Machesney Park gets into the giving mood

By Shelby R. Farrell

Reporter

MACHESNEY PARK – With winter and holidays around the corner, the Village of Machesney Park is finding more ways to help those in need.

The Village Board of Trustees showed their support for multiple fundraising and donation efforts throughout the community at the Nov. 2 meeting.

The board members even wore colorful t-shirts in support of a fundraiser for the Village’s Ambassador of Inspiration, Samantha Roberson.

At 10 years old, Roberson was diagnosed with Embryonal Rhabdomyo Sercoma on Oct. 31, 2013, and the community has worked alongside her to fight the rare bone and muscular cancer.

“In 2014, I had 48 weeks of chemo and four weeks of radiation to fight it,” she wrote on her blog, at samantharoberson.com.

In the same year she joined High School Musical star, Lucas Gabreel, in a music video for a song that he wrote for her, which is called “Beautiful Day,” and in August 2014 she walked the red carpet at Macy’s Glamorama in Chicago as the Ambassador for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana.

In October of last year, her school, Ralston Elementary School, declared Oct. 17 as “Samantha Day,” and family and friends released balloons. Her 48th chemotherapy treatment was that following week.

However, she wrote on her blog that the treatments didn’t completely work, and “on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, I had to be a brave girl, again. I had to have my left leg amputated to save my life.” However, she also wrote that she is healing “one day at a time.”

Roberson and her family are selling the t-shirts to raise money for medical expenses and to get a fitting for a new prosthetic leg. The shirts can be bought for $20 on her website at www.samantharoberson.com.

People who want to help the fundraising efforts can find more information at the website, or by calling Penny Olson, the Village’s Administrative Assistant/Deputy Clerk, at (815) 877-5432.

Upcoming Christmas

donation opportunities

With Veteran’s Day on Tuesday, Village Clerk Lori Mitchell announced that the Christmas for Veterans Open House is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Heartland Hospice, at 363 Financial Ct., Unit 300, in Rockford, hosts the collection and open house, and Mitchell said chili and cookies would be available to those who attend.

“The veterans and hospice program are asking for donations of cookies, blankets and socks for over 1,000 veterans living in nursing facilities in northern Illinois,” Mitchell said.

Donations for the annual Helping Hands Pantry Toy Drive have also already began for this holiday season, and Bolin said new, unused and still packaged toys could be dropped off at Village Hall, at 300 Roosevelt Road, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

He also announced that Senator Steve Stadelman would be at the Beef-A-Roo at 4602 Adamson Lane from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 5 also collecting toys for the Helping Hands Pantry Toy Drive.

“Helping Hands serves about 400 families a month in the Parks community, and the number continues to grow,” Bolin said. “By donating a new toy, you will give joy to children who’s families rely on the pantry for their food needs and help to make their Christmas a bit brighter this year.”

The Machesney Park Village Hall will take toy donations until Dec. 11.

Samantha Roberson and her family attended the Machesney Park Village Board meeting on Monday, Nov. 2. The board showed support of the youngster who is battling cancer by buying and wearing t-shirts that are being sold as a fundraiser for the family.