Nicor Volunteers Help Out at Hanson Center

More than 80 people spent their morning helping out at the Hanson Center Saturday. The group from Nicor laid limestone, added mulch, stained fences, planted bushes and pulled weeds.

"Once I visited the site, I was amazed by the facility, and the things they offer here," said Darade Collins, Nicor field operations supervisor. "It's a fabulous program that they offer for kids and adults with disabilities and even those without disabilities."

Collins has been with the company for 10 years and says he tries to participate in its volunteer day every year. He says the project, which has been going strong for 15 years is something they do to benefit the communities where employees live and work.

The volunteer day was a family event. More than 1,000 Nicor employees brought their families to take part in 23 service projects in 20 communities throughout Illinois.

"We want them to know that volunteering is important," said Lina Diaz. She and her husband brought their four boys to the event, along with other family members.

The Diaz family woke up at 5:45 to drive to Burr Ridge from Chicago, and even their two-year-old son Diego pitched in to help shovel.

"I like doing planting and painting and stuff, 'cause I'm helping people," said seven-year-old Plainfield resident Skyler Chapman, who woke up at six in the morning for the event and came to help in the garden. She said it was difficult to get up, but she did it because she knew they were going to help the Hanson Center, and she wanted to get there as early as she could.

The Hanson Center is owned by Ray Graham and Associates, a non-profit social service agency with 35 locations throughout DuPage County.

"It's really overwheming. The work that people are accomplishing [today] is not something that we ever, ever would have accomplished on our own." said Kathy Carmody, chief of staff for Ray Graham and Associates. "It means a lot to the people who use the property to know that people support them and want them to be in as nice as surroundings as possible."

In addition to working on the grounds, the group donated the shovels, wheelbarrows and rakes that were used during the day, as well as paid for  the rental of hedge trimmers. The company also made a $4,000 donation to the organization.