Tom Hopkins Foundation Named South Side Irish Parade Honoree

CHICAGO (BEVERLY) — The Tom Hopkins Foundation, a Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood based non-profit organization dedicated to assisting families affected by cancer through community support of youth athletics, will be the 2020 South Side Irish Parade honoree. The foundation was recognized in an announcement ceremony Tuesday afternoon outside St. Cajetan School.

The foundation is the organizer of the Papa Hops 16'' Softball Tournament that's held yearly at three neighborhood parks on a Friday in July. It's held in memory of Tom "Papa Hops" Hopkins, a beloved St. Cajetan parish resident who died of melanoma in 2014.

Liam Hopkins, Papa Hops' son, said his dad "truly loved life, living each day to the fullest, always inspiring his family and friends to do the same" in a speech accepting the parade honoree recognition.

The Tom Hopkins Foundation has helped more than 30 local families who have been affected by cancer and already have supported the athletic departments at more than 10 Catholic elementary schools.

During the same upcoming South Side Irish Parade it will be a group of local Catholic school teachers serving as the grand marshal.

"Kicking the 2020 parade off with the grand marshal ‘the Catholic schools’ has a special meaning to us and our mission," Hopkins said. "It’s a way for us to thank our community and the people who support and have supported the Tom Hopkins Foundation and our Papa Hops 16” Softball Tournament.

"Growing up in this parish and attending the parade with our family every year on Western Avenue are memories made that stay with you for a lifetime. It’s a tradition that was built off Family, Faith and Community. A day to not only celebrate our Irish heritage but also to come together and celebrate the many organizations, businesses and schools’ that truly make our community the best."

The South Side Irish Parade will kickoff from 103rd and Western at noon on Sunday, March 15.

Watch the full announcement ceremony via the Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch Facebook Live feed here: