Love Elgin Day aims to help the needy

Love Elgin Day, a biannual event offering free amenities to low-income families, returns to the community from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, thanks to the combined efforts of 40 area churches.

Elgin residents who could use help making ends meet are invited to come for free food, clothing, medical and legal services, chiropractic adjustments, haircuts, bicycle repair, computer repair, car services and other freebies.

They also have the opportunity to hear an inspiring message and take advantage of pastoral counseling and personal prayer.

This will be the eighth time Love Elgin Day is offered to underresourced families and individuals. About 250 volunteers serve an average of 1,200 guests at each event.

"Everyone who walks in will be blessed; everyone finds something to take home," said Tellie Bueno, who has served as coordinator of the clothing distribution area since the sixth Love Elgin Day.

"We don't just have clothes and shoes, but there's also belts and scarves and purses, and we usually even have housewares and some toys," Bueno said. "There's something for everyone, from the little kids to the middle-aged to the elderly."

Bueno, a working mother with two teenagers, spends two full days before each event sorting through bags and boxes of donated clothing at the drop-off point, the Church of the Brethren warehouse in Elgin. She works with a team of dedicated volunteers who get everything ready to be hauled over to the Love Elgin Day campus.

"It's like Christmas," she said. "You never know what's going to be in the bags. We have so much fun."

At last spring's event, the group prepared two full truckloads of clothing and then unloaded the truck and spent another day arranging the items for display and distribution. It's worth all the effort, Bueno said.

"There are so many different styles of clothing; we have dresses and suits, men's pants, women's slacks and jeans, children's wear, coats, shoes, boots - all kinds of stuff," she said. "I think the variety is just amazing. And to see the mothers' faces when they find things for their babies. That's what I especially like about it."

With registration at 220 Division St., Love Elgin Day takes place at four downtown churches and an adjoining park. The campus includes First Congregational Church, First United Methodist Church, Iglesia Carismática Puerta de Sion and Vineyard Church of Elgin. All are within a few blocks of each other, and volunteers will be available to help guests carry food and clothing to their cars.

With lively music, face painting and other activities for kids, the event takes on a festive tone, and everyone gets a free lunch. Weather permitting, attendees can eat outside at Carleton Rogers Park, where music and dance performances will be scheduled throughout the day.

Division Street will be closed to traffic between Center and Spring streets, and Elgin police, fire and public works departments will make some of their vehicles available for kids to view up close.

More than three dozen business and organizational entities also are involved, either by providing services or resource information, making financial or material donations, or allowing the use of their facilities or equipment.

Love Elgin Day takes place rain or shine, and all distributions are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

For details, visit www.LoveElginDay.org.