Gurnee residents win Illinois Jaycee TOYP Award

The Illinois Jaycees www.illinoisjaycees.org honored Gurnee residents Ann and Matt Widman as some of the top young people in the State of Illinois during a special honors program at their Statewide general meeting at the Holiday Inn Select in Decatur, Illinois.

Each year the Illinois Jaycees and the Illinois Junior Chamber International Senate select and honor ten outstanding men and women, between the ages of 21 and 39, from across Illinois. These Ten Outstanding Young People (TOYP) are selected on the basis of achievements in a number of areas including personal improvement, financial success, economic innovation, social improvement to major contemporary problems, philanthropic contribution as well as government and volunteer service. Past winners include Gary Fencik, Chris Zorich and Bill Self.

"Ann and Matt suffered a devastating loss last year when their son died of cancer," said Wendy Copeland, the Widman’s nominator. "Though their world was shattered, they made it their lives mission to find a cure for neuroblastoma, an aggressive pediatric cancer. Through the creation of the Super Jake Foundation, fundraising and their technical abilities, Ann and Matt are advancing the research into neuroblastoma. They are giving hope to the families and an opportunity for survival to children diagnosed with this horrible cancer."

Ann Widman is a public relations and marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience working in both nonprofit and corporate business environments. Matt Widman is an experienced scientist, a chemist by training, with a strong business background. After many years working in a variety of companies and industries, the Widmans both now work for Abbott, one of the world’s largest health care and pharmaceutical companies. The Widmans live with their daughter, Taylor, and son, Parker, in Gurnee.

In March of 2004, the Widmans’ first-born child, Jake Robert, age 3 ½, was diagnosed with a rare and deadly form of pediatric cancer, called neuroblastoma, after a seemingly routine visit to the pediatrician for a bellyache. During the course of the next 15 months, the Widman’s son endured 12 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, three bone marrow transplants, three surgeries and several weeks of radiation. One year later, he died at home on May 27, 2005.

During March of 2005, the Widmans established The Super Jake Foundation, www.thesuperjakefoundation.com; the only national 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for neuroblastoma. The Super Jake Foundation has held three major fund-raisers including a large event on November 3, Jake’s 5th birthday. Since it’s incorporation, the Foundation has raised more than $200,000.00 for neuroblastoma research. To date, the Foundation has issued tens of thousands of dollars in research grants to academic institutions throughout the country, including Northwestern University.

More than 650 children are diagnosed with this disease each year. Little is known about the disease and, as a consequence, little has been done to find a cure for it. More than 70 percent of children are diagnosed when the disease has progressed to a dangerous point and as a result, few can be saved.

Each of the individuals honored received a special medallion and photo plaque from the Illinois Jaycees. The other honorees and the town from which they were nominated include Maureen Butler (Woodstock), Eric Crony (Edwardsville), Allen Mayer (Peoria), Scott Meinhardt (New Baden), Summer Neal (Berwyn), Amy Olson (Woodridge), Deborah Perryman (Elgin), Jason Phillips (Charleston) and Jerry Roesener (Addieville).

The Gurnee/Lindenhurst Chapter of the Jaycees, a local chapter of the Illinois Jaycees, conducts a variety of projects each year for fund-raising, community service as well as social purposes. Some of their projects include Christmas in April, Warren-Newport Food Drive and their Best Pizza contest. At the end of the fiscal year, all of the profit generated from Chapter projects less Chapter expenses is funneled back into the community.

The Chapter is one of the 1,400 local Chapters throughout the United States. Illinois has the second largest number of Jaycees of any state in the United States. The Jaycees provide individuals between the age of 18 and 40 the opportunity to develop personal and leadership skills while serving their community.

The Gurnee/Lindenhurst Jaycees meets at 7:30 PM on the third Monday of each month at In-Laws Restaurant at 720 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Gurnee. For further information on the Gurnee/Lindenhurst Jaycees, membership or any of their sponsored events write to the Gurnee/Lindenhurst Jaycees, PO Box 465, Gurnee, IL 60031, email them at info@gurneejaycees.org or visit www.gurneejaycees.org.

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