April 15, 2025
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Starved Rock Country Community Foundation plays role in Teen Showcase at IVCC

Foundation gives $1,500 grant to help fund keynote speaker

By Derek Barichello
Teen Showcase organizers met recently with a representative from the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation. Pictured (from left) are Jodi Mahoney, North Central Behavioral Health Systems president; Jenny Barrie and Leslie Dougherty of the La Salle County Health Department; Ellen Vogel of OSF HealthCare; Noelle Sliker, NCBHS vicepresident; Tracie Mazzorana, NCBHS community relations coordinator/prevention specialist and Teen Showcase coordinator, and Fran Brolley, Starved Rock Country Community Foundation president.

Teen Showcase organizers met recently with a representative from the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation. Pictured (from left) are Jodi Mahoney, North Central Behavioral Health Systems president; Jenny Barrie and Leslie Dougherty of the La Salle County Health Department; Ellen Vogel of OSF HealthCare; Noelle Sliker, NCBHS vicepresident; Tracie Mazzorana, NCBHS community relations coordinator/prevention specialist and Teen Showcase coordinator, and Fran Brolley, Starved Rock Country Community Foundation president. (Photo provided by Fran Brolley)

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation recently played a role in the 38th annual Teen Showcase at Illinois Valley Community College.

“Starved Rock Country Community Foundation generously supported Teen Showcase,” said Ellen Vogel, community health engagement program manager for OSF HealthCare Center for Health in Streator.

“The $1,500 SRCCF community grant helped fund our keynote speaker and he was the highlight of the day,” Vogel said.

Keynote Fabian Ramirez is a motivational comedian who was bullied in middle school. He talked about the psychological impact bullying can have and has helped thousands of schools across the U.S. and Canada prevent it.

Teen Showcase, the area’s largest teen conference, was spearheaded by North Central Behavioral Health Systems with support from the La Salle County Health Department, OSF HealthCare and The Society of Growth. Businesses from multiple counties lent their support with contributions of gift cards and other items for giveaways.

The showcase emphasizes positive life choices, a drug-free lifestyle, coping skills and wellness. Attendance for the mid-March event attracted a full-house of 600 students in sixth through 12th grades from Bradford, Grand Ridge, La Salle-Peru, Henry, Ladd, Malden, Marseilles, McNabb, Ohio, Ottawa, Streator and Utica.

For information about SRCCF Community Grants, visit srccf.org/grant-information, call 815-252-2906 or stop in the office at 116 W. Lafayette St., Ottawa.

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