SEASPAR’s annual banquet recognizes donors, participants, volunteers

SEASPAR’s annual Believe & Achieve Recognition Banquet was held at Carlisle Banquets in Lombard Jan. 18. The venue was filled with happiness, as attendees came together to support each other and applaud the community’s remarkable accomplishments in providing recreational services to individuals with disabilities.

SEASPAR executive director Matt Corso served as the master of ceremonies.

The program began with a tribute to SEASPAR community members who are gone but not forgotten, including staff member Chris Lima and participant Randy Naberhaus. The program also featured a video presentation, highlighting key moments of the year.

A series of awards recognizing different individuals and groups unfolded throughout the evening, showcasing the diverse talents and contributions of the community.

The first awards were presented to SEASPAR’s Donors of the Year. The award for a service club donor was presented to Knights of Columbus St. Joan of Arc Council #15168 of Lisle, which has made financial contributions to SEASPAR from its fundraising efforts for many years. The donor award for a business was presented to Trader Joe’s of Downers Grove, which has donated staff time and products for many of SEASPAR’s programs.

Participants in SEASPAR’s programming were recognized with a series of awards. The Aktion Club Award went to Bryal Peterson of Clarendon Hills; the Cultural Artist of the Year was presented to Sarah Mikelenas of Bolingbrook; the Rising Star Award was given to Boelyn Fields of Downers Grove; the Shining Star Award went to Reynaldo Neris of Brookfield; the Achievement Award was prsented to Mia Jessica Santos of Lemont; and Athlete of the Year Award bestowed on Aidan Metzl of Woodridge.

SEASPAR volunteers and staff were also recognized during the event. The Naberhaus Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Eric Alwin, who volunteers with the Aktion Club. The Leading Light Award for staff was presented to Lorrie Smietanski of Lemont. The Super Star Award for staff was presented to Meghan Lieb of Woodridge.

For more information about SEASPAR and its recreational programming for individuals with disabilities, visit SEASPAR.org.