Waverley Family Has an Impact

By Larry Atseff

Meet Braden Waverley: A Hinsdale dad who is all about volunteering to make Hinsdale a better place to raise a family. It’s a past time that is not lost on any member of his family and it’s one that helps his family bond to each other and to Hinsdale in general. With wife, Alice, the Waverleys have called Hinsdale home since 2001 and have raised three children here. Ben, who will be starting his senior year studying computer engineering at University of Wisconsin- Madison in the fall. Alegra, graduating this spring from Hinsdale Central and following her big brother up to the UW to pursue a Bachelors of Science in journalism. And Walter, a Hinsdale Central sophomore just earning his driver’s license with a plan to continue the family tradition of volunteering and giving back with his new driving skills. Dad Braden serves on DuPage Foundation’s investment committee where he volunteers his financial skills to help the Foundation manage its $110 million in assets in order to make grants to area not-forprofits, including Willowbrook Corner Coalition, HCS Family Services, The Community House, Hinsdale Humane Society and much more. This service dovetailed with Braden’s 11 years as a board member at The Community House, including two as chair, and his service on the District 181 Foundation board. Alice serves in an appointed role as chair of the Hinsdale Parks & Recreation Commission.

Alegra, Alice and Ben dropping off non-perishable items and cash donations at the HCS family services food pantry at Anne M. Jeans elementary school.

“From our lives in Hinsdale and the service work to so many worthy organizations, we only wish we could do more. But most of all, we are most grateful for the many friendships we have formed in the area, connections we look forward to maintaining for a lifetime.”

She also has enjoyed a long history of volunteer and leadership roles within the area’s parent teacher organizations, Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club, and various committees for human services organizations. Most recently, Alice joined the Assistance League of Chicagoland West to help that organization transform lives by providing literacy education and winter clothing to young children in the area, equipping kitchens for families transitioning from homelessness and funding scholarship opportunities for students at College of DuPage. Braden and Alice have become role models for their kids. When COVID hit in the spring of 2020, all three kids chipped in to start a food drive. Within two weeks, they had collected 42 bags of groceries and $700 in donations, a sum that was matched with a contribution from DuPage Foundation in honor of their dad’s service. Alice said her kids were deeply moved by the long lines at the area’s food pantries and the dire situation so many found themselves in, the result of job loss and shut downs during the pandemic. The kids are following in their parents’ footsteps. Alegra serves as the communications director for Hinsdale Hospital Foundation’s Junior Board and secretary of the National Honor Society at Hinsdale Central where she tracks service hours for 250+ members. Walter is a member of the Junior Board at HCS Family Services where he volunteers by packing bags of groceries and distributing them to clients. While in high school at St. Ignatius, Ben also set the tone for his younger siblings by tutoring fourth graders at Willowbrook Corner where he enjoyed playing games and kicking soccer balls with his students after lessons were completed. The past eight years have been busy. Not only have Braden and Alice served countless volunteer hours while serving the community through myriad organizations, they’ve just about raised their three teens to responsible adulthood. For Braden, fatherhood come first, volunteer service third, making priority number two his work as chief operating officer at Ray-Allen Inc., an IT asset management software firm. The Waverleys said, “From our lives in Hinsdale and the service work to so many worthy organizations, we only wish we could do more. But most of all, we are most grateful for the many friendships we have formed in the area, connections we look forward to maintaining for a lifetime.

*Photos provided by the Warveley family