Thank you to our outgoing and incoming DuPage Community Board Chairs!
“Everyone goes through times in their lives when they need to lean on someone. Metropolitan DuPage provides programs and services that assist in empowering DuPage families. The help that Metropolitan DuPage provides, empowers those families to achieve long term successes.”
– Bill Jennrich, incoming DuPage Community Board Chair
Last August, Marcie Peterson – then the chair of the Metropolitan DuPage Community Board – attended a “Build-a-Bike” event sponsored by Extenet Systems on behalf of the board. Marcie shares:
“Extenet Systems was utilizing the building of bikes as a team-building program, and children from two of our programs – We Go Together for Kids and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren – were to receive these bikes. Watching the presentation of the bikes to the children not only brought tears to my eyes, but also to many in the room! To add to this experience, I was surprised to learn the CEO of Extenet Systems was a family friend, Ross Manire. We both were impressed with how our paths had crossed! After many more correspondences, Ross also agreed to have Extenet Systems be a Silver Sponsor for our 2018 Gala. I truly believe we have built a bridge between the wonderful work we do for our clients and Extenet Systems’s desire to give back to the community.”
This experience exemplifies the engagement and impact of the DuPage Board on Metropolitan and the communities we serve. The 2018 DuPage Gala raised $230,000 to benefit Early Childhood Education programming at the DuPage Center. “This board is incredibly engaged and truly desires to better our community,” says Marcie, who recently stepped down as Board Chair but will remain on the board.
“I have seen first-hand the impact our agency makes on those in need,” she says. “This is such a fulfilling feeling!”
Marcie, a board member since 2012, joined to carry on her family’s legacy and tradition for community service; her father-in-law, Alan Peterson, served on Metropolitan’s Board of Directors for many years, and fosters a strong emphasis in the family on building connections within the community. “Alan introduced me to the DuPage office at an Annual Meeting he and I attended,” Marcie shares. “I then volunteered to assist with the Gala, and the rest was history.”
The incoming Board Chair, Bill Jennrich, is another long-serving board member, having been involved with Metropolitan DuPage for nine years after a long-time friend recommended him. “I was impressed with the leadership of the both the organization and the board,” he says. “The staff and board members show a remarkable passion for the MFS mission, and assist thousands of DuPage families through the many programs they offer.”
After sitting on multiple other committees, Bill steps into his new role with an understanding of how the board and Metropolitan DuPage operate.
Bill says, “We have so many talented individuals on the board that work together to achieve great things for Metropolitan DuPage. I hope to take the great leadership of the past Chairpersons and continue to maximize our fundraising efforts while promoting the great programs and services Metropolitan offers throughout DuPage.”
Please join us in thanking Marcie Peterson for the time, talent, and treasure she contributed as the most recent Board Chair, and in welcoming the new Executive Committee!
- Bill Jennrich, Chairman
- Maryellen Klang, Vice-Chair and Gala Committee Co-Chair
- Pat Whiteside, Vice-Chair and Board Development Committee Co-Chair
- Jody Gauthier, Secretary
- Paul Pyrcik, Board Advancement Committee Chair
- Sharon D’Alessandro, Board Development Committee Co-Chair
Welcome to our DuPage Community Board’s new members:
- Sara Clark
- Carol Dimas
- Christopher Dabovich
- Dennise Vaughn
Additionally, two members retired from the board; we thank Ryanne Dent and Mike Mazza for their years of service on the DuPage Community Board.