Big elves give Santa a hand
Scratching his head and searching the floor for a screw Thursday, Dave Facklan said it felt more like Christmas morning than an office outing.
"Just like at home, this thing didn't come with all of the parts," said the Grayslake resident as he and coworker Laura Kovanda put together a Radio Flyer wagon. "At least here I can just pirate another box. At home I would have to call the hotline."
The toy-building team joined more than 500 other Astellas Pharma US employees Thursday in the Grand Marquee Tent at the Marriott Lincolnshire to take part in a real-life Santa's toy workshop.
The diligent elves stuffed and dressed cloth animals, built wagons and xylophones and gathered coloring books for the Boys and Girls Club of Lake County.
The 1,500 toys assembled will be distributed through the holiday season and used as incentives for other Boys and Girls Club programs.
Maribeth Landwehr, associate director of corporate communications, said the goal of the Deerfield-based pharmaceutical company is to improve people's lives, so spending a day building toys for children less fortunate seemed like a natural fit.
"Normally we just do a typical holiday party, but this year, we wanted to do something that was more along the lines of our company mission," Landwehr said.
Sharon Sanders-Funnye, resource development director of the Boys and Girls Club of Lake County, couldn't have been more pleased with the company's decision.
"I walked in and saw the number of people involved and the number of people who took their afternoon off to be here and I am in awe," Sanders-Funnye said. "I know if our kids were here they would feel special. I know I'm feeling pretty special right now."
The Boys and Girls Club of Lake County served 4,000 children last year from six sites.
Ray McKinnis didn't know until he arrived at the Marriott that this year's holiday part would include toy-building.
But as McKinnis put stuffing into a plush crocodile and turtle, he realized how much fun a work function could be.
"I think this is a great use of a holiday party," McKinnis said. "Rather than everyone just wandering around and being anxious, we are actually helping people."