H-F Hockey Youth Give Back With Card For PF Officer Tim Jones

HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR, IL — They set out to score some goals on the ice, but the tykes on the Homewood-Flossmoor Vikings hockey team learned a lesson in selflessness when they bumped into an opportunity to honor Park Forest Officer Tim Jones, who was shot in the line of duty three years ago.

Alex Macri, Matthew Ersfeldt, Ben Ersfeldt and Liam Condon did it with other youth hockey players from all over Chicagoland earlier in April at the Finish Your Shift Youth Hockey Jamboreefor the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. They signed a card almost as big as each player is and delivered it along with three dozen donuts to the Park Forest Police Department. In return, police officers let the boys tour their facility.

"I like helping out police officers because my grandpa was a police officer and they do a lot to help people every day so we should help them back," said Alex Macri.

Martin Foley of the Nile Rangers Hockey Club organizes the jamboree, and it was Alex's dad, Steve, who reached out to Foley last year to learn how he could sign Alex up and help out. Steve's father was on the Chicago police force for 33 years, so supporting law enforcement is near and dear to the Macri heart.

This year, however, the event was opened to families outside of the Chicago police department connection, and 11 of the 110 kids in Homewood-Flossmoor's program participated. Foley saw a news story about the Park Forest police department requesting cards for Jones, and wanted to help. Jones, who was 24, was shot in the head and jaw during a burglary call three years ago, and is now paralyzed. Foley asked Steve Macri if he would deliver the card to Park Forest.

"And saying yes was an easy thing to do," Macri said.

Alex, he said, loves anything to do with police, and some of the other kids have relatives who are first responders. Other kids did it just because it was a good cause, he said.

"That is what is great about our organization," Macri added. "Our families are willing to give time out of their day and money out of their pockets to help others in need, not just from our community."