Santa Claus is coming to Illinois Tollway Oases

BELVIDERE– Santa Claus will visit the Belvidere, Ill. Tollway Oases during the holiday season, providing opportunities for children of all ages to visit and take pictures with the jolly old elf. Tollway customers are also invited to donate toys to the annual Toys for Tots campaign when they visit.

“The Illinois Tollway wishes its customers a safe and festive holiday season and invites them and their families to rest, refresh and enjoy a visit with Santa at the oases,” Illinois Tollway Director Greg Bedalov said.

“Oases visitors can help support the U.S. Marine Reserve Toys for Tots program by dropping off a new, unwrapped toy at collection boxes at one of six Illinois Tollway oases and brighten the holiday for a child in need.”

Oases visitors will be able to take their own photos with Santa and one of Santa’s elves will be on hand to assist families and help keep children entertained. Santa’s appearance will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Belvidere Oasis on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) on Saturday, Nov. 21.

“We are looking forward to the holiday cheer that Santa Claus will be adding to the Tollway oases this festive season,” said Alma Becerra, general manager of MB Real Estate Services Inc.

“With a variety of food and retail services and family-friendly areas, the oases are great places to rest, see Santa and drop off new unwrapped gifts for the Toys for Tots toy drive.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, the mission of the Toys for Tots program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during the holiday season each year, and distribute those toys to less-fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

Oases visitors can help the Marine Corps Reserve provide gifts to the area’s disadvantaged children by bringing donations to one of the specially designated Toys for Tots collection boxes.

The Illinois Tollway oases cater to more than 12 million annual visitors and provide access to retail shops, restaurants, spacious food courts, ample seating featuring panoramic windows, kid-friendly spaces and a spot for talking and texting, cellular and Wi-Fi services.

About MB Real Estate Services Inc.

Founded in 1982, MB Real Estate is a full-service real estate organization that provides multifaceted expertise in Asset/Facilities Management; Leasing Services; Project/Construction Management; Tenant Representation; and Investment Services. Headquartered in Chicago, with a regional office in New York City, Atlanta and Denver, MB Real Estate provides these services to corporations, institutions, professional organizations, private investors, and non-profit agencies.

For more information, please visit www.mbres.com.

About the Illinois Tollway

The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations.

The agency maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80).