Cop Honors Front-line Workers With 'Simple Gesture'

BOLINGBROOK, IL — With the aim of giving back to the community during the coronavirus pandemic, The Crafty Cop, a Bolingbrook business selling personalized gifts, is donating wine glasses to front-line workers.

"The idea actually came from my wife, Samantha. Her and I were discussing ways to be able to give back to the community and front-line workers during the pandemic," said Joshua Chlebanowski, owner of The Crafty Cop. "We personally know that it can be stressful for front-line workers during these times, and sometimes a simple wine glass of appreciation could make the difference in someone's day. We intend on continuing the efforts until this pandemic is over."

The wine glasses cost $8 and can be personalized. For inspiration, customers can check out the Facebook page. With the purchase of each wine glass, another wine glass will be donated to a health care worker or first responder with a donation card and the person’s name on it.

He said they have some local hospitals and fire departments in mind, but they are also willing to honor requests from the customers if they have a specific person in mind.

"These wine glasses that are being donated are bringing some front-line workers to tears when we drop them off," Chlebanowski said. "A simple wine glass with a donation card with a name from a complete stranger is a sign of appreciation these front-line workers who might be at their breaking point need."

Chlebanowski has been a police officer with the Hoffman Estates Police Department for three years. To relieve stress from law enforcement work, he decided to find a creative outlet in December 2019.

"To sum it all up, it is your average cop doing above-average personalized gifts and home decor," he said. "We decided we were going to offer products to sell but take the approach of being transparent, highly affordable and work with customers to make sure anything they could imagine could become a reality, all at a reasonable price. So far, we have heard many compliments and heard many great reviews from customers who have made purchases."

The Crafty Cop is currently working with a couple private schools in supplying graduation signs to their students who may not get to have a ceremony, and is preparing Fourth of July, Father's Day and summer products that will be released for purchase soon.

Chlebanowski said they "take pride in being part of the community and giving back to the community."

"You don’t always know what someone else is going through, and we believe sometimes all it takes to turn someone’s world around is a simple gesture," he said. "We want to give to the community as much as possible, and we intend to continue to donate yard signs for birthday celebrations, participate in drive-by parades with custom signs, hoping to make someone else's day a little brighter in these troubling times."