New Lenox Wroble Family Organize Toy Drive to Help Children

New Lenox residents Randy and Paula Wroble hosted a toy drive by asking neighbors, friends and family to donate a toy with the goal of helping children and teens fighting cancer. After the last toy had been picked up, a vanload of gifts to be distributed to children fighting cancer was delivered to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) warehouse in Orland Park. 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 card in 54 cancer treatment centers across 19 states nationwide.

Paula Wroble said, “This is our seventh-year donating toys to kids battling cancer. Our family, neighbors and friends all look forward to participating and making each year better than the last. Yoga Face Spa in New Lenox and Lincoln Way Hockey Team also participated this year.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel extended her most sincere gratitude to the Wroble family and friends for their efforts in organizing such an innovative and interesting toy drive. “What a great idea they had, asking residents to leave a new toy on their front porch. No one had to drive anywhere. The residents were extremely generous and probably happy to have their donations picked up. And we are certainly grateful to be able to distribute such an impressive number of toys to the brave children and teens battling cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,300 young cancer patients in 54 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 25th 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:

New Lenox resident Paula Wroble delivered a vanload of toys destined for children fighting cancer to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation facility in Orland Park.