IN LOVING MEMORY OF
EUGENE JOSEPH JEVITZ
Founder of Friends of Sunny Hill
1940-2025
It is with sincere sadness and with tremendous gratitude that we share the news that the Founder of The Friends of Sunny Hill, Eugene Jevitz, died after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
He was the person who ignited our mission, 35 years ago, after recognizing the need to provide an accessible means for the seniors and elderly who made their home at Sunny Hill Nursing Home of Will County to travel and again enjoy the communities that they built. When the funding was not made available at the county level, people swung into action and spent the next year raising the $50,000 to purchase their dream – an 18-passenger wheelchair accessible bus.
Fundraisers, community donations, events and even selling one of our family members farm-raised tomatoes for 10 cents a piece in the facility’s front lobby finally helped those dreams come true!
And that began a 35-year journey to provide the life-engaging and life-enriching events and items that we now and will continue to enjoy: resident bedroom wall-mounted televisions, raised gardening plots, three completely renovated and accessible patio areas, two more buses, sound equipment, tablets and computers for resident use, a beautiful Sweets and Treats Shoppe that is open daily and run by our volunteers, all of the music performances fees, a Resident Dream Program and the list goes on and on.
How can we ever thank Gene and his vision? May his memory be eternal and he be escorted into Heaven by the Angels. We will never forget, and we will keep our mission alive. Thank you, Gene – rest now.
https://fredcdames.com/tribute/details/9283/Eugene-Jevitz/obituary.html
FRIENDS OF SUNNY HILL CELEBRATES 35 YEARS
The Friends of Sunny Hill organization is kicking off a year of events to celebrate its 35 years of achievements to benefit the residents of the Sunny Hill Nursing Home of Will County.
Friends of Sunny Hill was founded in 1989 to address a need for a wheelchair-accessible van for residents of the long-term skilled care nursing facility owned and operated by Will County. Over the past 35 years, the organization has made it their mission to “make a difference” in the lives of residents at the facility.
Since its founding, the not-for-profit group of volunteers has raised funds to purchase three 18-passenger vans, create and operate the facility’s Sweets and Treats Shoppe, provide three accessible and safe outdoor patio areas and gardens (with seasonal upkeep), provide wall-mounted televisions in resident bedrooms and group areas, and install raised gardening beds. The organization also funds all musical entertainment and other life enrichment needs of the 156 residents who reside at the facility.
“The Friends of Sunny Hill provide additional resources and support for the already amazing work our facility does for its residents,” said Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. “Whether it’s providing iPads, Christmas trees, or planning events, the Friends live up to their name and mission, making sure our Sunny Hill family have smiles on their faces.”
Funds are raised through donations, including biannual mailing campaigns and memorial gifts, Sweets and Treats Shoppe profits, the annual Sunshine Holiday Gift Bazaar and Luncheon, and other events throughout the year.