MK_111419

12 | November 14, 2019 | the mokena messenger news
mokenamessengerdaily.com
FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION
Dentist leads Real Men
Wear Pink fundraising
campaign in the southern
suburbs
Whether breast cancer,
prostate cancer, lung cancer,
or any other type of
cancers, today, nearly everyone
has been impacted
by cancer in one way or
another.
For Dr. Ralph Ginn,
dentist at Tinley Park’s
My Care Dental, cancer
has been a part of his life
in many ways. Every day,
he looks for oral cancers
while examining his patients
and, like many others,
he has been called to
support loved ones who
received the diagnosis.
Although he spends
a lot of time educating
people about oral cancers,
Ginn knew he could do
more. Then last year, a
longtime patient educated
him about the American
Cancer Society’s Real
Men Wear Pink campaign,
which happens every year
during Breast Cancer
Awareness Month.
This year, the south suburban
campaign has a goal
to raise a total of $50,000.
As of press time, Ginn was
leading the pack, raising
almost $5,000 himself.
Reporting by Amanda Del
Buono, Freelance Reporter.
For more, visit
TinleyJunctionDaily.com.
FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE
Orland Park man
advocates importance
of CPR after saving
stranger’s life
After saving the life of
a stranger who was in cardiac
arrest on a Swallow
Cliff Woods trail, Thomas
O’Brien, of Orland Park,
is raising awareness on the
importance of being CPR
certified.
Just over a year ago, on
Sept. 14, 2018, Thomas
and his wife, Deb, went
running on the Swallow
Cliff Woods trail at a time
they typically do not run.
During the run, Deb got
ahead of him. As Thomas
was running, he noticed a
man, who would later be
identified as Denis Fellmann,
also of Orland Park,
lying face down on the
trail.
“There was a man lying
face down on the trail,
and he wasn’t moving at
all, so I flipped him over,”
Thomas said. “He wasn’t
breathing and his eyes
weren’t open. He was in
big trouble.”
After rolling him over,
Thomas immediately performed
CPR. Realizing
the severity of the situation,
Thomas dialed 911,
and soon first responders
arrived and transported
Fellmann to the hospital.
Fellmann survived,
thanks in large part to
Thomas’ quick actions.
As a result, the O’Briens’
church, All Saints Lutheran
in Orland Park, has
hosted a few CPR classes.
Reporting by Alyssa Groh,
Freelance Reporter. For more,
visit OPPrairieDaily.com.
FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION
Scouts celebrated with
Eagle Court of Honor
ceremony
The members of Frankfort
Boy Scout Troop 270
are well-known throughout
the community. From
running the Frankfort Fall
Fest parking lot to hosting
Winter on the Green
events to coordinating
food drives for the Frankfort
Food Pantry, these
Scouts are always ready to
help in any way they can.
On Nov. 3, Michael
Clarkin, Alex Desjardins,
Rory Hanlon, Jake Leonard,
Matthew Lexow and
Justin Murray of Troop
Please see nfyn, 13
golden girls
From Page 9
a young mother and fulltime
teacher. I thought I
didn’t have time for it,”
Smallwood said. “But I
absolutely fell in love with
it. The opportunity to meet
a variety of ladies from
around the country was
extremely enjoyable. The
club broadened my life
and improved my leadership
skills.”
At the celebratory October
meeting, Jeffers also
proposed that the club add
a new “Our Golden Girls”
chapter of 50-year members,
with Smallwood,
Fleckenstein and Backhus
being charter members.
The MWC also dedicated
their current club year to
the three ladies.
“The ironic thing is that
they all attended their very
first meeting together and
they were inducted into
membership at the same
meeting, too,” Jeffers said
of this full-circle moment.
“They were genuinely surprised
and moved by it all.
It was a neat thing for us to
do for them.”
In addition to the pins
and scrapbooks, they each
received an etched glass
plaque from the MWC, as
well as a letter of congratulations
from GFWC International
President Mary
Ellen Brock.
“What a noteworthy
milestone this is,” Brock
stated in the letter. “You
have spent these years
contributing to GFWC’s
proud tradition of achievement,
but more importantly,
you have helped ensure
the continuation of that
legacy into the future.”
While the club’s future
projects will continue to
serve the changing needs
of the times — especially
in the areas of education,
scholarships, politics and
charitable giving for the
community — the focus
will stay the same as it’s
always been in the past.
“Our Mokena Woman’s
Club motto is, ‘Where
community service and
friendship meet,’ and we
really hold true to that,”
Jeffers said. “One person
can do a little, but a whole
group of people can do a
lot. Our focus has always
been service, and the reward
from that service is
the friendships that are
formed.”