What this Wauconda man will dare to do to help others during pandemic
A Wauconda resident who was laid off because of the COVID-19 crisis is using his downtime to raise revenue for local restaurants and nonprofit groups.
Once or twice a week, Kevin Delaney goes live on his Facebook page, facebook.com/kevin.delaney.12, and completes often-silly challenges submitted by friends, relatives and strangers.
"I have shaved a leg, and I painted my toenails," said Delaney, 52, who lost his job as a sales representative for a Wheeling marketing and printing company in March. "I shaved my head live on Facebook."
Delaney said he's collected more than $7,300, so far.
"I can't believe we have raised as much as we have," he said.
Before Delaney undertakes a dare, the audience member who suggests it must pay him an agreed-upon fee. Delaney uses the proceeds to buy restaurant gift cards he subsequently gives to audience members in weekly drawings.
People can make donations of $5 or more to be entered in the drawings, too.
Most of the cards have been for restaurants in Wauconda, including Slyce, Bulldogs Grill, Uncle D's Bar and Grille, and JJ Twigs Pizza. Delaney also has purchased cards from eateries elsewhere in Lake County as well as in Wisconsin and other states - at the participants' request, of course.
The gift card purchases help restaurants at a time the hospitality industry is struggling because of stay-at-home orders.
"Every dollar matters and keeps employees working," said Joe Kafka, co-owner of Bulldogs Grill.
https://www.facebook.com/kevin.delaney.12/videos/10222287601128211/Som> winners have requested the cards be donated to local police and firefighters, and others have asked for the cash be given to food pantries or other community groups.
The Wauconda Island Lake Food Pantry, the Vernon Township Food Pantry and a Libertyville animal adoption group called Placing Paws of Illinois are among the organizations that have received cash donations from Delaney.
He got the idea for the video challenges after doing a live St. Patrick's Day broadcast on Facebook in a makeshift bar he'd set up in his garage.
"People loved it," he said. "I was a media major in college and always wanted to be on the radio. This has kind of given me the platform to do that."
Delaney doesn't do every dare that's suggested. When one appeals to him, he typically sets a donation amount to complete the task. Sometimes the audience member will suggest a figure; sometimes negotiation is needed.
Delaney has challenged his audience to come up with enough cash between drawings for some especially big challenges.
For example, Delaney said he'd shave his head if people donated more than $1,000 in one week. They did - and true to his word, Delaney took out the clippers.
John Mate, president of the Wauconda Island Lake Food Pantry board, enjoys Delaney's entertaining approach to fundraising.
"I think it's great," Mate said. "There are very creative people out there who are doing creative things for donations for our food pantry."
JJ Twigs Pizza owner Elizabeth Morris is grateful for Delaney's ingenuity and the resulting economic boost for her restaurant. She likes that the entertaining dares and the gift-card prizes provide something for community members, too.
"For a moment you can escape everything that is happening in the world and have fun," Morris said.
Delaney says he isn't keeping a dime of the donations. He's personally delivered gift cards and checks to police and fire stations and community groups.
"One hundred percent of the money that comes in goes out," Delaney said.
Delaney's next livestream sessions are tentatively set for 7 p.m. today and 7 p.m. Thursday, and the next drawing will be Saturday. He's thrilled the broadcasts have been so popular and that donations keep coming in.
"It's just been crazy," he said.