A caravan of minivans and sport utility vehicles packed with laundry baskets arrived at the Lemont Township offices Friday morning.
The 106 baskets were filled with cleaning supplies, toiletries and other basic necessities - to be distributed to struggling Lemont families on Saturday. While the two local food pantries provide some relief for those families, there is an ongoing need for some basic items that they cannot meet.
“It is inspiring to see our club members come together year after year to make this happen,” said project organizer Barb Williams.
The project has become a true community effort. While Lemont Junior Woman’s Club members provide the bulk of the donations, local Girl Scout troops and businesses also lend support. As the needs of the community have grown, so has the project. This year, 106 families received baskets, up from 80 baskets delivered in 2006.
“The impact this organization has had and continues to have on our community, and in the homes that truly have to choose between paying needs or necessities, is immense and powerful,” said Terri O’Neill-Borders of Lemont Township Human Services.
The club joins the national Make a Difference Day effort every year, and “Baskets of Basics” has been the club’s project since 2006. For more than 20 years, USA WEEKEND Magazine and Points of Light have joined together to sponsor Make a Difference Day, the largest national day of community service. Millions of volunteers from around the world united in a common mission to improve the lives of others on Make a Difference Day, Saturday, October 27, 2012.
About the LJWC:
The Lemont Junior Woman’s Club is a volunteer organization with about 75 members. Chartered in 1993, the LJWC provides financial and volunteer support to educational, civic and philanthropic efforts that enrich the lives of citizens of our community. Members volunteer thousands of hours and raise more than $20,000 each year to benefit the community. The goal of the club is to help fulfill the basic needs of Lemont citizens of all ages with an emphasis on children.
For more information, visit www.lemontjuniorwomansclub.org.
Editor's Note: This article was submitted to Patch by Shelley Taylor of the Lemont Junior Woman's Club.
