Cook Co. sheriff's deputies raise money for sick infant

Look up the word do-gooder in the dictionary and you'll likely find photos of Cook County Sheriff's Deputies Kathleen Perry and Jeanne Raines.

Last fall, the women, who are sisters, helped organize a benefit for the orphaned children of a fellow deputy they never met. Last week, they organized a bake sale at the Rolling Meadows courthouse that raised $1,422 to help offset medical expenses for Bartlett police officer Christopher Meade's infant daughter Allison, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia at 9ˆ½ weeks and is scheduled to undergo a bone marrow transplant in March.

"I love their big hearts, but I hate when they bake," said the deputies' chief, Ralph DeBartolo. "I put on three pounds in three days."

Raines found out about the baby's condition and suggested a fundraiser. Perry immediately agreed.

"I'm returning the favor," said Perry, referring to a fundraiser held for her family after her husband's heart attack, "because I know how much it was needed."

Raines and Perry donated the ingredients, spent a weekend baking, then stayed up until 1 a.m. each night of the sale so that customers had fresh fare every morning.

"Everybody here is so good about helping out," said Raines, who honed her skills during three years at chef's school. "There was a line out the door every day."