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Berwyn, IL —
When Lelend U. Rodriguez, a kindergarten student at Lincoln Elementary School in Hillside, saw wounded veterans collecting donations while on a trip with his father to Elmhurst City Hall, he knew he wanted to help.
His family and their friends thought it would pass, but Lelend set a goal of collecting $100 and wouldn't let up. Soon, he was carrying around a box with a soldier's helmet on it and began asking everyone for a couple of bucks.
He even donated money he had saved up for a family vacation to Wisconsin Dells, and the owners of Windy City Hot Dogs in La Grange Park pitched in, as well.
“Many soldiers have died in the war, and some of them don't want to go to war. That to me is the whole idea,” said Lelend. “The reason that I donated is because I know that soldiers die every single day.”
Lelend's mother asked a friend who lived in Berwyn to help her find a suitable group to donate to.
On Jan. 24, Lelend presented a check for $100 to the Combined Veterans of Berwyn during a Berwyn City Council meeting. Lelend's donation was matched by Berwyn Community Relations Commissioner Gil Pena and commission Executive Director Joe Keating.
Lelend even got to stay up past his 7 p.m. bedtime to attend the meeting, which started at 8. He proudly walked up to the front of the City Council Chambers and handed over a check.
Amidst a room of smiling people, Mayor Robert Lovero chimed in and joked that Lelend’s parents should move to Berwyn, “because those are the kind of young people we want to see here in Berwyn.”
Lelend's parents, Tasha and Ubaldo Rodriguez, said they supported Lelend in his efforts, but added he did the work on his own.
“We are extremely proud,” said Tasha Rodriguez. “You want your kids to be kind and helpful, and you tell them to be nice, but it's nice to see it really sunk in.”
Effusive and vibrant, Lelend has always had a penchant for vintage G.I. Joe and ThunderCats cartoons. He wants to be a soldier before becoming a police officer.
“Ever since he was really, really small, he's always loved police officers and army men,” his mother said.
Although Lelend said he plans on taking a break for a while, he also hopes to help firefighters and police officers in the future.
“They helped America. They had to,” Lelend said. “I just wanted to help.”
When Lelend U. Rodriguez, a kindergarten student at Lincoln Elementary School in Hillside, saw wounded veterans collecting donations while on a trip with his father to Elmhurst City Hall, he knew he wanted to help.
His family and their friends thought it would pass, but Lelend set a goal of collecting $100 and wouldn't let up. Soon, he was carrying around a box with a soldier's helmet on it and began asking everyone for a couple of bucks.
He even donated money he had saved up for a family vacation to Wisconsin Dells, and the owners of Windy City Hot Dogs in La Grange Park pitched in, as well.
“Many soldiers have died in the war, and some of them don't want to go to war. That to me is the whole idea,” said Lelend. “The reason that I donated is because I know that soldiers die every single day.”
Lelend's mother asked a friend who lived in Berwyn to help her find a suitable group to donate to.
On Jan. 24, Lelend presented a check for $100 to the Combined Veterans of Berwyn during a Berwyn City Council meeting. Lelend's donation was matched by Berwyn Community Relations Commissioner Gil Pena and commission Executive Director Joe Keating.
Lelend even got to stay up past his 7 p.m. bedtime to attend the meeting, which started at 8. He proudly walked up to the front of the City Council Chambers and handed over a check.
Amidst a room of smiling people, Mayor Robert Lovero chimed in and joked that Lelend’s parents should move to Berwyn, “because those are the kind of young people we want to see here in Berwyn.”
Lelend's parents, Tasha and Ubaldo Rodriguez, said they supported Lelend in his efforts, but added he did the work on his own.
“We are extremely proud,” said Tasha Rodriguez. “You want your kids to be kind and helpful, and you tell them to be nice, but it's nice to see it really sunk in.”
Effusive and vibrant, Lelend has always had a penchant for vintage G.I. Joe and ThunderCats cartoons. He wants to be a soldier before becoming a police officer.
“Ever since he was really, really small, he's always loved police officers and army men,” his mother said.
Although Lelend said he plans on taking a break for a while, he also hopes to help firefighters and police officers in the future.
“They helped America. They had to,” Lelend said. “I just wanted to help.”
