By:
Maria
Toth
Forwarded
by Chicago Donauschwaben
This is the eighth year that the Society of the Danube Swabians,
625 Seegers Road, Des Plaines, has sent car loads of donations to the
Self Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines. On
December 9, at their annual Christmas party, the Society welcomed
Debra Walusiak, Executive Director of the Self Help Closet &
Pantry.
President Eckhard Blaumueller of the Society of the Danube
Swabians presented Walusiak with a donation of $3,500.
Five hundred dollars of that amount was the proceeds of a
November rummage sale held by the Woman’s Auxiliary of the Society
to specifically raise funds for the Self Help Closet & Pantry.
In addition to the monetary donation given to the Food Pantry,
each child and teen from the Society's children and youth folkdance
groups brought non-perishable food items, gift cards, and children’s
books for families who are experiencing a time of need this holiday
season.
Close to 500 items of non-perishable food was collected at the
Christmas party, along with $1,200 worth of gift cards, and 48
children’s books. Many
of the gift cards and books were selected by the children themselves
to give to boys and girls their own age who may not otherwise receive
a gift this holiday season.
The Society’s Board of Directors is very proud of its youth,
because they have once again shared with families in their community
who show a demonstrable need. Although
the Christmas season brings in the greatest quantities of food items,
the Society of the Danube Swabians collects non-perishable food all
year long for the Self Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines.
Large red bins are set out in the Society’s vestibule to
accept donations from members. The
donations are transported to the Food Pantry on a regular basis by
Society volunteers.
The Society of the Danube Swabians is principally organized for
charitable purposes. Being that the founding members of the Society
were poor German
immigrants who had been given an opportunity to come to the United
States for a better life, it became the mission of the Society to
provide supervised program activities for the children, youth, and
senior citizens of the community, as well as reaching out to the
community at large.
Children from the ages of 3 to 13 can become members of the
children's folkdance group; young adults from 13 until 22 are able to
join the youth folkdance group.
More information about The Society of the Danube Swabians, or
its upcoming events, can be found on their website at www.donauchicago.com
.