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Recent News
BY TOM BARKER, THE SOUTHERN | Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ULLIN - Many children in Illinois' southernmost counties will have something to smile about this holiday season, as the Illinois State Police District 22's Operation CARE Bears program is supplying underprivileged children with gifts for Christmas.
Following a year of fundraising events and donation collections, the Children Are Remembered Everywhere, or CARE, Bears organization finished its 2009 season with the distribution of gifts Tuesday. State troopers delivered bags of presents to 34 families in the southern seven counties, providing toys and clothing for 84 children.
Kenny Klein, CEO of CARE Bears and telecommunications supervisor for District 22, said seeing the smiles on the recipient chil-dren's faces makes the all the fundraising more than worth the effort.
"We know there are a lot of people out there that really do appreciate this," Klein said. "I've done the deliveries myself, and if you actually go see the kids, that's what makes it worthwhile."
A nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization, CARE works year-round to raise money to buy gifts for kids at Christmas time. Through events like golf scrambles and charity barbecues, CARE typically raises $10,000 to $15,000 per year, Klein said.
Each recipient family in the annual program is chosen by the organization through a screening process that identifies families who have fallen through the cracks and are not receiving gifts through other programs.
And the gifts are not limited to just toys. CARE volunteers purchase clothing and goods for the children, based on wish lists provided by the families, and $50 food vouchers are given as well.
"It's just a reward in itself," Klein said.
Capt. Harry Masse of ISP District 22 said part of the idea behind the program is to remind the district's residents that the police are there to serve them.
"Most of the time, the people or the children only see us in a negative light, whether we're pulling them over or making arrests" Masse said. "We want uniformed troopers to be delivering the toys, so that they see that the toys are coming from the police and not from Santa Claus."
Anyone can make a tax-deductible donation to Operation CARE Bears. Masse said that because the group is run strictly by volunteers, there are no overhead costs and 100 percent of donated money goes to purchases for the selected families.
