Community Spotlight: 11-Year-Old Aiden Dillard Honored for Incredible Volunteer Work Alongside His Veteran Dad

This week, we're shining the spotlight on a young hero right here in southern Illinois whose heart for service is making a real difference.

Aiden Dillard, an 11-year-old student from Eldorado, was recently surprised with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Eldorado Rotary Club. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to promoting understanding and goodwill in their community and beyond.

Picture of Aiden, his father Sean, and members of the Rotary Club. Copyright 2026 KFVS.

Over the past two years, Aiden has dedicated countless hours volunteering at Heaven’s Kitchen Food Pantry in Harrisburg, helping neighbors in need. But his impact doesn't stop there. He regularly joins his dad, Sean Dillard—an Army Veteran and proud part of the Roll2Heal / ShirtsForVets family—traveling across the region to raise funds for veteran-related charities and spread awareness about the critical issue of veteran suicide.

When the Rotary Club surprised Aiden with the award, his reaction was pure and humble:

“This award really surprised me. I never thought I’d get it. Now that I have it, it will be on social media, and it will help be part of our community. People will get to know me and what my mission is.”

Aiden and Sean are already planning ahead with big dreams—they’re preparing to row across the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii in 2028, all to further raise awareness for veteran suicide prevention.

At Roll2Heal, we believe healing happens through connection, purpose, and community—and stories like Aiden’s remind us that the next generation is stepping up with compassion and courage. Sean’s involvement with ShirtsForVets (a veteran-owned initiative that creates custom shirts and gear to support vets and first responders) shows how families can turn personal missions into powerful movements.

We’re incredibly proud to have Sean as part of the Roll2Heal family, and we’re inspired by the example he and Aiden are setting together. Young people like Aiden give us hope that the work we do today will echo for years to come.

Big congratulations to Aiden Dillard on this well-deserved honor! Keep shining, kid—you’re already changing lives.