Rep. Nick Sauer (R-Lake Barrington) asked the House floor recently to acknowledge the life of Tom Vanderpoel with a round of applause rather than a moment of silence.
Before introducing HR1042, which recognized the life of longtime Barrington resident Vanderpoel who died Aug. 8, 2017, Sauer first pointed out Vanderpoel’s wife, Gail, and family members in the upper chamber before dedicating the resolution to his dear and humble friend.
“He was the behind-the-scenes leader and driving force for Citizens for Conservation,” Sauer said of the non-profit dedicated to restoring the natural environment.
Rep. Nick Sauer (R-Lake Barrington) presents HR1042 recognizing the life of Tom Vanderpoel
The group protects 431 acres on 11 separate parcels and has led a charge to preserve up to 3,500 acres in Barrington, Sauer said.
“The reason I tell you that is because Tom wouldn’t want me to talk about him; he would want me to talk about the group,” Sauer said.
“His ability to empower others kept them involved,” Sauer said, adding the preservation of the land 200 years from now will be possible because of Vanderpoel and the group.
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