Coal City’s Jack Micetich receives initial Exelon award

Drama teacher donated masks made from old wardrobes

COAL CITY – When the COVID-19 began last year, Coal City High School theater technology teacher and auditorium director Jack Micetich found himself in a strange situation.

“When the pandemic began, I didn’t have a lot to do,” Micetich said. “Usually we are here at the school, and we weren’t.”

Micetich wanted to do what he could to help, so he came up with an idea.

“Whatever masks and gloves we already had in the scenic shop, I donated,” he said. “Then, I got to thinking that, since we usually build our own costumes, we had a lot of extra fabric that we could make masks out of.”

Micetich proceeded to make masks from costumes from previous productions at the Coal City Performing Arts Center, such as “The Lion King,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Our Town” and “Les Miserables.”

All told, Micetich made about 1,000 masks and mask kits and donated them to community members and first responders.

For his efforts, Micetich was nominated for a Grundy County Everyday Heroes award by community member Brenda Krieger. Krieger, whose son was involved with the Coal City Theater Department while in high school, described Micetich’s efforts in her nomination letter, and he was selected by Exelon’s Dresden Generating Station and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce to receive a gift of $4,000 in cash from Exelon and $1,000 in Chamber gift certificates.

Dresden site communications manager Sara Peters, Chamber President and CEO Christina Van Yperen and Coal City Superintendent Kent Bugg surprised Micetich before a rehearsal of the current production, “Something Rotten.”

“I had no idea what was happening,” Micetich said. “I didn’t even know about this program. I was just here for rehearsal and they told me what happened. I have no idea who might have nominated me.

“I will use the money for the theater department. It just doesn’t seem right to use it for my own personal use.”

Peters said Exelon and the Chamber plan to give out seven awards, and Micetich was the first recipient.

There still is time to nominate an everyday hero. Exelon and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce will accept nominations through the end of April. To nominate someone, visit grundychamber.com/grundy-county-everyday-heroes.

“The program is still ongoing,” Van Yperen said. “As we continue to receive nominations, we will decide on the awards. People can nominate someone through the end of the month.”

Rob Oesterle

Rob Oesterle

Rob has been a sports writer for the Morris Herald-News and Joliet Herald-News for more than 20 years.