Good News Sunday: How a Palatine teen helped stock suburban pantries

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week:

When 16-year-old Eva Konsur read a news article this summer about a milelong line of cars at a food pantry in Texas, she decided to take action.

"I thought it would be a great idea for all of us to help out our local food pantries, so I started reaching out to local businesses," said Eva, who lives in Palatine and is a junior at William Fremd High School,

At first Eva reached out to grocery stores, asking if she could set up a table and ask customers for donations, but was told that was not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager of Trader Joe's in Schaumburg, however, came up with the idea of asking employees if they would donate to Eva's initiative, which got the ball rolling.

Eva reached out to her high school swim team - "both the girls and the coaches were very generous," she said - and then to local businesses and schools, sending about 200 letters of inquiry in October, she said. More than 30 responded, including medical practices, law offices, real estate agencies, beauty salons and schools in Palatine, Barrington, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg and neighboring towns, she said.

Most sites donated five to 10 boxes each, and two had especially large contributions: Lake Zurich Foot Clinic in Lake Zurich and Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, which has four locations. Some businesses have asked for multiple rounds and extra boxes, Eva said. "It is incredible how many people want to donate and how generous they have been," she said.

"It's a beautiful thing. We appreciate it," said Regina Stapleton, director of finance and administrator for Wheeling Township. "It's good to see kids doing things like that."

For the full story, click here.

Hope for the Holidays provides gifts for 2,500

"Elgin's Hope for the Holidays," a combined effort of the Salvation Army Elgin Corps and the Community Crisis Center, provided Christmas gifts and other necessities for 2,500 kids of families in need.

Pickup for families, who registered for the program in October and November, was held Wednesday and Thursday at the Salvation Army Community Center in Elgin. Specific requests made during registration were fulfilled where possible. All gifts were new and unwrapped to allow parents to be part of the process.

Salvation Army Elgin Corps Capt. Rich Forney said the gifts were provided by organizations, such as Toys for Tots and Elgin Township, but largely came from community donations.

"People have been giving more this year because they understand the need," Forney said. "We have so many more families coming here that have never needed help before."

Books from the Rotary Club, pajamas from Altrusa International Club of Elgin and holiday dinners also were provided.

This is the first year of the combined holiday effort between the Salvation Army and Community Crisis Center, which opted to work together to improve logistics during the pandemic. Both groups said they could see the partnership continuing next year.

For the full story, click here.

Grayslake woman brings cheer to hospital

For 12 years, Grayslake resident Elizabeth "Lyzzi" Elliott has run HOPE Ornaments, a nonprofit that gives holiday ornaments to hospital patients. So she's used to working hard this time of year.

But the global pandemic has brought new challenges to her effort, making it more difficult to deliver ornaments at a time when there are more people in hospitals in need of cheering up.

Usually, the job of wrapping the thousands of unopened ornaments - always in clear packaging so patients can choose which one they want - is done by Elliot and a team of volunteers.

But such gatherings are unsafe this year, so Elliott, 36, is wrapping all of the ornaments herself.

"It keeps me busy," said Elliott, who oozes positivity. "I have about 4,212 wrapped and ready to go, and I still need to purchase 614 ornaments and wrap them."

Elliott, who started the nonprofit in 2007, has committed to donating ornaments at several suburban hospitals, including Advocate Good Shepherd in Lake Barrington, Advocate Condell in Libertyville and Advocate Good Samaritan in Downers Grove.

For the full story, click here.

Maple School teacher spearheads toy drive

Surrounded by giant stacks of toys lining the stairs of the Maple School in Northbrook, physical education teacher Lynn Reimer and her student council co-sponsor Iris Zhang prepare to load the donations to benefit the Northfield Township Food Pantry.

For 27 years, Reimer has been spearheading the annual toy drive.

She credits her childhood as part of her inspiration. "I think it comes from when I was growing up, with five sisters and two brothers and we were less fortunate," she said.

Reimer says that she gets a supreme feeling of happiness in every year when she spearheads the drive.

"I know that today is so very difficult for so many that we want to do everything possible," Reimer said.

But it's not just her - it's also the kids at Maple School making blankets and the administrators, teachers and parents donating who make the difference.

"Usually we have kids from student council loading the cars, but since school is all remote now, we can't do that," said Beth Preis, of Northbrook/Glenview School District 30.

For the full story, click here.

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