Buying fresh trees from Algonquin Lions benefits others
Drive up and down Randall Road and there are numerous stores where you can get that fresh pine-scented Christmas tree.
But many people pass those by, and head north to Algonquin -- where members of the Lions Club are selling their Christmas trees for the 57th year -- in hopes of helping out fellow community members.
This year the proceeds from the tree sales, which take place in the parking lot of Algonquin State Bank on the east side of Randall Road, are benefiting two different community members, and a local organization that helps numerous residents in need during the Christmas season.
Tom Welch, treasurer of the Lions and chairman of the tree sales, said the group wanted to help William Schlau, a 14-year-old Algonquin boy who was injured in the October automobile accident that killed two of his Marian Central Catholic High School classmates.
The group also is helping an unnamed man and his family who lost their house and nearly everything they had this year, after the man suffered from medical problems.
Finally, the group is giving some of the proceeds to Hearts of Gold, an Algonquin-area group that takes care of needy children.
"It all goes back into the community," Welch said.
"We have people that come here because of that. We have some that have always bought from the Lions because they know we will help the community. And we have new people moving in that see our signs, stop in and realize we're a service organization and want to buy from us.
"I'd say 80 percent of the people we've had say they come to us because they want to give back to the community," Welch said.
The Lions club sells a wide variety of trees, from 5-foot balsams to 10-foot Fraser firs.
Welch said watching people pick out their trees is always heartwarming.
For example, he said, there was a woman who stopped in last weekend with her six children. The newest addition to the family was born after her husband died.
"But still they were out getting a tree, and carrying on and making Christmas important. It's great to see that," Welch said.
Bring a smile to someone in need: There were plenty of smiling faces, and also a few frightened screams, as Santa Claus stopped by Govnor's Pub and Brewery in Lake in the Hills Sunday for the annual breakfast buffet with Santa at the Randall Road restaurant.
Now it's your turn to help put some smiles on faces.
The restaurant has a giving tree inside which still has several wishes hanging on it from area families in need this Christmas season.
Stop on by to help out.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from South Elgin to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or at (847) 894-5036.