CHICAGO PORTRAITS

Eleonore Placzek, Copernicus Cultural and Civic Center

Community service has always been an important part of EleonorePlaczek's life, but since the Northwest Sider's retirement fromteaching kindergarten, volunteering has become her new career.

A widow with two grown children and four grandchildren, the75-year-old Chicago native has a long history of community service.During World War II, she was a charter member of the Legion of PolishWomen, a group devoted to aiding the Polish in the war struggle. Hercurrent volunteer efforts center around the Polish Museum of America,the Copernicus Center and St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital.

- based on text by Mark Dobrzycki

Chicago Portraits are part of a traveling exhibit that is atthe Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, 1852 W. 19th St., through May17. For more information, call (312) 738-1503.