When Teri Talks, You'll Volunteer

After you talk with Teri Vasile, there's a good chance you'll decide to volunteer at the Woodridge Community Resource Center. It'll just make sense to you, though you may not know how it happened.

At least that's what Vasile's assistant, Maria Castellanos, says.

Vasile and Castellanos — and their army of volunteers — run the center, which provides after-school activities and summer programs for Woodridge residents from kindergarten to sixth grade. There's also English as a Second Language, computer and parenting classes.

Vasile, the center's youth services coordinator, took some time to tell Woodridge Patch more about the center and herself.

Q: How long have you worked at the center?

A: I started working at the center in 1999 as an associate. We had 25 children then. Now we have 125 children.

Q: What are some of the activities students will participate in this school year?

A: For the first hour, students work on their homework. Then, in the second hour, we give them opportunities they wouldn't get because of financial difficulties — art appreciation, theater, dance programs, karate, tae kwon do. The kids get this all free.

Q: What are some highlights of past programs or activities?

A: This summer we took the kids to a Sox game and they rode in a trolley that was donated to the stadium. We had a video-editing class where students produced a documentary. We put on an "Academy Awards" ceremony for them at the end.

(During the school year) we put on a dance production. We had a ballroom teacher come in and teach them a little bit of everything. The boys wore tuxedos and the girls wore dresses that were donated. 

Q: How does the center pay for its programs and activities?

A: Block grants and from donations and through our village budget. With budget cuts, we had to learn to do more with less. We work through donations, private companies and partnerships. We beg a lot. Money doesn't stop us; if something is out there that we know the child would really love, we find a way to do it at no expense to the village. We find sponsors and events that will raise money for us.

Q: What do you love about your job?

It's something I really love to do. I have a passion for kids. I find this job really easy. If you don't have the passion, you don't belong in this place. We treat these kids like they're our own. I'm a mother of 125 kids.

Q: What need does the center fill in the community?

A: Most of our kids (90 percent) come from low-income families where both parents have to work. The kids are left alone and don't have the opportunity to get help with their homework.

It's a safe place that they can come, do their homework, do a lot of activities and then go home and really talk about it instead of being a latch-key (kid) and sitting in front of a TV.

The Woodridge CRC is part of the Support Services Department of the Woodridge Police Department. Woodridge Deputy Chief Gina Grady is Vasile's boss. K-3 students attend the CRC on Mondays and Tuesdays, and students in grades 4 through 6 attend on Wednesdays and Thursdays.