Alsip Dakota Inn Bartenders Donate Tips for Kids Fighting Cancer

The bartenders at Dakota Inn Bar and Grill in Alsip are giving to children and teens fighting cancer. Guest Bartender Ray Thatcher of Alsip along with four Dakota Inn bartenders worked nine hours straight during the annual Dakota Inn St. Patrick’s Day party with the intent to donate 100 % of the tips to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Dakota Inn Manager Megan Naughton sponsored the St. Patrick’s event which included free corned beef and cabbage and raffle give-a-ways. When the last glass was served the bartenders raised $1,725 and more than 50 toys for children and teens fighting cancer.

Dakota Inn is a friendly, local Alsip bar that was established in 1994 by proprietors Jim Bradford and Angele Joachim. The bar often hosts benefits to help raise money for local charities.

Dakota Inn Manager Megan Naughton said, “I feel fortunate that my four children are healthy. Two of my kids and I volunteered at the warehouse several times and I wanted to do more for the kids fighting cancer. My boyfriend and I came up with the idea, and with the help of some of my other bartenders and the cook donating their time, the event was a success.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,000 young cancer patients enduring 20,000 clinic visits each month in 19 states across the nation. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Ms. Kisel discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 25th anniversary of remission from the disease in March.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s web site at www.treasurechest.org.

Photo captions:

(Pictured left to right): Dakota Inn Guest Bartender Ray Thatcher and Manager Megan Naughton present their $1,725 donation at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse. Their impressive donation will directly benefit children and teens battling cancer nationwide.