Humanitarian Ventures through Collaboration

"The principal goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – men who are creative, inventive and discoverers." _ Jean Piaget

One of the goals in a community is to develop youth who have character and as a result can address challenges along the way. However a community needs to offer challenges for these youth to find methods to go beyond their potential. Students Jack Weed and Krish Nara from Barrington Middle School and John Dever from Barrington High School are taking on a leadership challenge to host a dinner on April 6th 2025 for 100 people at Salem United Methodist Church. All proceeds of the dinner will benefit the Migrant and Refugee Ministry at St Anne's Catholic Church that provides help with rental assistance, meals, winter clothes and furniture.

In order to accomplish their mission Jack and John will help with sales, organization, technology, hosting, serving and cleaning up after the April 6th event. As officers of this project they will try to recruit other youth volunteers, seek donations from sponsors for the event and engage the community through marketing and public relations. Award winning cook Zein Bertacchi will prepare a homemade meal for this humanitarian venture. Zein and her band of fellow volunteers have raised over $250,000 in the last 20 years for local and global charities by serving food at chess events and dinners. Jack and John will discover what it takes to organize, serve a meal through understanding the impact from the funds they collect. Learning to appreciate the privilege of serving with other dedicated volunteers will be a valuable lesson as well.

Both Jack Weed and John Dever have won the President Volunteer Awards from the White House for their outstanding work. Krish Nara joins their team as an enterprising, dedicated volunteer and as a nominee for the Presidential Youth Award from the White House for 2025. The Peter Wulff Center aspires to help youth reach beyond their potential by driving their ambition to be smart, compassionate leaders of tomorrow. Adult mentors create social entrepreneurial companies where they can mobilize their talents and skills in a wide variety of ways to benefit humanity. John, Krish and Jack serve as Youth Advisory Board Members for the Peter Wulff Center. The center educates, trains and finds employment for over 300 youth from underprivileged families living in the slums of Delhi, India.

The Barrington community comes together through the efforts of adult and youth volunteers who support the project, collaboration with St Anne's Catholic Church and Salem United Methodist Church and local businesses, awareness of the needs of others around us and learning from each other as we "practise our humanity" (Yo Yo Ma) This work symbolizes the courage, enterprise, initiative, determination, humor, energy, confidence, optimism, and zest that unites the Barrington community.

Event Highlights:

 Dinner & Desserts prepared by local chef, Zein Bertacchi
 Guest Speakers

How You Can Help:
 Attend the event and show your support - $40 per person

 Make a tax deductible financial donation to aid migrant families/asylum seekers through St Annes Catholic Church or Salem United Methodist Church. Salem UMC is EIN: 58-1289675

 Volunteer your time or resources (small-scale furniture, household items, Spanish translation skills)

RSVP by Mailing a check for $40/person to Salem Methodist Church, 115 West Lincoln Avenue, Barrington IL 60010 Payable to Salem UMC with “April 6 Migrant Dinner” in memo section.