The Elim Christian Services adults in Orland Park are giving back to children and teens fighting cancer by assisting with a move to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). The Foundation recently moved its base of operations to a new home at 15430 70th Court in Orland Park, one that offers expanded parking availability and nearly three times the operational and storage space of its former headquarters.
The mission of Elim Christian Services is to equip children and adults with disabilities to achieve their highest God-given potential. Elim pursues this mission by providing educational, vocational, therapeutic and residential services to more than 800 persons daily with special needs, from learning disabilities to severe disabilities.
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Elim Instructor Lynne Huiner said, “The adults of Elim Christian Services enjoy serving others and giving back to the community.” Elim volunteer Bob Hillegonds added, “I enjoy working with the Treasure Chest Foundation because everyone is so friendly.”
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“We are so blessed to have the support of Elim Christian Services,” said a grateful Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “Elim Christian Services is located next door to our new facility, and we are thankful and proud to be their neighbor. Elim adult volunteers helped by loading and unloading numerous boxes from their bus during our week-long move.”
The POTCF is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy, gift or gift certificate in 42 hospitals nationwide. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. CEO Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Colleen 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 recently celebrated his 19th anniversary of remission from the disease.
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.
