteers at Atwater, Lake Bluff and SIS and at
off-site local and state math events. With Knox’s assistance, students participating in Math League, MATHCOUNTS and Math Olympiad contests have increased their team scores to record levels and competed successfully in state contests. His work has reaped profound benefits for students and complements math teaching and learning across the District. Lenore Young As a retired teacher, Young understands that time and dedication are necessary to nurture young readers. She volunteered at Atwater while her grandchildren were students there. Using her teaching skills, she worked with small groups of students on math and reading activities, engaging them in meaningful discussion about their reading. She pitched in to help teachers with clerical tasks like copying and laminating. Her reputation for completing tasks with care and attention to detail has made her commitment especially valued, by both students and teachers. Mariann Maris Maris has a long history as a Shorewood volunteer. She started at Lake Bluff when her children were young, volunteering in their classrooms and serving as PTA president. In 1991, she was
elected to the School Board, a position she held until 2000. Currently, Maris is president of the Shorewood Library Board, which she has served on for two previous terms. Her background is in education and writing, and she has always found ways to put her interests and skills to good use as a Shorewood volunteer. David Banaszynski Banaszynski is best known as Shorewood’s former chief of police. However, he has also been a dedicated community volunteer. His commitment to the Shorewood Men’s Club could be called legendary. He was a member for 25 years and served three terms as president. He frequently chaired the successful Men’s Club Chicken Barbecue event and supported Men’s Club events on the 4th of July. Both events are labor intensive, but enable the Men’s Club to support several Village and School District activities each year. Whether working to ensure community safety or the success of Men’s Club activities, Banaszynski has been a tireless promoter of Shorewood. n
SHOREWOOD TODAY 23