• Posted: August 31, 2022
• ECO Lighting Services and Technology, Margaret's Village Senior Center

 

With just weeks to plan before hosting a major social event, Margaret’s Village Senior Community Center had a problem: the building had no lights. A staple gathering hub, shelter and resource facility for elders within the Englewood community, Margaret’s Village executive director Angela Hicks knew there was only one option — she’d need to contact someone who knew how to get things done.

“We were put in contact with Elbert Walters of Powering Chicago,” said Hicks. “He’s a person who makes things happen.”

After receiving a call from Hicks, Powering Chicago executive director Elbert Walters III knew something needed to be done. “Margaret’s Village helps families and seniors in need find places to stay and receive services they need to better their lives,” said Walters. “So it was important for us to provide them with power.”

But the problem was worse than Walters first thought. The facility had overhead lighting and sconce lights that were working only intermittently, and the fans, exit signs and auxiliary light fixtures were completely broken. To get the building back up and running, Walters would have to source help from a contractor with highly-skilled, highly-trained union electricians.

That contractor happened to be Eco Lighting Services & Technology. Owned by a president with a soft spot for serving senior citizens, Eco Lighting President Mindy Nowakowski was prepared for the job. After assessing the problem and determining solutions, the Eco Lighting team got to work returning power to Margaret’s Village.

“We had to come in and repair or replace all the lighting in here,” said Nowakowski. “We replaced all the fixtures, all the electrical switches, lighting in the hallways and more.” While Nowakowski said the work took considerable time and effort, the end result was more than worth it.

“It was like night and day,” she said. “More than that, being able to help seniors with anything feels like an amazing reward.” And, it wasn’t just Nowakowski who felt satisfied with Eco Lighting’s work — Hicks, too, was impressed by the quality of the repairs conducted. “Now we have lights so bright I almost need sunglasses to be in here,” she said with a grin.