“Operation Snowball saved my life,” Naperville Central senior Lilly Korbal wrote in an Instagram post on Oct. 29th, just days after returning from the retreat.
Since her freshman year, Korbal has participated in 360 Youth Services’ biannual Operation Snowball, a two day retreat focused on mental health and empowering youth to live drug-free lives.
“I was diagnosed with depression right before I came to snowball, and that was hard to understand and figure out,” Korbal said.
During Korbal’s first Snowball, she bonded with Central science teacher Crystal Griffith, who served as her adult facilitator for the weekend.
“She [told me], ‘I’ve seen you grow so much, even just throughout these past two days’,” Korbal said. “That’s what sparked it, I don’t have to just be anxious. I can live with my anxiety, I don’t have to hide myself.”
When Korbal first attended Snowball, the pandemic had a significant impact on the retreat, resulting in a loss of participants and staff involved in Operation Snowball.
“We didn’t have enough people who were comfortable and willing, [but] Lilly jumped in right away,” said Traci Fertel, an Operation Snowball sponsor and social worker at Central.
At the end of the retreat, each participant receives a candle to sit with and reflect on the experiences of the weekend.
“I just remember sitting there [and thinking], ‘I want to make the biggest impact I can on myself and other people,’” Korbal said.
After her first snowball, Korbal was hooked. She’s since accumulated 1,250 volunteer hours across seven retreats, working as both a teen staffer and teen director.
“I’ve guided my way through [highschool], not just through Snowball but through self discovery with other people,” Korbal said. “People come up to me and say that I’ve left a mark on them.” Because Korbal plans to graduate early, she participated in her final Snowball retreat this past October as a teen staffer, leading a small group of participants.
“I’ve seen her leadership skills blossom; she’s just a wonderful leader,” Fertel said. “[Korbal] applies what she [teaches] others to herself, so I’ve seen her grow in terms of self-confidence, maturity, empathy and her social-emotional strength.”
Korbal has made a difference in not only her own life but the lives of others.
“I was giving a personal speech about some of the things that I’ve been through — I remember [this girl] came up to me the next day, and [said] ‘I’m going through the same thing, I really needed to hear that’,” Korbal said.
Last November, Korbal received the Youth Service award from Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli for her outstanding volunteering.
“It was a pivotal moment in my life,” Korbal said. “I felt like I had never really made an impact on anybody’s life. I would hear from some participants, ‘you’re brave and courageous for speaking out’ but I didn’t realize how much of an impact I was until I received that award.”
Through the seven Snowball retreats, Korbal said she’s grown as a person, a leader and a student.
“I’m transparent with what I’m going through and the things that I do,” Korbal said. “When I’m a leader, it’s not like I’m higher on a pedestal, I’m on the same ground as everybody. I’m going through the same things as most people are.”
