March 25, 2025
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Joliet toy drive nets 1,000 toys for local children

Joliet Junior Woman’s Club led effort

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
The Joliet Junior Woman’s Club recently distributed 1,000 donated toys to three different Will County organizations: the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in Crest Hill, the pediatric-certified emergency department at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, and the pediatric department and pediatric emergency department at Prime Healthcare’s Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. The toys were collected through a community-driven toy drive.

The Joliet Junior Woman’s Club recently distributed 1,000 donated toys to three different Will County organizations: the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in Crest Hill, the pediatric-certified emergency department at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, and the pediatric department and pediatric emergency department at Prime Healthcare’s Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. The toys were collected through a community-driven toy drive. (Photo provided by the Joliet Junior Woman’s Club)

The Joliet Junior Woman’s Club recently distributed 1,000 donated toys to three different Will County organizations.

The goal of the community-driven toy drive “was to support children facing stressful medical experiences with comforting toys,” according to a news release from the club.

The initiative originated from a request from the Joliet hospital now called Prime Healthcare’s Saint Joseph Medical Center to Stephanie Perella, the club’s health and wellness chair, according to the release.

The club placed donation boxes at the Clarion Hotel & Convention Center Joliet, Hometown National Bank of Joliet, the Joliet Park District’s Inwood Athletic Club, the Joliet Public Library Black Road Branch, the Shorewood-Troy Public Library and the WILCO Area Career Center in Romeoville.

Additional support came from Trinity Christian School of Shorewood and the Will County nonprofit Helping Heavy Hearts, according to the release.

Perella, along with club members Ann Hambry, Connie Head and Denise Woosley, sorted the collected toys during a special working general meeting in March.

According to the release, the following organizations received the toys: Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in Crest Hill, the pediatric-certified emergency department at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, and the pediatric department and pediatric emergency department at Prime Healthcare’s Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

For more information about the Joliet Junior Woman’s Club, visit jolietjuniors.org.

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