As 2,000 runners stood behind the starting line Mel Diab sat in the pace car, ready to lead the pack. They were all here largely because of his work and his passion  "I have been running for over 47 years," Diab said. "It just clears your mind and it is such a great stress reliever. It just makes life easier and beautiful. I just love it." The First Midwest Bank Half Marathon attracts over 2,000 runners, 300 volunteers and thousands of spectators to the Palos area every May and has in five years raised about $125,000 for charitable causes.  Diab is the owner of Running For Kicks in Palos …

Everyone might end up with their 15 minutes of fame, but for Palos Heights resident Lee Roupas those minutes came in a unique and extended way.  Throughout the state of Illinois a poster, put out by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, has graced the entrances of liquor stores, bars, restaurants and night clubs for the past 11 years featuring Roupas.   The Illinois Liquor Control Commission was looking for models for their poster when they spotted Roupas, an employee in their own office.   "They had brought a model in our office, then they looked at me. Being a bodybuilder, they asked me …

She entered the room with shoulder-length hair dyed a festive shade of green, befitting the holiday. She left with a closely shaved scalp and a sense of accomplishment that she truly made a difference.  It wasn't enough for Becca Sweeney, 10, to just think about making a difference. She had to act. A few months ago she started thinking about participating in St. Baldrick's Day.  The foundation raises money for juvenile cancer research by encouraging supporters to solicit pledges with the end goal of shaving their heads in a sign of solidarity for those suffering from cancer.  "I think it's …

Maria DeCaprio-Sunta has been recognized as Greatest Person of the Day on Huffington Post, a feature that spotlights ordinary and extraordinary people in Patch communities whose acts of courage, determination, volunteerism and compassion have made a difference in their towns. These are people who inspire and energize others to strengthen their communities and improve lives. The first thing you notice about Maria DeCaprio-Sunta’s home is the artwork. Each wall is carefully adorned with her own creations and those of her friends. She has so much art that she changes out the paintings for the …

Belinda Bylina has lost track of exactly how many Barbies she owns.  Her collection is large enough to fill two rooms in her home, and she estimates her dolls hover around 1,000 strong.  When Bylina, the youth librarian at Palos Park Public Library, was a child she had a habit of losing her Barbies’ shoes. She didn't take particularly good care of them. Flash-forward to the present day and Bylina takes a markedly different approach. For over 20 years she has collected Barbies and keeps up with more than just their shoes. Her dolls of choice? Barbie and her younger sister Kelly. In her home, …

For the last time this year Tom McCague and a group of residents, friends and students gathered at the G. Jack Bradley Observation Deck to magnify the heavens through a homemade Newtonian reflector telescope. For McCague, astronomy is his main hobby and passion, and fittingly, making telescopes is a close second. "I have seven other telescopes at home," McCague said. "I just kinda taught myself, that's the way you learn most things in life." The telescope was built mostly from wood and other items easily found at the local hardware store. Even the mirrors and glass were shaped by McCague. The…

It was Christmas Eve of 2008, and Jacki Frederking and her husband Ken had just received crushing news: Their 5-year-old daughter, Kaylee, had been diagnosed with cancer. "Your life flashes before your eyes when you hear those words: 'Your daughter has cancer,' " Jacki Frederking said. Kaylee had always had asthma and allergies, so her parents paid careful attention to how she was feeling. Then the headaches started. After consulting with Kaylee's doctor, Jacki Frederking took Kaylee to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago "She would be lethargic one minute, and then she would be fine," …