Hundreds of children in need in the La Grange area and nearby suburbs will not go without holiday gifts this year thanks to a new partnership.
The Rotary Club of La Grange and Park District of La Grange will continue the tradition begun about 30 years ago by the Community Nurse Health Association.
The nonprofit health care organization has provided holiday gifts to children who’ve completed preventive health care check ups, but CEO Angela Curran said they feared the program could be seen as a violation of federal laws that prohibit free or discounted services and products for patients with federally funded insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid.
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Community Nurse also recently approved a merger with Pillars, another community service organization. That merger is expected to be complete in January.
Bob Jankowski, president of the Rotary Club of La Grange, said Secret Santa seemed a perfect fit for the club.
“Our motto is service above self,” he said.
The club is partnering with the park district, which will provide space for storing gifts and donations that are collected throughout the year.
Secret Santa serves about 930 children a year, said Cathy Pierson, immediate past president of the Rotary Club.
She said Secret Santa already gets help from such organizations as the Lyons Township High School Student Council, but she’d like to see that expand.
“We’d like to ask businesses to have collection boxes in their stores so we can make it a bigger community event,” she said.
Every child receives an outfit, pajamas, mittens and a hat, school supplies and a couple of items from their wish list. The value amounts to about $110 per child, Pierson said.
Parents complete a form that details what their children want and their sizes. Their names are kept anonymous.
Some individuals or organizations adopt a child for whom they buy the gifts. Others gifts are assembled by a group of volunteers who are dubbed “elves.”
Alison Kelly of La Grange has volunteered for Secret Santa for the last 18 years. She said the volunteers work hard to provide children with a happy holiday and good start to the new year.
“We all have a good intention to see that the kids have a fresh start for the new year,” she said.
The program is for children ages 0-17.
It serves children in the communities of Bridgeview, Broadview, Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Countryside, Hickory Hills, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Justice, Indian Head Park, La Grange, LaGrange Highlands, La Grange Park, Lyons, McCook, Summit, Westchester, Western Springs and Willow Springs.
To make a donation, go to lagrangerotary.org or send a donation to Secret Santa, La Grange Rotary PO Box 372, La Grange IL 60525.
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