Naperville American Legion Post 43 has selected Jenny Dawley as its 2013 Citizen of the Year. Since 1986, the award has been presented annually for extraordinary service to the Naperville area community. Dawley will be honored at the Legion’s Past Commander’s Dinner on April 20.
Selected from dozens of nominees, Dawley currently is Director of Senior Services at Naperville Township.
The selection committee received multiple letters about Dawley, describing her tireless efforts helping seniors and veterans and responding to any situation she becomes aware of where her nursing skills or human compassion are needed.
In one notable example, while attending an AARP class which she had arranged, Jenny performed life-saving CPR on an individual in cardiac arrest. It was not the first time she has done so. In true “Jenny” fashion, she later visited the gentleman in the hospital to be sure he was regaining his health.
Dawley also works on behalf of Autism Speaks and the Community Career Center. From September through June, she is among a group of regulars who takes a motorcoach on the second Tuesday of the month to visit veterans receiving treatment at Hines VA Hospital.
As one letter writer put it, “We are sometimes fortunate enough to meet someone who makes us want to be better people…we see what we must do to improve not only who we are, but the way we treat others. Such a person is Jenny Dawley.”
Did you know? The American Legion is the nation’s largest veterans organization. Its activities are formed around Four Pillars of Service: Defense-Veterans-Youth-Patriotism. The Naperville American Legion Post 43 is one of Illinois’ most active posts. Its growing membership recently exceeded 102 percent of the prior year.
