Park Ridge Community Star: Barbara Skadow

Barbara Skadow is a longtime resident of Park Ridge who has been an active volunteer at The Center of Concern for more than 30 years.

Skadow has been selected a Park Ridge Community Star by the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce. This remarkable woman contributes her time and considerable talents each week to address ongoing computer needs, telephone support and special projects to support our programs, a press release states.

She received the Dee Heinrich award in 1994, the highest award given by The Center of Concern for exceptional service amongst nearly 300 active volunteers. 

Most often, she catches Center of Concern management by surprise with good news about an IT concern she’s identified, addressed and corrected before it was even cause for concern. There seems to be no task too large for her to conquer, including the recent acquisition and installation of complex workstations at The Center of Concern, the press release states.  She has served one, two and now three Executive Directors as a friend, supporter, and advocate for the Center’s programs. Last year, she selflessly donated over 200 hours to ensure that program staff and volunteers were provided with reliable systems to support clients.

Skadow has been instrumental in securing gently used office equipment to update the Center of Concern’s IT systems, and donated both supplies and office furnishings.  For bigger projects, she enlists the services of her talented sons, Rich and Ken, plus other family members who devote many hours of service and attend fundraising events.

It is a pleasure to witness the loyalty and affection the Skadow family has for Barb as they join her in tackling projects with a positive, can-do attitude. Barb is also an active volunteer at St. Paul of the Cross parish.  She regularly assists in staging the Sunday night suppers to feed the poor, is a past president of the Apostolate of Women and provides meals and other assistance to the priest and parish ministry, the press release states.

On behalf of all the lives she’s brightened, Barbara Skadow has been selected as a 2012 Park Ridge Community Star.

To see her accept her award, please attend the Community Stars Dinner Dance on Saturday, January 19, 2013, at Rosewood Restaurant. Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 720 Garden St. or by calling 847.825.3121.

Information submitted by the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.