There are many men and women in our county who are caring volunteers and leaders, and right at the top of that list is a husband and wife team who are constantly involved in community service.
Twenty-seven years ago, a young couple moved to Valparaiso from Dallas, after being hired as educators, and the area was blessed with their presence. Ric and Kaye Frataccia are givers, volunteers, leaders and caring individuals. As a couple, they bring out the best in one another, which is an advantage to all of us.
Saturday they will be honored as distinguished community leaders at the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce Salute to Leadership event at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton.
There are few community projects they haven’t been a part of, and giving back is part of their lifestyle. It doesn’t matter which one is a volunteer for any happening, it always involves both of them. Kaye, along with co-chair Rob Thorgren, was totally engrossed in the project to build Valplayso the New Generation, and has a permanent smile in her heart for the thousands of volunteers who helped develop an A-plus park with playground equipment, bright and colorful, and available for children with disabilities. It truly was a labor of love.
Ric, as superintendent of Valparaiso Community Schools, is basking in the joy of the referendums that passed, which will guarantee “his” students will have the best we can give them for years to come. Then there is helping make sure the Memorial Opera House continues to be our classic theater, and being a leader for the Porter County United Way, or serving on the Park Board or saying “yes” to any group or agency who calls needing their expertise.
Kaye’s statement, “Do something bigger than yourselves,” is their way of life, and has been passed on to their children. They are a blessing for all of us. I am honored to call them friends. Thank you, Ric and Kaye, for your continued presence to help our area thrive. You are my pet persons of the week for the love you have poured on everyone whose lives you’ve touched.
When I saw the pictures in Saturday’s Post-Tribune with the men and women plunging into freezing Lake Michigan for their annual Polar Bear Swim in Ogden Dunes, a light bulb went on in my mind. Here were people who seemed to enjoy plunging into ice-cold water and, in February, the Special Olympics Indiana Polar Plunge will take place at Valparaiso University. It would be so cool (or cold) if some of the members of the Polar Bear Plungers would join this fundraiser and help Porter County Special Olympics by raising funds for us at this plunge.
So my plea is to have one of you pleasant plungers call our coordinator, Diane, at 219-929-7323 and say “yes” to taking the plunge for Special Olympics. You will even get a plunge shirt. I’ve got my fingers crossed and my hands folded that we hear from one or more of you. Thanks in advance. And if there’s anyone else who would like to join us, please feel free to call.
Even though most of us have been grateful for our milder winter so far, there is a significant number of the population who aren’t so happy with green grass showing instead of a heavy blanket of white coating.
Children who want to zoom downhill on their sleds or build snowmen, snowmobilers with their machines all revved up and ready to go, skiers and snowboarders wishing they could swish down the hill, and especially the owners of businesses who rely on winter weather for their livelihood, whether it’s selling the equipment or providing the areas to use that equipment, are all wishing for the skies to open up with flakes.
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Even our Special Olympics athletes have hopes of snow by this weekend. Our state Winter Games are scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday at Perfect North Ski Area, and it sure doesn’t look like there will be any blast of snow between now and then. Who knows, we may have a white Easter instead of a white Christmas.
In the meantime, have a great day, because you deserve it. Thanks for reading. Fly your flag.
Lorrie Woycik is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.