24 | MAY 30 • 2024 
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ARC has nominated Dave 
Konop for Volunteer 
of the Week. Konop 
has been involved with the 
nonprofit for many years and 
always steps up when they need 
help. 
Konop, who grew up in 
Huntington Woods, has been 
volunteering for JARC since 
2002.
Often, JARC volunteers 
have family or someone close 
to them with disabilities that 
leads them to volunteer there. 
That’s not the case for Konop, 

but JARC and the people they 
serve are still near and dear to 
his heart. 
“It’s just always something 
I’ve wanted to help with and 
be a part of,
” Konop said. “My 
main job during the day is 
doing finance-related work. 
Pretty far removed from some 
of the things I help out with at 
JARC, so it’s nice to be able to 
contribute in a different way 
than I do on a daily basis.
”
Some examples of his con-
tributions include volunteering 
at JARC’s large-scale commu-

nity carnival for people with 
developmental disabilities and 
sensory sensitivities and their 
caregivers and families, help-
ing with meal deliveries to the 
JARC homes, helping one of the 
JARC homes decorate a sukkah 
for Sukkot and leading Passover 
seders for some of the residents.
Konop has many positive 
memories in his years of volun-
teering at JARC. Running the 
seders especially stands out for 
him. 
“It’s always enjoyable to take 
them through a seder, have the 
group together, feel that togeth-
erness and how happy they all 
are,
” Konop said. “
And you can 
also see how much the employ-
ees who work at JARC care 
for the residents, helping them 
with whatever they might need. 
Those interactions always make 
me feel good.
”
Konop has also assisted with 
JARC’s annual Flower-a-Thon, 
a multi-day volunteer effort 
that brings vibrancy and joy to 
the outdoor spaces of the non-
profit’s group homes through 
planting annual flowers, which 
is planned this year for the week 
of June 2.
“I always like doing that 
because it’s this really nice 
spring refreshment, as far as 

sprucing up the front and back 
of the houses and having that 
spring born-again feel,
” Konop 
said. “
And many times, JARC 
residents will come out and 
help a bit. So, you’ll get to inter-
act with them on that level at 
the JARC homes.
”
Konop’s passion for volun-
teering comes from an under-
standing that there’s certain 
segments of the population that 
can live wonderful, fulfilling, 
happy lives, but they just need a 
little bit of extra help. 
“One measure that I think of 
myself as a person and apply to 
society as a whole, is how will-
ing you are to help those who 
may not have the advantages or 
benefits you have, and helping 
them to live the best lives they 
can. 
“That’s really where the pas-
sion comes from, especially 
with the JARC population,
” 
Konop says. “Just trying to help 
people who need that little bit 
of extra help or extra care in 
order to live full lives, I think it’s 
just an important thing to do.
“
And it makes me feel good 
to do it, so there’s certainly an 
internal joy to it. But the fact 
I can add some brightness to 
some people’s days and lives is 
pretty meaningful to me.
” 

Among other contributions, Konop 
has assisted with JARC’s annual 
Flower-a-Thon for many years.

A Bloomin’ 
Good Helper

DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

OUR COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK

Dave Konop 
helps out 
with JARC’s 
Flower-a-Thon.

Dave Konop 
leads a 
Passover 
seder at a 
JARC home.

