Tennis runs in the family for a sister and brother from La Grange who’ve turned their hobby into a way to raise money to fight pediatric cancer.
Mattigan Kelly took over this year organizing a tennis fundraiser in Hinsdale that was started by her brother Crofton Kelly 11 years ago when he was 8 years old.
The party at the Hinsdale Racquet Club featured a tennis tournament, drills, a raffle, food and fun took place on Saturday.
Crofton Kelly was ready to hand the baton to his sister because he is in college at Vanderbilt University.
“He wasn’t sure how busy he was going to be this summer with internships so he felt he had to move on,” said Mattigan, who was happy to take over the job of putting together the tournament that over the years has raised $47,000 for the Treasure Chest, a nonprofit based in Orland Park that is dedicated to providing toys and smiles to kids with cancer.
The nonprofit was started by Colleen Kisel after her son, Martin Kisel, battled leukemia when he was 7.
“She discovered that by giving me a toy it eased my pain and fear and it helped me get through treatments,” said Kisel, 30, who now lives in Wilmington.
Treasure Chest provides toys to patients in 49 hospitals in 17 states. It gives gift cards and toys to 10,000 patients a month, Kisel said.
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Kisel is grateful for support the tennis fundraiser has provided the organization over the years. Mattigan Kelly said Monday that the event on Saturday raised $6,000 and pledges were still coming in.
“Every dollar that’s raised will go to putting a smile on the face of a kid fighting cancer,” Kisel said.
“By giving them toy after a tough treatment, we are hoping to make their treatment a little more tolerable,” Mattigan Kelly said.
Both Mattigan and Crofton are avid tennis players.
“I have played since I was old enough to hold a tennis racquet,” said Mattigan, who is on the varsity tennis team at Lyons Township High School.
Crofton played on the tennis team at St. Ignatius College Prep and is now vice president of the club tennis program at Vanderbilt, she said.
Mattigan Kelly was happy to take over the task of organizing the event that was started by her brother after a family friend, Tyler Duelm, died of cancer.
“I have always thought what Crofton was doing was so cool — doing something really good for someone else and doing it by using what we love to do,” she said. “I thought this was my chance to give back and help somebody in need, to help these little kids who could really use my help.”
Mattigan Kelly credited her brother for helping to ensure the party went off without a hitch.
“I couldn’t have done anything I did without him. He was a major help in giving ideas and helping organize it,” she said. “He’s really happy it’s still going on.”
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