South Elgin foundation keeps rolling along
It's the usual holiday drill.
A kettle ringer here, requests for food pantries there.
So one might think it would be easy for a group like Cal's All Star Angels to get lost in the shuffle.
To quote a rental-car commercial: "Not exactly."
The South Elgin-based foundation - formed in memory of Cal Sutter, a 13-year-old who of leukemia in 2006 - keeps rolling right along.
The foundation had a great golf outing and 5K run this year. Now, the folks along South Elgin's Juniper Lane, who have garnered much acclaim for holiday decorations along their block, hope to double the $3,708.26 they raised last year.
Beginning Thanksgiving weekend and running through Christmas, Santa and his helpers will be handing out candy and collecting donations for Cal's Angels along with canned goods for the South Elgin Food Pantry.
The foundation also is asking for folks to help sponsor Angel Wish Gifts for the patients in area pediatric oncology units. Items must be new, in their original packaging, but not gift wrapped.
Gifts will be accepted from Dec. 1 through Dec. 10. The Geneva sites are: It's A Girl Thing, 618 W. State St. and Gymboree Play & Music, 705 E. State St.
The St. Charles places are: Fox Valley Women and Children's Health Partners, 3310 W. Main Street, Suite 200; Bill Cho's Tae Kwon Do Center. 2000 W. Main St.; X-Sport Fitness, 238 N. Randall Road. Donations also may be dropped in a box on the porch of the Sutters' home, 721 Ashton Lane, South Elgin.
Some requested items for both boys and girls are: games for the systems of Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360; Game Boy and DS games; Leapster and Leap Pad games or systems; hand held games; board games; scrapbooking kits; craft kits; art supplies; Play-Doh sets; DVD movies rated G, PG, or PG-13; Barbie dolls or action figures; preschool puzzles; and games.
Foundation officials have requested no stuffed animals, but also are collecting items, such as gift cards for gas and groceries, that can help parents who are struggling financially while their child fights cancer.
For more information, visit calsangels.org, e-mail info@calsangels.org or call (847) 960-5317.
A true win-win: Zion Lutheran Church members and the community raised more than $10,500 to help pay medical bills for Tim Fraas, a 51-year-old Elginite who recently received a heart transplant.
Thrivent, a financial arm of the church, also will add $3,000 to the proceeds from the Nov. 15 spaghetti dinner.
The event also was held to register organ donors at the Illinois Secretary of State's office and more than 30 people signed up.
Organizer Joann Hartmann said more than 250 people came out, including Fraas, who was cleared by his doctors.
"People about passed out when he walked through the door," Hartmann said. "We had an incredible turnout."
The operation cost about $750,000 and Fraas must pay about $27,000 a year for drugs to ensure his body won't reject the organ.
The church is still accepting donations. For info, call (847) 695-0618 or (847) 888-2882.