Meet Joshua Jahn. His wife and two small children were struck and killed by a drunk driver in 2008. He's spent most of the past two decades speaking to DUI convicts and getting them to rethink their decisions.

Applebee is retiring after 34 years at Seneca High School. In her final year, former students and colleagues are reflecting on how she transformed literature into lived experience – and created a classroom where every student felt safe to be themselves.

Hugo Saltijeral is executive director of Valley Sheltered Workshop in Batavia – after a second career serving the homeless at Hesed House in Aurora.

For some DeKalb County residents who don’t have family to spend holidays with, John and Julie Ahlbach are there for them with love, compassion and a meal.

Dennis Swinton’s volunteer work has included the Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Club, the Boy Scouts, the Rochelle Moose Lodge and the Masonic Lodge.

Cal Jacobs's volunteer history has included the Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, the Rochelle Free Summer Lunch Program and a recovery committee established following a 2015 EF4 tornado that hit the area.

When people comment to Beth Saffell about what the Jefferson/Lincoln PTO is doing or not doing, Saffell sees an opportunity.

Larry and Anne Prindaville of Dixon say their volunteer work stems from “our faith and our belief that we need to do good works for others."