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Plainfield High School-Central Campus senior Diamond Collins (left) receives a $5,700 check to pay her tuition for cosmetology school from funds raised by the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala. Ron and Kathy Kazmar, co-chairs of the Giving Gala (center) and Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce (right) presented the check. Diamond plans to get her cosmetology license and eventually start a business that provides wigs for people who have lost their hair because of disease. Despite an extremely difficult childhood with virtually no family support Diamond turned her life around in high school with the help of her current foster family and the school system
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Roger Bonuchi, president of the Plainfield Lions Club receives a grant of $5,000 from Kathy and Ron Kazmar, co-chairs of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala. The grant, which is one of several being awarded to Plainfield area charitable organizations, will be used to help pay for the Christmas food baskets which are distributed by the Lion’s Club to needy families during the holidays.
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Volunteers for the Bags of Hope (center) Desiree Vernooij, DJ Skogsberg and Lana Howe receive a $5,000 check from the proceeds of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala. Presenting the check are Tasha Marsaglia (left), executive Director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Ron and Kathy Kazmar (right) co-chairs of the Plainfield Giving Gala. The money will be used to purchase food that is placed in backpacks and given to needy school children on a weekly basis so they have access to nutritious food for the weekend.
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Ron Kazmar, co-chair of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala and Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce present a grant of $2,000 for reimbursement of expenses related to The Big Serve. Receiving the check are Scott Long and Loyd Bowman, co-chairs of The Big Serve along with Brian Murphy, Plainfield Village Administrator. The Big Serve is collaboration of governmental, community and faith based organizations that brought together a large group of volunteers on May 4 and May 5 to do a variety of projects for people in nee
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Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce, along with Kathy and Ron Kazmar, co-chairs of the Plainfield Giving Gala present a $5,000 check to Loyd Bowman of Community 4:12, which will use the funds to support and counsel foster and adoptive family gatherings in the Plainfield area. The money for this donation is from the net proceeds of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala.
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Jeff Green (center), founder and CEO of Green Harvest Food Pantry in Plainfield, receives a $6,000 grant from Ron Kazmar, co-chair of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala and Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The grant money will used to pay for the purchase of a walkin cooler which will replace several older inefficient coolers.
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Pat Cork (center) manager of the Plainfield Interfaith Food Pantry receives a $5,000 grant from Ron Kazmar, co-chair of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala and Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The grant money will used to pay for the replacement of two large freezers used by the food pantry.
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Mary Sheehan, (second from left) CEO of Joliet Area Community Hospice and Sandra Schramm (far right) receive a $5,000 check from the proceeds of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala. Presenting the check are Tasha Marsaglia, (left) executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Kathy and Ron Kazmar (center) co-chairs of the Plainfield Giving Gala. The funds will be used to meet the needs of hospice patients in the inpatient unit.
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Plainfield Park District Foundation president Javier Juarez and Wendi Calabrese, director of administrative services (left) receive a check in the amount of $3,000 for the Friends of the Plainfield Park District. The money, which is from the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala, will be used for financial assistance for those who cannot afford park district program fees. Presenting the check (from left) are Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Ron and Kathy Kazmar, co-chairs of the Plainfield Giving Gala.
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The Plainfield Foundation for Excellence receives a $10,500 check from the funds raised at the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala which was hosted by the Friends for Charitable Giving in partnership with the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The money will be used for community service scholarships for high school seniors and to pay the fees for a special education athletic league for Plainfield Academy. Pictured from left are foundation treasurer Jake Waldron, Giving Gala co-chairs Ron Kazmar and Kathy Kazmar, foundation trustees George Capps and Michelle Smith foundation chairperson Margie Bonuchi, foundation vice chairperson Matt Starr, and foundation trustees Pat Herman and Jon Balke.
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Ron and Kathy Kazmar, co-chairs of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala present a grant of $9,500 to Lisa Behounek, executive director of the C.W. Avery Family YMCA. The grant, which is one of several being awarded to Plainfield area charitable organizations, will be used to pay for children whose families cannot afford the cost to attend summer camp at the Avery Y. The grant money was raised by the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala, an annual black tie charity event held last February sponsored by the Friends for Charitable Giving and the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
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Rob Epley, executive director of the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation (second from left) receives a $5,000 check from the proceeds of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala which will be used for educational signage about the history of Plainfield’s riverfront area. Presenting the check are Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce (left) and Ron and Kathy Kazmar (right) co-chairs of the Plainfield Giving Gala.
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Joanna Veghts, (second from left) founder and president of Team Nicholas, and her daughter Madalyn receive a $2,500 grant from Tasha Marsaglia, executive director of the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Ron and Kathy Kazmar, co-chairs of the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala. The grant money was raised by the 2019 Plainfield Giving Gala, an annual black tie charity event held last February sponsored by Friends for Charitable Giving in partnership with the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Team Nicholas will use the funds for Halloween costumes and treats for seriously ill children at local hospitals. IF YOU GO WHAT: 2020 Plainfield Giving Gala WHEN: 6 to 11 p.m. Feb. 22 WHERE: Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook TICKETS: $125 per person. Tickets available online Jan. 6. ETC: Black tie event includes dinner, dancing, silent auction, open bar. Sponsorships available. INFORMATION: Visit plainfieldgivinggala.org.