A Real Holiday Spirit

In the spirit of the holiday season, state Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) will be teaming up with state Reps. Camille Lilly (D-Chicago), La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) and Jack Franks (D-Marengo) to donate 1,000 holiday turkeys to The Mother House of Fraternite Notre Dame food pantry in Chicago.  Rep. Wheeler is asking for donations with hopes of raising $20,000 for impoverished families in Chicago so they can have a warm holiday turkey.

Any donations large or small will go a long way toward spreading love and cheer to those in need during the holiday season," said Lilly.

Wheeler will be teaming up with Reps. Camille Lilly and La Shawn Ford, who represent The Mother House in Chicago and Rep. Jack Franks, who represents the Shrine of the Ecce Homo in Marengo.  They are asking for a check donation to be made out to Fraternite Notre Dame, with a memo that says “1,000 Turkeys.”  No cash donations will be accepted.  They can be mailed to:

Fraternite Notre Dame

502 North Central Avenue

Chicago, IL 60644

Fraternite Notre Dame also accepts donations via Pay Pal on their donation page at: http://www.fraternitenotredame.com/2011_2_0/financial.php.

“As we take time to celebrate with our friends and family, and give thanks for the many blessings we have, let us not forget the need to share that joy with those less fortunate,” Franks added. “I cannot think of a greater demonstration of the tenets of Thanksgiving than partnering with Fraternite Notre Dame to support families in need.”

The members of Fraternite Notre Dame have dedicated their life to prayer while also performing charitable works.  They do not receive any salary for dedicating themselves to this work.  They host a weekly food pantry program for families in difficulty, an after school program to give children a safe play to play, and a soup kitchen serving meals to poor adults and children.

“The Austin Community continues to struggle with many social and economic conditions,” said Ford.  “The Mother House of Fraternite Notre Dame Food Pantry provides support for many families in the Austin Community.  I commend Rep. Wheeler for putting people first over politics and for bringing businesses, democrats, and republicans together during the holiday season, to support families in the Austin community that may be experiencing financial hardships.”

Representatives are asking donations to be sent in no later than Friday, November 15.  Once collected, Pete Kalantzis, owner of Marzano’s Wood Fired Italian Restaurant in McHenry, will coordinate the purchasing of the turkeys with the Fraternite Notre Dame.  Rep. Wheeler would like to extend her thank yous to Pete Kalantzis.

“It is great to see so many people work so hard for this cause,” said Wheeler.  “I cannot thank Pete Kalantzis enough for his time and effort and to House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, and Reps. Camille Lilly, Ron Sandack, Ed Sullivan, David McSweeney, Al Riley, and Jack Franks for already donating a combined $3,000.”