Dr. Julian Rogus Elementary School in Frankfort Gives to Kids

During the month of April 2019, Dr. Julian Rogus Elementary School in Frankfort held its fourth “Penny Wars” event to benefit children and teens fighting cancer. This unique fundraiser raised more than $2,150 for the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) an Orland Park based non-profit organization that provides comfort and distraction from painful treatments to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy, gift or gift card in 55 hospitals nationwide. Every penny raised will benefit children and teens fighting cancer. During the past four years the Dr. Julian Rogus Elementary School “Penny Wars” event has raised over an impressive $11,240 to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.

The Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade classes participated in the fundraiser. The students were split into five teams, each with a designated color. They then ‘went to war’ to see just which team could collect the most pennies. Team Orange collected the most pennies and won the battle to put smiles on the faces of children and teens fighting cancer. In the end, everyone is a winner!

Kindergarten teacher Tina Gnade’s brother benefitted from the Treasure Chest Foundation’s services and has been in remission for 13 years now. Tina said, “My brother and one of our former students, Joe Moylan benefitted from the Treasure Chest Foundation’s services. We work with little kids every day and we are lucky to see them healthy and thriving. We can't imagine the kids having to go through these cancer treatments.”

POTCF Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel is especially grateful to the Dr. Julian Rogus Elementary School faculty and the students for their efforts in raising such an impressive total. “Thanks to the success of this schools’ creative idea, the summer will be brighter and happier for thousands of brave young people throughout the nation who benefit from our services,” said Ms. Kisel.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,300 young cancer patients in 55 cancer treatment centers 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 26th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2019.

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 caption:

Elementary School Assistant Principal Tracy Bulfer (top left), winning members of Team Orange and Principal Colin Brady (top right) at Dr. Julian Rogus Elementary School in Frankfort, proudly celebrate their “Penny Wars” victory which will benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation and childhood cancer patients nationwide.