Last year was bad. Very bad. There wasn't enough food on the face of the earth to help people with. I didn't published Christmas photos either. The way last year worked out, I just didn't have enough photos to make an interesting entry. This year I made sure I had photos. So a huge thank you goes out to Angelina Kelly for supplying the majority.
I'd like to start out by recognizing George Partin III. He's a Cub Scout. True to my nature, when his grandfather, City Worker George Partin, called me to say that little George was collecting gloves for several organizations, I became sentimental. An Angel's Touch enjoyed a huge growth spurt when Boy Scout Troop 785 began a food drive on the Streets of Blue Island. I believe that was in 1994. Anyway, over the next few years every Boy and Girl Scout Troop in town joined us. We later used the area schools exclusively. We've had little contact with the Scouts since then. So George's participation was bittersweet. I hope in the future we can reconnect with the Boy Scouts.
My Christmas season began in October. At that time I contacted our neighborhood schools. I ask them to please have a food drive for An Angel's Touch before Thanksgiving. Most schools did, although, as usual, they pushed pick up back until the last week of Christmas. I will not complain here. We managed to deliver most of our Christmas goodies to our clients by that time. I've always made a point of finding extra food anywhere I can. That's because we also make an effort to help our two Blue Island pantries, the Salvation Army and the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Benedict's. Our organizations help with emergencies, but these shelters help Blue Island residents on an ongoing basis. Donations end with the holiday season. Hunger doesn't. So we try to pass on what we can. Sometimes, like last year, it isn't much. This year we were able to do more. So please keep these pantries in mind throughout the year.
During that time, our members are able to pick up several drives from places like St. Rita High School. This year Acme Refinery joined us, as did Great Lakes Bank from Alsip and St. Isidore the Farmer Church.
Below are photos of the warehouse and of the best young people in the entire world, my sort crew. I've heard the comment over and over again that bad things happen because God is not invited into public school. All of these kids, and there are a number of them, come from Blue Island Public Schools, District 130 and District 218. They are between the ages of 30 and 21. They volunteered when they attended school, and year after year, the same kids return to help. Tell me God isn't in their hearts. Tell me He isn't in those schools where children donate food to help others every year.
When I write my thank you for the Blue Island FORUM, I'm considering calling this 'A Year to Celebrate.' We celebrated Christmas in August with our first annual benefit. We called it 'Christmas in August.' D'Masti Catering, Beggars and Brown's Fried Chicken provided us with food. Carr Gardens, Lillian's Antiques, Restaurante Tenochtitlan, T&G's, Flowers by Cathee, Franklin Framing, Stefanelli's, Double Play, Korbakes Liquors, Gayla's Irish Bar, The Forge, McDonalds, Jebens Hardware and several others donated items to be auctioned off. Tommy Gerez and Alex Francois, of the Soda Jerks, entertained. We asked for canned food and we got it. Thank you to all of you who participated. This year was the beginning of an idea. If we continue in 2013, it will be bigger and better.
On December 1st, Blue Island held their tenth annual Christmas Lights Parade. I remember the very first, mostly because I didn't attend. An Angel's Touch members were working in a storefront on Western Avenue. I got to attend this year for the first time, and I really enjoyed myself. I'm adding photos of the parade because so many of our past and present donors entered trucks and cars that were decorated with lights. State Representative Bob Rita's Office and Calumet Township entered vans. Acme Refining, Metro South Hospital, St. Benedict's Parish, the Blue Island Park District, and the Police and Fire Depts., entered floats. There were others. The coolest float though was City Council's. They brought the parade to an end. City Council represents another growth spurt. I think it was the second or third year that Boy Scout Troop 785 had conducted the street portion of the food drive that I mentioned at a City Council Meeting what we were doing, that they became involved. I can honestly say that because of their help, we have been able to do as much as we have year after year.
The parade began at 7PM, and the Soda Jerks went on live at The Lyric at 8PM. I mention them because they were really good. Also, several members of Soda Jerks have been members of An Angel's Touch for a good while.
This year RominChariot Car Club held two awesome events for us. First was a car show in September. It was cool. Fifty three antique and refinished vehicles were on display just outside Nombach Builders on 127th Street, across from The Forge. They were truly cool. At the end of the show, five were pulled from the lot to perform in the 'fire show'. Check the out photo below.
The next event was called Hot Rod Holiday Hoedown. It took place on December 15th at Eagles. It was $10 to get in and every person was asked to donate toys or canned food. What a night! The Cadilac Casanovas rocked the hall '50's style. I met a lot of Blue Islanders there, and I met a lot of people who had never been to Blue Island before. At the end of the night we were shocked by what they collected. Not only did we have food and toys, we accepted our first check from out of State. Someone from a Milwaukee car club gave us $20!
In the end, we helped 53 families and several other agencies. Happy New Years, and thank you, everyone, for a great Christmas season!
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