Congratulations to our
2018 Shining Stars Award Winners!
Partner Agency of the Year
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation
Department
Friend of the Year
Glenn Binstein
Advocate of the Year
Glenbrook South High School Peer
Mentoring Program
Family of the Year
Matsumoto Family
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It was a heartfelt night of celebration on Friday,
April 20 when over 400 participants, family
members, staff, board members, supporters
and partners came together at the Hilton
Chicago/Northbrook for NSSRA's Shining
Stars Awards & Recognition Banquet. The
annual gathering gives NSSRA an opportunity
to recognize their outstanding participants,
families, staff, advocates, partners, community
members and friends who have truly made a
difference the previous year.
NSSRA’s Family of the Year award.
Speaking on behalf of wife Lynne, son Dane
who is a participant in NSSRA’s adult day
program Enriched Lifestyles for Adults (ELA), as
well as son Jason, Jerry Matsumoto remarked,
“Dane has been in ELA and NSSRA programs
for close to 25 years. For the last eight to nine
years, he has been a participant in the ELA
program, the most wonderful, nurturing,
supportive place that a person can go to on
a daily basis. Through ELA, we feel that he
“Our participants are the reason NSSRA exists has created lifelong bonds with participants,
and why we are here tonight,” said Craig Culp, volunteers and staff. As much as we enjoy this
NSSRA’s Executive Director. “Tonight we’re here recognition, we would like to recognize right
to celebrate them, to share the stories from the back NSSRA, ELA staff and volunteers.”
past year that have marked us all, and to make
sure our participants know what superstars
This year’s Advocate of the Year award went
they truly are.”
to the Glenbrook South High School Peer
Mentoring program, in existence for over three
Nine individual awards were given to twelve
decades. Accepting the award was Mary Z.
recipients.
Jaeger, a retired GBS teacher who founded the
program back in 1986. NSSRA has partnered
Thomas Jachtorowycz of Glenview was
with the program for the last several years to
honored with NSSRA’s Youth Participant of
provide mentors with disability awareness
the Year award. Recognized for his significant training.
involvement and growth over the last few
years, Thomas accepted the award with his
City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation
parents.
Department received NSSRA’s Partner
Agency of the Year award for their support of
His mother, Natalie, commented to attendees, NSSRA’s programs, providing space season
“It does not take a specific Google search to
after season for Kids Club, a Saturday social
find out that when people rate how happy
club for participants ages 10-15, and Gator
they are with a community one of the top
Softball at Waveland Park each Tuesday night
citing factors is the accessibility to recreational during softball season. Forest Park Beach is
opportunities, and that is what NSSRA does for also a favorite for camps, ELA and NSSRA’s
all the participants.”
weekly Traveling Tourists program during the
summer. Additionally, the CROYA program
The Matsumoto family of Wilmette accepted
has been a welcoming environment for many
Register online at register.nssra.org.