Orland Park Resident Celebrates 80th Birthday Volunteering

Orland Park resident Grace Reddel celebrated her 80th birthday by labeling and processing toys at the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. The not-for-profit Foundation provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 58 cancer treatment centers nationwide.

Grace is usually joined in her volunteer efforts by eight to ten clients of Elim Christian Services, an organization whose mission is to equip children and adults who are battling disabilities to achieve their highest potential. Although more than 30 people typically volunteer their time and talents each and every week at the Treasure Chest Foundation, few if any are either as elderly or as enthusiastic as Grace Reddel.

Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel both appreciates and is continually amazed by the significant contributions made by her weekly volunteer. Colleen said "We are fortunate to have Grace in our facility working side by side with the adults from Elim Christian Services. There are no rocking chairs in Grace Reddel's life. She is a true unsung hero."

"Volunteering at the Foundation is a great honor for me," says Grace. "I love working with the staff and all of the volunteers here. There are so many smiling faces, and Colleen's people skills are phenomenal. Treating others with kindness seems to come automatic for her."

Achieving one's highest potential and helping those less fortunate would be lofty goals for someone of any age. At 80 years young, the fact that Grace Reddel is doing just that is a testament to her positive outlook and impressive stamina. And of course, the ultimate beneficiaries of her kindness and compassion are the 14,000 children and teens battling cancer nationwide who are able to select a toy from a Treasure Chest after every painful treatment they endure.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,000 young cancer patients in 58 cancer treatment centers in 20 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 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 (l-r): Orland Park resident George Reddel, Elim Christian Services client Donna Reitz, Orland Park resident Grace Reddel, Elim clients Shelly Leech, Megan McLaughlin, Brian Stortz and Mike La Rosa take a short break from a labeling project at the Treasure Chest Foundation warehouse in Orland Park. The processed items will be shipped to Childrens Cancer Treatment Centers nationwide where they will help provide smiles to brave childhood cancer patients