News Briefs: Make a Difference Day is Saturday; Local cellist earns national honor; NTHS honors two athletic-department greats

The Volunteer Center is calling on community members to donate gently used goods to support 14 local nonprofits at its 23rd annual Make A Difference Day from 9 a.m.-noon this Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Indian Hill Train Station in Winnetka, 111 Green Bay Road.

The communitywide donation drive collects gently used and new goods for local nonprofits that need them most.

Donation needs include: children’s clothing and shoes, women’s clothing and purses, men’s educational toys, adult bikes, men’s and women’s clothing, pet supplies, and musical instruments. Each participating nonprofit has specific needs, with a full list available at VolunteerCenterHelps.org.

Organizers ask that items be sorted, bagged and labeled for each nonprofit prior to dropoff:

• Junior League of Evanston-North Shore: women’s tops, bottoms, dresses, lounge wear, shoes, coats and purses;
• Connections for the Homeless: men’s gym shoes, jeans, snow boots and coats, T-shirts, backpacks, luggage and duffel bags;
• Cradles to Crayons: children’s attire including shoes and winter gear;
• Share Our Spare: Infant and baby clothing, diapers (any size), formula, and baby foods (unopened and unexpired);
• Hadley Institute for the Blind: eyeglasses, cases and lenses;
• Chicago Furniture Bank: mattresses, box springs, metal bed frames, assembled cribs, chairs, dressers, tables, desks, mirrors and rugs;
• Binary Heart: computers, cellphones and iPads
• Books4Cause: Gently used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl.
• Northbrook Symphony Orchestra: musical instruments;
• Salvation Army: sports equipment, including cleats;
• Orphans of the Storm: pet supplies, including toys, food, blankets and towels;
• Working Bikes: adult bikes in repairable condition, kids’ bikes, bike parts, accessories and bike jerseys.

The Volunteer Center is a 60-year-old organization dedicated to connecting individuals, families, and service groups with nonprofit opportunities in New Trier Township and surrounding communities.

Wilmette musician is U.S. presidential scholar

The Music Institute of Chicago recently shared that cellist and institute alumnus Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, of Wilmette, has been named a 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Nedvetsky is one of 161 scholars out of 6,400 qualified candidates in 2025 to receive the honor.

Nedvetsky spent six years as an active student in The Academy, the institute’s nationally recognized pre-conservatory program for gifted high school pianists and string players. He is a cello performance major at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, where he also studies history.

“It took the dedicated support of my family and community (including MIC and the Academy), and the guidance of my teachers, Hans Jensen and Oleksander Mycyk, to receive this award,” Nedvetsky said in a statement. “I could never have done this alone! I would like to give special thanks to the MIC community for the growth I have made as a person and musician during my years at the academy and beyond.”

Nedvetsky was a 2024 YoungArts Winner with Distinction in Cello Performance, the highest award of the National Young Arts Foundation. Additional accolades include prizes in national and international solo and chamber competitions, merit scholarships, and grants from preeminent art foundations, the release says. More information about Nedvetsky is available via his website.

“A devoted cellist and ambassador for classical music, Jan enriched the Academy community through years of study, performance, and a passion for community engagement,” said Sue Polutnik, vice president and COO of the Music Institute and Academy executive director, in the release.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes the most distinguished graduating high school seniors in a variety of categories.

New Trier names facilities after coaching greats

New Trier High School’s kinetic wellness and athletic departments named their office suite after Bonnie Beach and Lee Kennicke, two pioneers of Title IX.

According to a release from the school, Beach and Kennicke promoted gender equality in sports and were instrumental in transforming the landscape of athletics in Illinois and beyond.

“Their passion and vision played an influential role in shaping the athletic and kinetic wellness departments into what they are today,” the release says.

Around a plaque outside the offices, Beach and Kennicke attended a dedication ceremony on Sept. 18 alongside family, friends, fellow retirees, alumni, staff and students.

A plaque outside the office serves as a lasting reminder of their contributions to New Trier and to the advancement of girls’ and women’s sports. 

Beach worked at New Trier from 1967-2001, serving as a teacher, adviser, department chair and head coach for girls volleyball, field hockey and badminton. She was a member of the State Advisory Committee for volleyball and coached the first IHSA girls volleyball champions in 1975. She co-founded the Illinois Coaches Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports in 1977 and served as the association’s first president.

Kennicke, in 30 years at New Trier, served as an assistant coach, head coach and assistant athletic director, as well as the girls PE chairperson at New Trier East. She co-founded the Illinois Coaches’ Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports and created and led New Trier’s Student Athlete Leadership Team. She assisted Beach on the IHSA’s first girls volleyball champ.

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