8:37:00 PM EDT
This was the single most organized and uneventful year that An Angel’s Touch has ever enjoyed. Our various drives came in as we needed, and our deliveries, for the most part, went out as planned. We welcomed new donors, and welcomed back donors who hadn’t been with us for several years. We also welcomed new schools to our long list of schools.
St. Francis Hospital thrilled us with a toy drive early in the season. Gene’s Drive In Cleaners donated clothing. Parco Foods joined us again after an absence, this year with a hat and mitten tree. Evergreen Oak Electric adopted families and placed penny jars in all their locations. We placed penny jars in several area businesses and we did fairly well.
As thrilled as we all are about the participation of local business, which we really depend on, we would be nothing without our schools. We began years ago with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts going door to door asking for canned food donations. We continue now because local school groups sponsor food drives. As always, Kerr Middle, Hale Middle, Veteran’s Memorial Middle, Paul Revere Intermediate and Primary, and DDE donated space where students could drop off contributions. St. Rita High School has helped year after year, with not only food donations, but with bodies as well. We were also aided by young people from Marist, Marion Catholic and several other schools.
This year we welcomed a new group of young people. Stagg High National Honor Society joined us at our warehouse to help sort food, pack for families and wrap presents. Last year and this, they kicked off our year with a food drive. Thanks to Stagg and St. Rita High Schools, we were able to help families at Thanksgiving.
I’ve said this from year one. There is always one story that makes each year special to me. This year has to do with children.
Ms. Zylman of Veteran’s Memorial called me on the last Tuesday before Christmas break. She said, “Student Council is sponsoring pajama day on Thursday. The kids have been invited to bring stuffed animals to donate to charity. Your name came up. Can you help us?” I explained, yes, and thank you. We really needed toys as we still had families to deliver to. “I think we can help with that, too.” Ms. Zylman said.
While I was on the phone with her, a Ms. H. of CEDA left me a voicemail message. “I am part of the preschool located in the old First Lutheran school building. We have 240 children, the poorest of the poor. Some of these kids don’t have hats or mittens. Can you help us?”
I called the boss, Georgene, at work. She explained that most of what Parco employees had given us had been given away. Of course they could have what we had left. I gave her Ms. H.’s phone number. Georgene called me back later that day. “We’re going shopping. Be ready Thursday morning.”
Thursday morning we bought crayons, coloring books, bubbles, candy and what mittens we could find from a local dollar store. Then we stopped by Veteran’s Memorial. Kids and teachers dressed in pajamas, robes and slippers loaded my car with stuffed animals. Little Emily Ruthenberg threw her back into pushing the last huge bag of stuffed animals into my rear seat. Then we drove to the warehouse where we picked up the last of the mittens and hats. We took it all to First Lutheran.
“We needed this,” Ms. H. explained. “We’ve bought our children stockings and some stuffers, and we’ve gotten some gift donations. It wasn’t nearly enough.”
On Friday morning we picked up toys from Veteran’s Memorial. That was a great help as we made deliveries on Christmas Eve.
A very big thank you to all who have helped this year. Particularly Blue Island Police and Fire Departments, the City’s Clerk’s Office, the Senior Office and Joan Scannell; Mayor Peloquin and City Council; Aldermen Rose Rita, Carlee Jackson, Marsha Stone and Jim Deiters; Eda Schrimple and the Chamber of Commerce; Fire Chief and Mrs. David Haywood; Veteran’s Memorial, Kerr and Hale Middle schools, Paul Revere Primary and Intermediate Schools, DDE, St. Rita High School, Stagg High School; First Lutheran Church, St. Philip Lutheran Church, Accurate Perforating, Evergreen Oak Electric, C&D Rental, LaUnica Food Store, the Simborg Family, The Rail Grill, Gene’s Drive-In Cleaners, The Eagles, The Blue Island Forum, Jem Reality, Jim & Carol Riehl, Jo Caschetta, Debby Coyle, Charlene Finn, Teddy and Emily Ruthenberg, Kerry and Marcy Czarnicki, Ed, Jon and Becky Coyle, Frank Nesbitowski, Curves, Pam’s Corner Store, Blue Island Video, Korbakes, Flowers by Bartles, Flowers by Cathe, Islander Drugs, T&G’s, Beggar’s Pizza, Guiseppe’sPizza. As always, if I’ve forgotten someone, I apologize for the oversight. And I thank each and every donor.
