Township trustees salute Kris Stabler

Wheeling Township's mission emphasizes the principle that we are “neighbors helping neighbors.”

We are grateful to our neighbors Churchill Downs and Arlington Park for the commitment made to our community and applaud their recurring efforts to help those in need.

We'd especially like to recognize an unsung neighbor who truly epitomizes the township's sense of community Kris Stabler, director of community relations at Arlington Park. Kris feels giving back to the community is part of her job so she doesn't broadcast her accomplishments ... so we thought we would.

Over the years she's planned hundreds of projects and recruited as many volunteers, to benefit our less fortunate residents. Her most recent endeavor involved spearheading a food drive for the Wheeling Township Food Pantry that resulted in a donation of 40 boxes!

Kris organized the Value-Pak mailing that advertised the offer of one free admission to the track when accompanied by three nonperishable food items. Jo Stellato, the township's administrator, tells us that Kris recruited track executives, who although in business suits, rolled up their sleeves and loaded the boxes into the township van. When that van could not hold the entire donation, Kris' personal vehicle was loaded with the remaining boxes.

There are many stories we could share about Kris' altruism. Just last year, along with her fellow Rotarians, she donated 75 Thanksgiving baskets for needy families in Wheeling Township. And after hearing of a family who was too late to qualify for the Adopt-a-Family program at Christmas, she immediately wrote a personal check so that gift cards could be purchased for the family.

Her lunch partner did the same which confirms that Kris' generosity is highly contagious.

For these, and other reasons too numerous to mention, we commend Kris Stabler for a job well done.

Wheeling Township Trustees Kathy Penner, Ruth O'Connell, JoAnne Schultz, and Mike Domrzalski