She may have received Barrington’s 2014 Citizen of the Year award, but Sue Randall has no plans to slow down now that she has this top honor plus the Barrington Area Development Council’s prestigious plaque to hang on her wall.
The Barrington mother-of-four has served as middle and high school PTO presidents, Chairman of the PTO President’s Council and Fox Point neighborhood President. She has held leadership roles within the Barrington Junior Women’s Club and Barrington Reads, is on the auxiliary board of the Jeffrey Pride Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research and her team was the leading Avon Cancer Walk fundraiser for five years running.
Sue is also setting new records leading her team in the ALS Walk for Life on behalf of Paul Launer, a Barrington father suffering from ALS. Since 2012, Sue has been helping Paul by writing down messages he wants to leave behind for his two young daughters.
BADC board member, Bob Lee, says Sue’s depth and breadth of experience made her a clear choice for this year’s 40th Barrington Citizen of the Year award, which was announced at the Barrington Area Development Council’s annual dinner last week.
“A lot of people refer to Sue as ‘The Suenami’ because she is such a powerfully positive force in how she approaches life. I think one of Sue’s true strengths is her ability to rally the troops. People want to join Sue because she makes any task, as difficult as it is, fun with her quick wit, her humor, her big smile and her passion.”
With such strong words of praise, I just had to pick up the phone to ask Sue about the award (which she says came as a complete surprise) and her plans for the future. Here’s what she shared…
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What was your reaction when you received the 2014 Citizen of the Year Award?
“It was such a shock. I could not believe it. I had been perusing the program of previous winners before the dinner and so many people I know who have been my role models and my heroes are on that list. I can’t believe that my name will be in that program now.
And Gloria from Gloria Jean’s Coffee, the keynote speaker, gave a great speech at the dinner about how she was standing in a room full of ‘givers’. To be honored in a room full of your giver peers like that, it was unbelievable.”
What’s your secret to and motivation for your many accomplishments?
“Caffeine, and an inability to sit still. I think I’m happiest when I have a big project. I can make a mountain out of the most molehill of a job.
I just love helping people and, I know it sounds trite, but I love the end result and the satisfaction that you get from doing something for others.
Plus, I can’t just sit around and watch Judge Judy all day! (Not that I don’t love a little Judge Judy.) Just don’t call me between 4 and 5 p.m. when she’s on, but that’s ‘off the record’.”
You’ve achieved so much so far, what’s next?
“I’m on the auxiliary board of the Jeffrey Pride Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research and our 13th annual golf outing is coming up at Makray Memorial Golf Club on Friday, July 25th.
The money raised goes toward the Children’s Oncology Group, the world’s largest pediatric cancer research organization and foundation. To date, the Jeffrey Pride Foundation has donated in excess of $1.4 million and funded various drug protocols that are in use today.
And on Sunday, September 21st, our goal is to set the record for the most money ever raised by a team in Chicago’s Les Turner Foundation’s ALS Walk for Life. Last year we raised $80,000 in honor of my friend, Paul Launer. We’re walking again with Paul this year, our goal is to raise $100,000 and that will set an all-time Chicago ALS record.”
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Thank you for sharing your time and talents, Sue, and congratulations on this wonderful honor.
CLICK HERE to find the ALS Walk for Life page Sue created on behalf of Paul Launer. There’s no doubt we’ll be seeing a strong showing of Barrington residents for the Chicago walk this September when the Suenami strikes again!
