FOREST LEAVES — Dec. 1, 2004

School's mitten tree aids Hephzibah's youngsters

BY CHRIS LAFORTUNE

STAFF WRITER

Traditional Christmas tree decorations usually include lights, ornaments, and perhaps strings of popcorn, but Lincoln School's Mitten Tree sports mittens, scarves and hats donated to help warm children in need.

Lincoln began its annual Mitten Tree fundraiser for Hephzibah Children's Association Monday.

The Mitten Tree will be up in the Park Avenue entrance of Lincoln School until Dec. 10, Third PTO Vice President Patty Henek said.

The tree is designed to collect new hats, scarves, gloves and mittens for Hephzibah, a Oak Park-based child care and child welfare agency.

The school has held the fund-raiser for about 10 years now, Henek said. The PTO is its sponsor.

"Hephzibah actually provides a great service to a lot of needy families in the area," Henek said. "This is just another way to help their donations."

Last year, Hephzibah supplied winter clothes for nearly 100 children from the Mitten Tree, Volunteer Services Director Maureen McGoorty said. The items go to children in Hephzibah's residential and foster care programs as well as its services for families in crisis.

"Some of them we gave to families to put under their Christmas tree," McGoorty said. "Some that needed some warm mittens and hats we gave to immediately."

The clothing contributed by Lincoln is enough to last the entire winter, McGoorty said, and Hephzibah usually has enough to put some aside for new child clients or in case mittens and hats get lost.

"This is something we would go out and buy, so this is an incredible gift to us," she said.

The PTO prefers new winter gear be contributed to the tree, Henek said, and contributions may be made by students as well as community members.

"I imagine if somebody had something they wanted to drop off, they'd be more than happy to take it," Henek said.

In addition to the Mitten Tree, Lincoln School will also have its annual hot chocolate day today. For $1, students can buy hot chocolate at lunch time, Henek said.

Money raised through that event goes toward Hephzibah's holiday fund and pays for activities for Hephzibah's residential children during holiday break, such as visiting the Lake Theatre, going to Tasty Dog for lunch or taking the el to Chicago, McGoorty said.

Lincoln raised about $150 last year through its hot chocolate program, Henek said.

Chris LaFortune can be reached at clafortune@pioneerlocal.com.

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