Suburban Service League in Frankfort Donate to Help Children

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) of Orland Park was overjoyed recently to receive an enormous donation of over 100 pairs of Bombas socks from the Suburban Service League in Frankfort. The Suburban Service League teamed up and participated in a morning of service by bundling the socks with a toy or gift. When the last pair of socks was packaged the members created over 100 gift bags for children and teens fighting cancer.

Suburban Service League is an all women volunteer organization whose mission is to provide financial assistance to organizations who help people in need. The League employs a “hands on” approach by volunteering and supporting the charities with whom they work with.

President of the Suburban Service League Jeri Savaria said, “All of us are moms. It is important to us to show our children how to give back. Cancer has touched people in our organization.” Long time Treasure Chest supporter and Suburban Service League member Paula Wroble chimed in by saying, “I’ve been hosting a massive toy drive during the holidays for ten years. I’m always looking for new ways to bring joy to kids fighting cancer.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, “We feel so grateful to have the support of the Suburban Service League. Their donation will help children and teens who endure years and years of unending cancer treatments by rewarding the kids with a snuggly pair of socks along with a toy or gift after every procedure.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,000 young cancer patients in 60 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 27th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2020.

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 (pictured l-r): Suburban Service League Vice President Melissa Cunningham, Jessie Senese, Lisa Podlesak, Paula Wroble, President Jeri Savaria, Cate Kolbash and Olivia Kolbash, teamed up for a morning of service at the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation Orland Park facility. The women proudly display the donated Bombas socks which will help comfort young cancer patients.