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Community Corner

Giving DuPage Honors Local Heroes at The Morton Arboretum

DuPage Day of Service honored volunteers of all kinds on Sept. 11--from workers at Danada, to doctors who donate their time, to firefighters and police officers that risk their lives daily.

“I’m not a hero, I’m a fireman.” said Chief Thomas Freeman of the . “[As a fireman] You hope you don’t pay the ultimate price. You hope that when you go into a building you come out, but you take an oath to be brave. And all of us know what we’re in for.”

Freeman discussed Sept. 11, 2001, and the importance of community volunteerism during the DuPage Day of Service & Remembrance held at the . The annual event showcases the contributions of residents that donate their time and efforts for DuPage County.

Around 250 people attended the ceremony, including the Anima-Young Singers of Greater Chicago who sang songs of inspiration, including “Walk in Jersulalem Just Like John." The mood was heavy. Many were moved by the music and the stories, shedding tears.

Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, Regional Superintendent of the DuPage Regional Office of Education, shared the story of how her great grandparents came to America. 

Though her great-grandfather came to the United States with no possessions, he still carried an empty suitcase with him. Ruscitti said the suitcase was filled with his hopes and dreams. He wanted his family to have choices, she said, and it's a thought that her family has kept in mind ever since.

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As the event came to a close, Freeman reminded the audience to make the world a better place for the next person. “It was ten years ago,” he said, “but it could be ten minutes from now.”

The event also featured “Face of Volunteerism,” a photo exhibit by Sean M. Scmidt, who shot photos of volunteers who donate their time locally.

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