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mokenamessenger.com life & arts
the Mokena Messenger | February 21, 2019 | 17
Picture Perfect: Local photographer raises money for schools
Megan Schuller, Assistant Editor
Sisters Elle (left), 7, Alexandra (middle), 8, and Tessa, 3, Taylor of Mokena pose for photoshoot done by Jean Lachat Photography as part of her
annual fundraiser. Photos submitted
Mokena-based photographer
Jean Lachat is making a difference
in her community, one photo at a
time.
Her part-time photography business,
Jean Lachat Photography,
raised $1,300 though special photo
sessions and donated the money
entirely to the Mokena Educational
Foundation. She held portrait sessions
for 12 families over two days
to raise the funds.
“I feel like photography was the
thing I was meant to do and be in
my life,” Lachat said.
She began the annual donation
more than a decade ago because
her daughters attended Mokena
Elementary School and Mokena
Intermediate School.
“The money goes right back
to MEF which in turn goes to the
students of Mokena 159,” MEF
President Laurie Kornmuller said.
“MEF receives teacher grant requests
of items that the district may
not be able to fund with their budget.”
Lachat said that since her children
attended school in the district
she got to personally see the difference
the donation made for teachers.
“I knew that MEF did good
things for the teachers and they
often buy equipment [that] teachers
need that they don’t necessarily
have the public funds for,” Lachat
said. “I thought that was a good
thing to help out.”
As a Mokena resident for more
than 18 years, Lachat said she enjoys
giving back to the community.
“I love this town and I love the
people of this town,” she said. “I’m
always trying to look for ways to
donate time and money to worthwhile
organizations because there
are so many people doing good
things around here. It goes to the
overall good of the schools and our
community.”
Lachat has a lifetime of experience
working as a photographer,
which began when she was a
young child playing with her father’s
camera.
“When I was 12, I saved up
enough money to get my first Kodak
camera,” she said. “From then
on it was a passion and hobby.”
The annual portrait fundraiser
funds were applied to the Mokena
Elementary School music department
for glockenspiels last year,
according to Kornmuller.
“These instruments will be used
for students K-3 to learn pitches in
music,” Kornmuller said. “They
are color coded to serve as a beginning
instrument to aid in musical
notation to traditional music. The
music department is hoping to use
these instruments in the future for
K-3 performances.”
Kornmuller said MEF is appreciative
of the Lachat’s annual
donation which directly impacts
D159 students.
“The portrait fundraiser is a great
donation for Mokena Educational
Foundation and we always look
forward to working with Jean each
year,” Kornmuller said.
Lachat has done other projects
that have given back to the community.
One such project started
after meeting Kristen Grant, a participant
of a past MEF fundraiser.
Together they created a cookbook
titled “Made in Mokena,” published
by White Elephant Books in
Mokena in 2015, and donated the
proceeds to MEF and the Parent
Teacher Association.
“I love the beauty of everyday
people,” she said of her favorite
thing about her work. “Actually focusing
on their faces and seeing the
beauty of being human.”
RIGHT: Elliot, 5, and Ronan, 4,
Bodine of Mokena pose during
their photoshoot.