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NewsVillage distributes holiday food, trees to the needyBy James Pluta
Dozens of area families are enjoying an extra-special holiday this year, thanks in part to several local efforts to donate food baskets, toys and in one unique case, holiday trees to needy families in the Desplaines Valley area. A few of the biggest holiday basket efforts took place in Justice, Summit and Lyons this season, aided by the annual financial assistance of the Township of Lyons. In Justice, Special Events co-chairs Gerry Mandrella and Janet Cervantes, with the assistance of two local student groups, elected officials and other volunteers, made Christmas special for more than 50 families in the village and the unincorporated Sterling Estates Mobile Home Park — whose public school children attend Willow Springs School District 108. Food baskets and toys were distributed to all of families, including many who applied for aid and others who were anonymously chosen, last weekend, said Village Clerk Kathleen Svoboda. Children from Wilkins Elementary & Junior High School who conducted a toy drive before school let out for winter vacation helped wrap toys Dec. 17 and designate them for all of the boys and girls on the village list — as they enjoyed free pizza from John Gino’s pizzeria in Justice. “Most children each received an average of three toys,” reported Svoboda. Community volunteers, assisted by a group of teens from Argo Community High School in Summit then assembled Dec. 18 at Village Hall to sort through nonperishable canned and packaged food for a next-day distribution of baskets, all of which were passed out by 10:30 a.m. Dec. 19. Each family received a ham and a turkey and all the fixings and children even got lots of peanut butter, jelly and bread to make snacks on their two weeks off school. “People were thrilled,” said Svoboda, noting Mendralla and Cervantes “did an outstanding job assuring everything went remarkably smoothly” much better than past years. The township was slated to donate $1,000 to the Justice Food Pantry Scholarship Fund, but thanks to the suggestion of Town Board Trustee Thomas Garrette — the village’s administrative adjudicator — that award was increased to $2,500 this year. “The village has several more needy families and is also helping Sterling Estates,” he told his board Dec. 1, “so I ask the award be increased to $2,500 due to the availability of the number of baskets this year.” The higher donation was conditional upon the township;’s ability to meet the request, but a minimum of $1,000 was guaranteed. The Town Board also gave $1,000 toward the Lyons Food Pantry, which this season helped out more than 40 families, reported Town Board Trustee Mark Anderson of Lyons — and an additional $2,000 to Summit. That effort (see accompanying photo), coordinated in part by Town Board Trustee William Mundy — Summit’s building and code enforcement director — with the help of several volunteers and village employees, resulted in the distribution Dec. 18 of food baskets to some 120 needy families. Summit received $1,500 from the township in 2008 and $2,500 a year earlier, but only $2,000 was asked for this year. Veterinarian Dr. Gary Friedrich of Summit Animal Hospital on Harlem Avenue also placed a few dozen Christmas trees on its lot this year and all were free for the taking for customers and needy families who otherwise may have celebrated the holiday without a family tree to decorate and which to place presents under.. |
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