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Friendship Village Garden Gals 'adopt' a family for the holidays

The Garden Gals of Friendship Village senior living community in Schaumburg are the two dozen women who live in Crosswell Trace, the private garden homes on the periphery of the campus.

Prior to COVID, the women got together socially each month for a planned activity. Although that practice was suspended, the women's feeling of good fortune and benevolence increased.

"We're getting through COVID feeling protected and safe at Friendship Village," said garden home resident Nancy Horney. "We feel like we wanted to pay it forward. We also wanted to honor Charlene Gulik, a Garden Gal who passed away earlier this year."

Gulik was very active at the Church of the Holy Spirit, which during the holiday season sponsors a Giving Tree. The program permits participants to "adopt" a local family, purchasing items on their Christmas wish list. The Garden Gals took on a single working mom with four children.

"We raised more than $600. The mother had written down what all the children needed. (Fellow Garden Gal) Joanne Wagner and I took the list along with our discount coupons at Kohl's and other stores and purchased everything they'd ask for, along with some extras.

"The kids all needed winter jackets, and we bought nice ones, along with some pants and shirts, toys and a family game. The mom hadn't requested anything for herself, but we bought her a $100 gift card at Walmart and a $50 gift card at Target," said Horney, who has lived at Friendship Village for three years with her husband.

"Last week, we had a gift-wrapping party while we enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. All of the gifts were then taken to the church in plenty of time for Christmas."

For information, call (847) 884-5110 or visit www.FriendshipVillage.org.

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