Local Business Owners Honored For Giving Back to Our Community

The Mayor of Crest Hill, Raymond Solimon welcomed Executive Director of Variety the Children’s Charity of Illinois, Angelique Barthel to the Sept 3, 2019 City Council Meeting to present Variety’s “Heart of the Community” Award to Paul Siegel and daughter Kaity Siegel Grimmenga, owners of Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm and The Barn at Cottonwood. The Siegel Family has been inviting children with disabilities and their immediate family members to attend their accessible Pumpkin Fest at no charge for 7 years; an in-kind donation back to local families valued at over $54,000 annually.

“So much of what these kids are able to enjoy at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm is because pumpkin farms are not usually accessible; our hayride can accommodate wheelchairs, our paths are able to be navigated by mobility devices” said Kaity Siegel Grimmenga, accepting the award. “By not charging admission these families don’t have to think about limited finances or worrying about not being able to get a refund if they pay for their family to spend a day together then their child with a disability has a bad day; they just get to have fun here!” Paul Siegel continued “Seeing the smiles on the faces of those kids is priceless, we are honored to be able to give back to children with disabilities along with our Veterans and first responders.”

The Siegels’ were thanked by several council members as well as Mayor Soliman who appreciate the family’s dedication to giving back to the community of Crest Hill and surrounding areas.

Siegel’s Special Needs Weekends for 2019 are scheduled for Sept 28 & 29 and Oct 26 & 27. Families must register before September 15th for free admission to any of the 4 dates https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SpecialNeeds2019