By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
Every year in mid January as Christmas decorations get packed away, poor-fitting gifts are returned to the store and resolutions are made and already broken, gone too are the selfless thoughts that come with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
There are no more red kettles and bell ringers in the front of every store, no more giving trees at your place of work and no more thought to stop your busy life to give a pick-me-up to someone in need.
The Joliet Public Library found a way to combat this through their ‘Valentines for Soldiers’ event.
The event, in its second year, offers members of the community to head to the Ottawa Street Branch at 150 N. Ottawa St. in downtown Joliet and create Valentine’s Day cards to be sent overseas. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and no registration is needed.
Art supplies and light refreshments will be provided and classic romantic movies “How to Marry a Millionaire” (11 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.) and the Princess Bride (12:45 – 2:30 p.m.) will show in the background.
“Everyone thinks about this around Christmas, but they are out there year round and could always use a boost and whatever we are able to do, we will,” said Adult Services Associate Patrick Maloney. “Anyone could do it on their own, we are just getting them all together in one place and sending a big package over.”
The event started last year and saw more than a dozen families come out and create cards — a number Maloney wants to keep growing.
And, while he runs the event now, Maloney was quick to point out that it was not his idea originally.
“Last year, Chris Special served on the programming committee with me and she started this up with,” Maloney said. “At the last minute, she couldn’t do the event, so I stepped in and it was a big hit and now, she is in a different department and I am still on the programming committee and decided to do it again.”
The Library partners with Manhattan, Illinois-based Operation Care Package to get the cards to those serving overseas — a task co-founder and president Debbie Smothers said is appreciated.
“We have to make sure we are sending packages year round,” Smothers said. “It is not just the holidays, they need to know that they are not forgotten the rest of the year, too. Our goal is that anytime people put their name on our list, that we keep them on our list the whole time they are deployed.
“It is wonderful when groups step up and help like this. We include cards and letters in each package and we are so grateful everyone’s help. Donations don’t have to be anything major — sometimes the simplest things are what they appreciate the most.”