EVERGREEN PARK, IL — An Evergreen Park Community High School junior is now a two-time winner of the Illinois Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Junior Member of the Year award. 

Francesca Canon was recently selected by the state DAV chapter as the award winner for the second year in a row due to her work with the Midlothian chapter of the Illinois DAV, the state’s largest. She’s now the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Junior Member of the Year for both 2022 and 2023. 

“My heart always sings when I see her doing things for veterans,” said Jeannie Jaworski, commander of the Midlothian DAV and Canon’s grandmother. 

Canon, an EPCHS junior, has been volunteering at the Midlothian DAV for about three years now. She began organizing parties and helping with various tasks at meetings as a way to give back to her grandfather, Richard Jaworski, a Vietnam era veteran. 

“He went above and beyond in serving our country, so I wanted to do my part in giving back,” Canon said. 

Jeannie Jaworski added that her granddaughter would “do anything for her grandfather.” 

“The members just love her. It makes me so happy. I’m smiling constantly about it.” 

As part of her volunteerism with the DAV, Canon serves pizza at meetings, helps veterans get to and from their cars and helps feed homeless veterans every winter, among other things. 

The veterans “get so happy when we have parties,” she said. 

“Francesca takes time out of her Friday nights to do it, too,” Jeannie Jaworski added. “That’s not something many kids her age would be willing to do.” 

Canon is also the organizer of the DAV’s winter pet food drive for the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge. In three years, she’s raised more than $1,000 to help the cats and dogs at the shelter. 

Her award as the two-time Illinois Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Junior Member of the Year came with a letter of recognition from Paula Raymond, the past national commander of the DAV auxiliary. 

“In a time when young people have many activities to participate in, you have chosen to help the people who have made it possible for you to participate in those activities,” Raymond wrote. “The fact that you are so willing to give of yourself and your time to help veterans is greatly appreciated. You are the future of our organization, and with individuals like you, we will continue to fight for veterans’ rights and benefits.” 

With more young people like Canon needed to keep DAVs across the state and nation strong, Jeannie Jaworski said her granddaughter has inspired at least two other girls to join as junior members, and they both “seem to enjoy it as much as her.”