Tinley Park-Park District Donates to Children Fighting Cancer

In the spirit of giving, the staff of the Tinley Park-Park District is giving to children fighting cancer. The staff decided to bring new toys to their annual Christmas Party for children fighting cancer. The party was hosted at Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center and friends and family attended. When the party was over, the group accumulated over 65 toys and $85 in gift cards to donate to The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.

The Tinley Park-Park District maintains 40 parks, 33 ball fields and several facilities in Tinley Park. The Park District also operates Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center, Tinley Fitness, Landmark Museum & Church, McCarthy Recreation Building, Tinley Junction Miniature Golf & Batting Cages, Vogt Visual Arts Center, The Extreme Skate Park, White Water Canyon Water Park & Spray Ground, Canine Campus Dog Park and the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center.

Tinley Park District Marketing Manager Carol Bradtke said, “We chose to help the Treasure Chest Foundation to help local kids who are fighting the biggest battle of their young lives at a time of year when all children should just be enjoying the holiday excitement. Hopefully some of the donations will bring a smile to a child who really needs some joy!”

The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to the Tinley Park-Park District for their donation of toys. Ms. Kisel, CEO and Founder of the Treasure Chest Foundation said, “A special thanks to the Park District family and all their friends’ generosity. The toys will benefit the young cancer patients we serve.”

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. 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.

Pictured (l-r front row): Recreation Supervisor Colleen Fenske, and Meghan Hruby. (l-r back row): Tinley Fitness Manager Jennifer Williams, Marketing Manager Carol Bradtke, Debbie Lettiere, Jessica Reketis, Executive Director Shawn Roby and Kelly Jones display their donation at the Tinley Park-Park District facility. The toys and gift cards collected during their recent Christmas Party will bring smiles of joy to thousands of children and teens battling cancer across the nation.