Girl Scout Troop #65116 Collects Toys and Volunteers to Help Children Fighting Cancer

Girl Scouts require the leadership and planning skills necessary to make a positive impact in the community. That is exactly what the members of Girl Scout Troop #65116, from Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School in Orland Hills, did when they collected over 200 toys and volunteered to label and categorize the toys to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). The toys will comfort children fighting cancer across the nation.

The Girl Scout’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place by helping other people who are in need especially this time of year when the spirit of giving is upon us.

Girl Scout Troop Leader Kelly Mendoza said, “We found out about the Treasure Chest Foundation and the good work the charity does and we wanted to donate our time and toys to help kids fighting cancer around the holiday.”

“The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to Girl Scout Troop #65116 for their gift of service,” said Treasure Chest Founder Colleen Kisel. “Not only do we appreciate the girls’ hard work, but we are so happy to be a part of this wonderful organization which is dedicated to making the world a better place. The Treasure Chest Foundation is a better place because of Girl Scout Troop #65116.”

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 49 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 celebrated his 22nd anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this year.

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 (l-r): The proud members of Girl Scout Troop #65116, Kennedy Anderson, Piper Jalowiec, Chloe Mison, Sophia Kapustianyk, Aaliyah Howard, Grace Mathis, Isabella Alejo, Olivia Healy, Alexandra Cokinos, Carli Mendoza, Elizabeth Curry, Catie Szafranski, Molly Piko and Jordyn Laschober

take a break from organizing more than 200 toys they collected for kids fighting cancer at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse.