The local Kiwanis chapter is gearing up for the return of the Ed O’Shea Service to Youth and Social Agencies Award Dinner on Oct. 9.
This award honors individuals who have made meritorious contributions to youth and social agencies within the community. The award was named in honor of Ed O’Shea, a long-time club member and former club president. O’Shea also served for many years as the village government prosecutor.
Club member Mike Thompson remembers Ed O’Shea’s active years. “Selfless service was his middle name, and he did so much pro bono work. He has a great sense of humor and although he served under several mayors, he was always able to reach across the aisle.” Thomson said. “You’d be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything negative about him. He was able to crack a joke or a smile.”
His legacy of service to the Kiwanis Club of Forest Park is honored through this award given in his name. “He coordinated, supported and facilitated the work of club members for many years,” said Jerry Lordan, a club member. “The whole was greater than the sum of the parts due to Ed’s leadership and inspiration.”
This year, the Kiwanis Club of Forest Park is honoring three individuals: Anthony “Tony” Calderone, Karen Dylewski and Sharon O’Shea. “These three people are important individual parts to the social infrastructure of our community,” said Lordan.
A longtime Kiwanian, Tony Calderone was a former club president and Kiwanis District Lieutenant Governor. Before serving as Forest Park’s mayor, Calderone initiated and managed the program that brought Forest Park school children to the Medina Circus every year.
Serving most recently as Kiwanis treasurer, Karen Dylewski, has served Kiwanis and the youth in Forest Park as the director of the Community Center and has overseen the Holiday Baskets project for nearly two decades.
Sharon O’Shea has given extensive community service to Forest Park. In addition, it was her father for whom the award originated and her late mother, Irene, provided the support Ed needed to provide his extensive community service.
Previous awardees include Andy Collis, Joe Byrnes, Denny Moran, Laureen Thornton, Scott Entler, Dave Novak, Pat Malone, Richard Polfus, Dorothy Gillian, Jackie Schulz, and Larry Piekarz.
The Ed O’Shea Dinner not only honors the individual service to the community, it raises funds to support youth in Forest Park today through the ticket and raffle sales. Tickets are available through Eventbrite or reaching out to Forest Park Kiwanis Club.
Forest Park Kiwanis Club has been serving the community for over 100 years, and Kiwanis membership is open to adult men and women who want to make Forest Park and the world a better place to live. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers who work to improve the world one child and one community at a time.