Holiday Toy Drives to Benefit Children with Cancer

Area residents and businesses have an opportunity this holiday season to support children and teens fighting cancer by donating a new toy or gift during the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) annual Holiday Toy Drive.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 16,100 young cancer patients in 66 cancer treatment centers in 21 states across the nation and in the District of Columbia. 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 29th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of this year.

Ms. Kisel emphasized the importance of the Foundation’s efforts by saying, “The toys we collect during this Holiday Toy Drive will enable us to continue providing smiles of joy to more than 16,100 children and teens monthly who are battling cancer across the nation.”

Unwrapped, brand-new toys or gifts may be dropped off until December 23rd at:

ORLAND PARK

•Treasure Chest Foundation, 15430 70th Court

•All Seasons Pools, 9135 W. 135th Street

•American School Bus Company, 10000 W. 167th Street

•Crystal Tree Country Club, 10700 W 153rd Street

•Fernway Park Elementary School 16600 S. 88th Avenue

•Kiwanis Club of Orland Park, Lily Berenson, 14750 S. Ravinia Avenue - Wednesday's only

•Old National Bank, 15900 Wolf Road

•Thomas Place, 15415 S. Harlem

TINLEY PARK

•ATEAM Speed Shop, Inc, 16910 S. Oak Park Avenue

•Aero Rubber Company, 8100 W. 185th Street

•John A. Bannes School, 16835 S. Odell

•Christa McAuliffe School, 8944 W. 174th Street

•Dunkin’ Donuts, 7935 W. 171st Street

•EMCORE Corporation, 8412 185th Street

•Lather By Mary Dituri, 16910 S, Oak Park Ave

•Merit Insurance Group, 8041 W 186th Street, Suite D

•Old National Bank, 16700 S. 80th Avenue

•Old National Bank, 17500 S. Oak Park Avenue

•First Savings Bank of Hegewisch, 17501 80th Avenue

•Helen Keller School, 7846 W. 163rd Street

•Millennium Elementary School, 17830 S. 84th Avenue

•Prairie View Middle School, 8500 W. 175th Street

•Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation (PTSIR), 17236 Harlem Ave.

•Shades of Darkness Tanning Salon, 16850 Oak Park Avenue

•Sterk Family Law, 11508 W. 103rd Place NW

•Tinley Park High School, 6111 175th Street

•Tinley Park - Park District, 8125 W. 171st Street

•Tinley Park Roller Rink, 17658 Oak Park Ave, $1.00 admission if you

bring a toy

•Virgil I. Grissom Middle School, 17000 S. 80th Avenue

•Volvo, 8031 W 159th Street

OAK FOREST

•Braun Educational Center, 6020 151st Street

•City of Oak Forest, 15440 Central Avenue

•Fullserve Auto Care Specialists, 15436 S Cicero Avenue

•Lee R. Foster Elementary School, 5931 School Street

•Oak Forest High School, 15201 Central Avenue

•Oak Forest Park District, 15601 Central Avenue

ALSIP

•Dakota Inn, 12119 S. Pulaski

•Doubek Medical Supply, 11350 S. Cicero Avenue

•Old National Bank, 11900 S. Pulaski

BLUE ISLAND

•Old National Bank, 12015 S Western Avenue

BENSENVILLE

•MARKEN LLP, 425 Country Club Drive

BRIDGEVIEW

Quality Saw & Seal, INC 7600 W. 79th Street

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS

•Old National Bank, 4101 183rd Street

CRESTWOOD

•Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center, 5331 W. 135th Street

•Old National Bank, 13500 S. Cicero Avenue

•Menard’s, 4701 Cal Sag Road

•Village of Crestwood, 13840 S. Cicero Avenue

ELGIN

•Fox Valley Dental, 74 N Alfred Avenue

FRANKFORT

•Dunkin’ Donuts, 19420 S. Harlem

•Old National Bank, 19997 South La Grange Road

•Peace Community Preschool, 21300 S. La Grange Road

•The Nail Shop, 24 Ash Street

HICKORY HILLS

•Old National Bank, 7800 W 95th Street

HODGKINS

•UPS, 1 Ups Way

JOLIET

•Hawk VW of Joliet, 2816 Jefferson Street

LEMONT

•Realty Executives Elite, 15400 127th Street, Suite A

MIDLOTHIAN

•Midlothian Country Club, 5000 W. 147th Street

•Old National Bank, 3737 147th Street

MOKENA

•Dunkin’ Donuts, 8810 W. 191st Street

•On The Spot Mobile Auto Detailing, 8002 189th Street

NAPERVILLE

•Word of Life, 879 Tudor Drive

OAK LAWN

•Keller Williams Elite Realty, 4544 W. 103rd Street

•Old National Bank, 4001 W 95th Street

PALOS HEIGHTS

•Old National Bank, 12600 S Harlem Avenue

PALOS HILLS

•Old National Bank, 10900 South 88th Street

PALOS PARK

•Old National Bank, 9700 W 131st Street

PARK FOREST

•Grace United Protestant Church, 266 Somonauk Street

SHOREWOOD

•Dunkin’ Donuts, 1201 W. Jefferson

WORTH

•Worthwoods School, 11000 S. Oketo Avenue

•Worth School District #127, 1158 S. Oak Park Avenue

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at: www.treasurechest.org