Brad Hofvander

When someone has been the recipient of acts of kindness in a time of need, it reinforces the importance of helping others. Consequently, Brad Hofvander of Prospect Heights did not hesitate when he received the e-mail from his supervisors at Walgreens asking for employees to volunteer for one week to help Hurricane Katrina victims in October 2005. He and his family had gone through a very difficult time following his father's stroke, and also during his mother's battle with breast cancer, and they had been on the receiving end of a vast outpouring of support from friends, neighbors and co-workers during both of these periods. “I realized what these people did for us, I had the exact same chance to do for others, which was to make a difference in a person's life Many of these people had lost most, if not everything that they treasured.” he said. “I received a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction from helping out, and I am very grateful that I was given an opportunity to help people who had suffered so much.”

Hofvander flew into Lafayette, Louisiana where he joined Mark Williams from Philadelphia, Jim Krejci, of Cleveland, and Al and Scott Mileski, a father and son team from Michigan. The group drove 100 miles to Lake Charles where the devastation was incredible – trees snapped like twigs, and houses with roofs and siding gone, and some that had been knocked off their foundations. Many of the houses were badly damaged and uninhabitable. They pitched in at three Walgreen stores to do what needed to be done so that the stores could be reopened, and then helped to put drugs on shelves. Hofvander was trained as a pharmacy technician so he was able to type up prescriptions, call insurance companies, help with billing, and fill some prescriptions. He also ran errands for customers and even drove to another location to pick up drugs for a customer that they didn't have locally.

The residents were very grateful for their assistance, and one lady asked Hofvander how he had fared during the storm. She was surprised to hear that he and his group had come so far to help them, and confided that she had lost her brother, sister-in-law, and their two children because they had tried to ride out the storm in their home. “I looked into the eyes of the people I met and could see their pain, and knew that my decision to try to help the people affected by the storm was the right decision,” Hofvander said. Across the road from one of the stores where they were working was a distribution point where people could go to receive government- issue food and supplies. He will never forget seeing 60 or 70 cars lined up with people waiting patiently to pick up basic necessities when the center opened at 7:00 a.m. He and one other member of the group stayed on for five extra days because they felt it was their responsibility to give these people more of their time and efforts. The members of the group stay in touch because their strong desire to help people resulted in their developing a very special bond with each other.

Stephanie LaTour, Walgreens District Pharmacy Training Coordinator, Louisiana West District, expressed her appreciation for the help that residents received from Walgreen employees. “Brad and his team members were one of the last teams to come in to help the victims in Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina had hit the east coast previously, but then Hurricane Rita slammed into the Lake Charles region. No one expected the damage to be so severe, and many people had been without power for some time. Unfortunately, many people could not afford to leave, and they were desperately in need of assistance. Walgreens was one of the first businesses to open after the hurricane, and it was imperative that we be able to provide our customers with food, water, ice, medical supplies and other necessities. Brad and the other members of his team were just some of the many good Walgreen employees who came to help, and they were all just wonderful. I keep in touch with Brad, and he has offered to come again in the event that another hurricane hits.”

Hofvander is employed as a Walgreens Health Initiatives RDUR Program Client Manager Technician. He is a full time student at Harper College; a big Bulls fan, and a die-hard supporter of the Cubs and the Bears teams. His hobbies include biking, car shows and fast cars. His family includes his Mother, Liz; Dad, Chuck; and younger brother, Mat, and they have lived in Prospect Heights for eighteen years.

For details on local volunteer opportunities, contact The Volunteer Center of Northwest Suburban Chicago, (847) 228-1320. (847) 228-1006, or visit www.volunteerinfo.net.

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