National Honor Society Collects Toys and Gift Cards for Children

The Lincoln-Way Central High School National Honor Society members must demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character, the four pillars of the NHS. The four main purposes are to create enthusiasm for scholarships, to stimulate a desire to render services, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. That is exactly what the members of the National Honor Society from Lincoln-Way High School in New Lenox did when they collected toys and $335 in gift cards to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). The toys and gift cards will comfort children fighting cancer across the nation.

Lincoln-Way Central High School National Honor Society member Jake Mackowiak was all smiles when he dropped off the toy drive donation and said, “I wanted to find a nice way to put a smile on a face that needs one.” Jake’s mom Heather Mackowiak, a science teacher at Lincoln-Way Central School and National Honor Society Sponsor added,” This is a culmination of our 400 members of the National Honor Society students donating as a service project to this wonderful cause.”

Treasure Chest Foundation Founder Colleen Kisel expressed her gratitude for the generous support shown by the National Honor Society from Lincoln-Way Central High School. “The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to the National Honor Society for their enormous donation,” said Ms. Kisel. “I want the kids to know what a tremendous impact their toy and gift card donations will have on the children and teens fighting cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 cancer treatment centers in 20 states across the nation and in the District of Columbia. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Ms. Kisel discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 28th anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this month.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.