St. Charles East seniors collecting 'Beanies for Baghdad'
Parting with childhood toys has turned into a mission of international goodwill for two West Chicago twins who hope to help children in war-torn countries.
Courtney and Tori Cochefski, both 17-year-old seniors at St. Charles East High School, say their involvement in "Beanies for Baghdad" started with a simple effort to clean out the closet.
"We had a bunch of Beanie Babies and were trying to find a way to get rid of them," Tori said. "Between Courtney, myself and my older sister, we had a ton. We figured they'd be good to donate."
After a little research, the twins came across BeaniesForBaghdad.com, a site that facilitates shipments of toys and other items to troops overseas. The nonprofit group puts donors in touch with soldiers who need offerings of goodwill in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo, according to its Web site.
Courtney said she and her sister had roughly 200 gently-used Beanie Babies of their own and have collected about 150 more from friends and classmates, filling nine boxes waiting to be shipped.
With plans to continue the effort through the end of the school year, they also are looking for donations of chewing gum and individually wrapped snacks, as well as money to cover shipping costs and letters to the troops.
"Help would be nice," Courtney said. "It's a good cause. Many of the children over there don't have much, while a lot of kids here have everything they want and are well-supported by their families. Over there, it's kind of chaos."
The sisters, who also have volunteered at a local nursing home, are working to drum up support at St. Charles East and also are reaching out to the public. Their parents, Cathy and Pete Cochefski, say they couldn't be more proud.
"I think it's a great thing to do," Cathy said.
A full list of accepted items can be found at BeaniesForBaghdad.com. Checks can be made out to the U.S. Postal Service and mailed to 2300 Fairchild Lane, West Chicago, IL, 60185; each box costs $12 to ship. To arrange a toy donation, send an e-mail to cecochefski@comcast.net.