Gallery 7717

Josh Peckler - Jpeckler@shawmedia.com Joe Alger, chief operating officer for JA Frate in Crystal Lake was nominated as a everyday hero for his work with local veterans in the community. He helps organize veteran homecomings with the Warriors Watch and has created murals honoring fallen local soldiers on the side of JA Frate's trucks.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Kids play with a parachute while at an after school program provided by the Crystal Lake Park District at Woods Creek Elementary School in Crystal Lake on Friday, February 15, 2013.

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com McHenry VFW Post 4600 Commander Ron Reber spends a lot of his time volunteering with and honoring veterans. He organizes many events at the VFW for Flag Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving for the Sailors and much more.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Ethel Popenhagen celebrates her 100th birthday during a potluck luncheon in her honor at the United Methodist Church in Hebron on Sunday, February 17, 2013.

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com Bass drummer Alec Berndt, with the Crystal Lake Strikers, awaits taking the court with the drum corps for a half-time performance at Crystal Lake Central High School on Wednesday, February 6, 2013. The Strikers is comprised of percussionists from Johnsburg, Huntely, Lake Zurich, Cary, Crystal Lake South, Crystal Lake Central and Prairie Ridge. On February 23, the group with perform at An Evening of Percussion at the Raue Center.

H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com Prairie Ridge's Rachael Underwood completes her final tumbling pass in the floor exercise to the delight of her teammates Friday, Feb. 15, 2013 at the IHSA State Gymnastics preliminaires at Palatine High School. Underwood scored 9.675 for her routine.

H. Rick Bamman - hbamman@shawmedia.com St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church parishioner Matt Beilstein listens to Fr. Jarome Koutnik as he celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass in Crystal Lake.

Josh Peckler - Jpeckler@shawmedia.com Irene Garza of Lake in the Hills gets a kiss from her dog Love at her home. Garza donated one of her kidneys to a friend five years ago. The friend continues to do well today, and Garza has become an honorary member of her friend's family.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Volunteer Jane Hagenow of Woodstock plays the piano for residents at Hearthstone Manor while they enjoy lunch in Woodstock.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Linda Zeka of Harvard picks up groceries at the Harvard Food Pantry on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. According to the statewide poverty report the county's poverty rate jumped by about 5,000 people. from 5.5 percent to 6.9 percent. Harvard has a 26 percent poverty rate according to the census.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Laurie Selpien poses for a portrait next to her winter garden at the Algonquin Wastewater Treatment Facility in Algonquin. Selpien volunteers her time year-round to maintain the Algonquin-LITH Food Pantry's gardens. The two gardens produced nearly 4,000 pounds of food in 2012, their first year.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Sue Schuerr of Fox River Grove works with Adaptive Adventures at Wilmot Mountain in Wilmot, WI. Adaptive Skiers is a group that works with wounded soliders, or those with developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, or any other physical impairment and teaches them how to ski.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Volunteer Jeff Schumacher of Woodstock helps clear and burn debris and invasive plants while volunteering at the McHenry County Conservation District in Woodstock.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Crystal Lake South's Carly Nolan (left), Cary-Grove's Katie Barker and Crystal Lake South's Lauren Del Vecchio fight for control of the ball during the third quarter of Friday's Regional Championship in Crystal Lake on February 15, 2013. Cary-Grove won, 54-40.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Crystal Lake South's Stephanie Oros (center) and Lauren Del Vecchio (right) cheer on their team during Friday's Regional Championship against Cary-Grove in Crystal Lake on February 15, 2013. Cary-Grove won, 54-40.

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com Ian Johnson leaps for the net in the first Westminster Christian Class 1A Boys Basketball Regional game against Harvest Christian Academy on Monday, February 18, 2013. Alden-Hebron lost 52-41.

Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Newleyweds Kyle and Nicole Averkamp share a quiet moment after being married on Valentine's Day at the McHenry County Courthouse. The two have been dating for just one year, but have known one another since middle school. They are expecting a baby in September. “She grounds me. She's my anchor,” Kyle, 26, said. “We're best friends. You couldn't ask for anything better.”