Meet the Volunteers: Sheila Gerhardt

Here at United Way, we get to work with a variety of people across many different fields in many different ways. Among them are the United Way interns, volunteers and staff. Today we’d like to spotlight one of our volunteers as we continue our series of Familiar Faces Friday. Meet Sheila, a Marketing Volunteer who works primarily with writing copy and documenting United Way of Lake County’s impact on our community.

1. What is your name? Sheila Gerhardt
2. Where do you go to school? I recently graduated from Trinity College Dublin which is in Dublin, Ireland with my Master’s Degree. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University.
3. What is your major/what year in school are you? Both of my degrees are in English-Creative Writing.
4. Where are you from? Libertyville, Illinois.
5. What’s your favorite restaurant/food? Hands down Persian food. I’ve been going to Reza’s Restaurant in Andersonville since my mom was pregnant with me and still go there to this day!
6. What is something interesting that no one knows about you? My great grandfather was a famous poet in Iran. All of his descendants worked in math, science, business or law, so I have this sort of special connection to him by being the sole heir to inherit his creativity and love for writing.
7. If you had to sing one karaoke song for the rest of your life, what would it be? Kiss by Prince.
8. What is the best movie in the world and why do you think so? Casablanca. The movie takes place in unoccupied French Morocco during WWII after the German’s have invaded France. There is a club, where most of the movie takes place, and French refugees are there, waiting to get transit papers to escape to the US. However at one particular moment a group of German soldiers take over the bar and sing the German anthem. Only a leader in the Nazi-resistence has the courage to stand up, start up the club’s band, and sing the French national anthem. The entire club joins in, drowning out the sound of the Germans. It’s still one of the most beautiful movies scenes I’ve ever witnessed.