Binny's in Evergreen Park Celebrates First Anniversary, Benefits Christmas Without Cancer

Binny’s Beverage Depot of Evergreen Park Thursday celebrates its one-year anniversary while helping Christmas Without Cancer support those most in need.

Featuring a wide variety of craft beers and ciders from the Midwest and beyond, Binny’s hosts a tasting celebration that includes a pour of the elusive Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (2013 vintage) among several other limited brews. Each $5 donation goes to Evergreen Park charity Christmas Without Cancer.

Local favorite Mother Butters Popcorn and Confectionary will supply delicious bites.

BACKGROUND

Christmas Without Cancer provides gifts and basic necessities to Southland families with members stricken with cancer.

In each of the last 12 Christmas seasons, Evergreen Park resident Gerri Neylon, a nurse in the radiation oncology department at Advocate Christ Medical Center, has led a team of volunteers on a seasonal blitz to bring holiday cheer to families affected by cancer. Partners such as the Binny’s Beverage Depot raise funds that go directly to the families in need.

Neylon knows firsthand the burden cancer inflicts on a family.

“The families’ challenges are physical, emotional and financial,” Neylon said. “The CWC team takes great satisfaction in addressing some of those challenges so the family can devote themselves to each other during the beautiful Christmas season.”

Since 2003, the organization has quietly identified and adopted multiple families in late fall and by Christmas season supplied them with gift cards for groceries, medications and gas, among other “need” items.

Christmas Without Cancer enjoyed a break out season in 2012, raising awareness and more money than in most previous years, despite a down economy. Neylon attributes it to longevity and the innate desire people have to give “especially at Christmas time.” Neylon didn’t know what to expect when she began the journey and is surprised a decade has passed so quickly.

The recent success has provided “pennies from heaven” for families year round. As the checks or donations come in, Neylon is able to quietly match it to need or even hardship that can be addressed with just a few hundred dollars.

“The media has been like a partner to us this last year,” said Neylon. “We enjoyed wonderful print and television coverage and then people and businesses who saw the stories just sent checks in that we were able to distribute to families truly in need.”